It is strongly recommended that Canadian or Permanent Resident children carry a consent letter if they are travelling abroad in the follow scenarios:
- alone,
- with only one parent/guardian,
- with friends or relatives,
- or with a group (such as a school trip)
The purpose of the letter is to show that such children have permission to travel abroad from every parent (or guardian) who is not accompanying them on the trip.
Does my child have to have this letter?
It is not legally required for children to have the consent letter, however, the letter may be requested by officials when entering or leaving Canada. Officials from other foreign countries may also ask for the letter. If the child cannot present the letter upon an official’s request, there could be delays or the official can refuse to let the child enter or leave the country.
How do I write a consent letter?
You can use the sample consent letter provided by the government of Canada to write your consent letter: http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/children/consent-letter
The following are frequently asked questions with answers that can help you understand the consent letter: http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/children/faq
