Consent Letter for Children Travelling Abroad

Overview

When a child travels outside Canada without both parents or legal guardians, immigration officials at Dorval's YUL airport or any international land border may ask for written proof of authorization. The Consent Letter for Children Travelling Abroad is a template published by Global Affairs Canada that allows the absent parent or guardian to confirm in writing that the child has permission to travel. It is not a permit and involves no government processing — it is a document the traveller carries.

The letter is not legally required under Canadian law, but many foreign countries refuse admission or re-entry to a minor without documented parental consent. For Montreal families navigating separation or divorce, it bears on custody arrangements, parenting agreements, and Quebec court orders that govern when and how international travel may proceed.

What Does the Consent Letter Do?

The Consent Letter provides written evidence that each non-travelling parent — or other person holding parental authority over the child — has authorized the trip. It identifies the child, the travel dates and destination, the accompanying person if any, and contact information for the consenting party. Where a court order or homologated agreement (i.e., a consent agreement approved by a court) already authorizes travel without requiring the other parent's consent, that document should travel with the child in place of, or alongside, the letter.

⚠️ The letter supplements court orders and parenting agreements — it does not override them. Confirm consistency with any existing orders before travel.

When Do You Need the Consent Letter?

The Consent Letter is recommended any time a child travels outside Canada without all parents or legal guardians present — whether with one parent, a relative, a school group, or alone. This includes day crossings into the United States. Separated parents in Montreal and across Quebec must present this document even where one parent has been granted primary parenting time or sole decision-making responsibility, as the arrangement is not self-evident to a foreign official, and the letter translates it into verifiable terms.

⚠️ Some countries require more than a consent letter — apostilles, notarized translations, or country-specific forms may be necessary. Before booking, check the Global Affairs Canada — Travel documents for children website or contact the destination country's embassy or consulate in Canada for current entry requirements for minors.

Who Must Sign the Consent Letter?

Any parent, legal guardian, or other person holding parental authority who will not be travelling should sign. In Quebec, the Civil Code of Québec presumes joint parental authority unless a court has ordered otherwise — meaning both parents should ordinarily sign. All non-travelling parties should be named, not only the one most directly involved in a current dispute.

Where sole decision-making authority has been granted by court order, the non-travelling parent's signature may not be legally required, but obtaining it remains advisable where safely possible. If contact poses a safety risk, legal advice should be sought before the trip.

⚠️ If a court order states that one parent's consent is not required for travel, carry that order alongside the letter.

How Do You Complete the Consent Letter?

Global Affairs Canada has a webpage on Consent letters for children and publishes a fillable PDF template and a Word version. Complete the form with the full legal names of all parties, the child's passport and birth certificate details, travel dates, destination addresses, and the accompanying person's information. If the child is travelling alone, note that explicitly.

The letter should ideally be signed before a notary public or other official authorized to administer oaths, as officials are less likely to question a notarized document. However, it may also be signed before any adult who has reached the age of majority (18 in Quebec); this is acceptable under Government of Canada guidance, though notarization is strongly recommended. Bring the original signed letter, since border officials may not accept photocopies or digital versions and may be more likely to question their authenticity.

⚠️ Global Affairs Canada does not record or process the information entered into the form. No submission to any government authority is required.

What Documents and Information Do You Need?

Gather the following before completing the letter:

• Child's full legal name, date of birth, place of birth, and sex
• Passport details: number, date of issue, issuing country (if available)
• Birth certificate information (if passport is unavailable)
• Travel dates: exact departure from and return to Canada
• Destination details: countries visited, addresses of stays, host contact information
• Accompanying person's details (if applicable): full name, passport number, date of issue, issuing country, and relationship to the child
• Consenting party's contact information: address, telephone, and email
• Relevant court orders or parenting agreements governing travel authorization

⚠️ If the child holds dual citizenship, verify entry requirements under each applicable citizenship — they may differ significantly.

What Are the Family Law Implications of the Consent Letter?

Article 600 of the Civil Code of Québec preserves parental authority for both parents after separation unless a court removes it, meaning both parents ordinarily retain the right to consent to international travel. Taking a child abroad without that consent can have serious consequences under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, which Canada has ratified — a parent who removes a child in breach of the other's custodial rights may face an application for the child's immediate return.

If the other parent withholds consent without justification, Quebec courts can authorize travel over that objection — but a court application takes time, and a planned departure date is no guarantee the court acts in time.

⚠️ Where a parenting agreement or court order governs international travel, its terms take legal precedence over the consent letter. Legal advice is recommended before booking any trip that engages those provisions.

Illustrative Scenario

📌 Parent A and Parent B share parental authority over their nine-year-old following their separation. Parent A, who lives in NDG, plans to take the child to visit family abroad for three weeks during the summer. Parent B, who remains in Montreal, will not be travelling.

Parent A asks Parent B to sign a consent letter. Their parenting agreement does not address international travel, so no court order specifically governs whether Parent B's signature is required. Parent B initially declines, citing concerns about the trip's length.

After a brief exchange facilitated by counsel, Parent B agrees to sign. The letter is completed using the Global Affairs Canada template, notarized, and carried alongside the parenting agreement. At the border it is presented without issue. Had Parent B refused entirely, Parent A would have needed an urgent application before the Quebec Superior Court — a process that could have taken weeks and jeopardized the departure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the consent letter need to be notarized in Quebec?

No. There is no Canadian legal requirement to notarize the letter — any adult of majority age (18 in Quebec) may witness the signing. However, Global Affairs Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency both strongly recommend notarization, as border officials are less likely to question a certified document, particularly at destinations with stricter entry requirements for minors.

What happens if the other parent refuses to sign?

If the other parent refuses without valid reason, the travelling parent may apply to the Quebec Superior Court for authorization to travel over that objection, with the child's best interests as the governing standard. Legal advice is strongly recommended before making this application, since the urgency of a planned departure affects which remedies are available and on what timeline.

What if the other parent has travelled without one parent's consent?

If the other parent travels with your child to another country without your consent, it may constitute wrongful removal or retention under the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction, which Canada has ratified, potentially allowing you to seek the child's prompt return through federal authorities. Contact Global Affairs Canada immediately via their resources on preventing international child abductions for guidance on next steps, including applications for return. You should also contact an attorney immediately to protect your parental rights and pursue legal remedies. Criminal liability arises where a custody order is breached or there is intent to deprive the other parent of lawful custody. Travel within Canada without consent is generally treated as a family law matter, unless it clearly violates a custody order or involves similar intent.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Carrying a photocopy or scan instead of the original signed letter. This is the most frequent error — many border officials prefer the original, and a scan may prompt delays at entry or exit. Incomplete forms are equally problematic: a letter that omits specific addresses, return dates, or the accompanying person's passport details gives officials less to verify. Fill in every field.
• Assuming a sole-custody order eliminates the need for a letter. While the non-travelling parent's signature may not be legally required, carrying both the order and a signed letter provides stronger documentation where both are obtainable. Using a letter prepared for a previous trip is a common oversight — a document dated for a prior journey will not satisfy officials asking about current travel.

When to Get Legal Help

If your parenting arrangement includes a court order or separation agreement that addresses international travel, review it before booking. Provisions specifying notice periods, prohibited destinations, or consent procedures may affect what the consent letter can accomplish — and those terms are mandatory regardless of what the letter says.

Where the other parent is uncooperative, unreachable, deceased, or subject to an order restricting their involvement, the situation requires more than a standard consent letter. Travel involving children with dual citizenship, contested parenting arrangements, or stringent destination entry requirements carries genuine legal risk — legal advice before departure is the right step.

Speak with a Family Lawyer

Separated or divorcing parents often face questions about whether a planned trip requires both parents' consent, whether a consent letter is enough, or how to proceed when the other parent refuses to cooperate. The answer depends on your specific court order, separation agreement, and the destination's entry requirements. A family law attorney can review your parenting arrangements, help you understand your obligations, and advise whether a consent letter will suffice or whether you need additional court authorization before departing.

Get legal guidance on your child's travel plans