Updated July 2026
What papers do I need to travel with kids? At minimum, children traveling out of the United States generally need their own valid travel documents, such as passports and any visas required by the destination. But passports may not be the only papers you should carry.
If only one parent is traveling, or if the children are traveling with grandparents, relatives, friends, a school, or another adult, the family may also need a signed permission letter. Depending on the country and circumstances, that letter may need to be notarized.
The difficult part is that there is no single rule that applies to every family trip. The destination country, airline, citizenship of the children, custody arrangements, and identity of the accompanying adult can all affect what may be requested.
This guide explains the papers parents should check before traveling with kids—and the simple Belt AND Suspenders step that may prevent a stressful conversation at an airline counter or border crossing.
Many families spend thousands of dollars on airfare and accommodations. Bringing one additional document can be far easier than trying to resolve questions at the airport.
Fast answer: Bring each child’s required passport and visa, if applicable. When a child is not traveling with both parents, strongly consider carrying a notarized permission letter signed by the absent parent or parents.
The Basic Papers Most Kids Need for a Trip
The exact requirements depend on where you are going and how you are traveling, but parents should begin by checking the following documents.
1. A valid passport for each child
Children do not ordinarily travel under a parent’s passport. Each child generally needs an individual passport for international air travel.
Check every passport well before the trip. Do not look only at whether it is valid on the day you leave. Some destinations require a passport to remain valid for a certain period after the planned arrival or departure date.
Also confirm that the child’s name on the airline reservation matches the passport.
2. A visa or destination entry document, when required
A passport identifies the traveler, but it does not automatically give the child permission to enter every country. Depending on the destination, nationality, purpose of travel, and length of stay, a visa or electronic travel authorization may also be required.
Check the current entry requirements for every child—not just for the adults.
3. A permission letter from the other parent
This is the paper families are most likely to overlook.
When one parent travels with the children and the other parent stays home, an airline employee, immigration officer, or border official may ask whether the non-traveling parent gave permission for the trip.
Some countries specifically require a signed consent letter. Others recommend one. In some places it may be requested only in particular circumstances. The airline may also have its own policy.
A permission letter is also commonly called a:
- child travel consent letter
- minor travel consent form
- parental permission letter
- letter allowing a child to travel
- notarized travel letter
- consent form for a child traveling with one parent
These phrases often describe the same basic idea: written confirmation that the child has permission to take the trip.
Do I Need a Permission Letter If I Am the Child’s Parent?
You may.
Many parents understandably assume that a passport proves they are allowed to travel with their own child. But the child’s passport does not necessarily show whether another parent has custody rights, whether the trip was approved, or whether a court order limits travel.
The U.S. Department of State’s guidance for traveling with minors explains that some countries require a signed and notarized consent letter from the non-traveling parent when a child travels with only one parent. Families should also review the destination’s specific entry and exit requirements before departure.
That means the relevant question is not simply:
“Am I the parent?”
The better questions are:
- Is the child traveling with both parents?
- Is only one parent traveling?
- Is the child traveling without either parent?
- Does the destination require written consent?
- Does the airline have a separate requirement?
- Are there custody orders or travel restrictions?
- Do the parent and child have different last names?
A Real Example: A Family Traveling to Belize
We recently helped a family preparing for a trip involving Belize. One parent was traveling with the children, rather than an unrelated third party, but the family still prepared notarized travel consent documentation bearing the signatures of both parents.
The form itself was straightforward. It identified the parents, children, trip, destination, travel dates, and accompanying adult. The important part was that the family did not assume the passports would answer every possible question.
The appointment was a useful reminder: what happened on someone else’s trip to Japan, Mexico, Canada, or another destination may not tell you what will be expected for your trip.
Requirements and practices can vary by country, airline, route, citizenship, custody situation, and the officials handling the trip. Families should verify the current instructions that apply to them instead of relying on a friend’s experience.
Our Belt AND Suspenders Approach
At Anshin Mobile Notary and Live Scan, our philosophy is simple:
Your Belt AND Suspenders.
A family trip can involve expensive flights, hotel reservations, time away from work, and months of planning. The airport is not the place to discover that someone wants a document you left at home.
Even when a consent letter is not clearly listed as mandatory, carrying a properly prepared letter may make it easier to answer questions about:
- who is traveling with the child
- who has authorized the trip
- where the child is going
- how long the trip will last
- how the non-traveling parent can be contacted
This does not mean that every official will ask to see it. It means you have a paper available if someone does.
That is the Belt AND Suspenders approach: do not merely prepare for the easiest possible trip. Prepare for the reasonable question that could otherwise cause a delay.
What Should a Child Travel Permission Letter Include?
There is no single universal form accepted by every airline and country. However, a useful permission letter commonly includes:
- the full legal name and date of birth of each child
- the child’s passport information, when appropriate
- the full name of the accompanying parent or adult
- the relationship between that adult and the child
- the destination country or countries
- the departure and return dates
- the purpose of the trip
- the name and contact information of the non-traveling parent
- a clear statement granting permission for the trip
- medical authorization, if the parents choose to include it
- the signature of the consenting parent or parents
Your destination authority, attorney, travel company, school, or organization or other person arranging the trip may provide its own form. When an official form or specific format has been supplied, use that version rather than replacing it with a generic online template. In other cases, we can provide travel consent forms with commonly accepted information.
Does the Permission Letter Need to Be Notarized?
While apostille, not notarization, provides authentication for foreign countries, notarization can provide an additional layer of reliability. Most countries will not require an apostille for short-term child travel consent forms.
A notary does not decide whether the trip is authorized and does not approve the contents of the letter. The notary performs the requested notarial act, verifies the identity of the signer, and completes the appropriate notarial certificate.
When the recipient requests a notarized letter, the signing parent should generally appear before the notary with satisfactory identification and the unsigned document. Do not sign in advance if the requested notarization requires the signature to be made in the notary’s presence.
Families in Los Angeles can review our notary public services or arrange for our mobile notary service to meet the signing parent or parents at a convenient location.
What If the Kids Are Traveling With Grandparents or Another Adult?
A permission letter becomes especially important when children travel without either parent.
This can include travel with:
- grandparents
- adult siblings
- aunts or uncles
- family friends
- teachers or school groups
- coaches or sports teams
- religious or community organizations
The letter should clearly identify the accompanying adult and explain that the parents or legal guardians have authorized that person to travel with the children.
Parents may also consider separate medical authorization. A travel consent letter and medical authorization serve different purposes, even when both are placed in the same document.
What Other Papers Might Be Helpful?
Depending on the family’s situation, consider carrying copies of:
- the child’s birth certificate
- custody or guardianship orders
- a court order authorizing travel
- an adoption decree
- a marriage certificate or name-change document if family names differ
- the non-traveling parent’s identification
- travel insurance information
- medical insurance cards
- prescriptions and medical information
- emergency contact details
- the itinerary and address where the family will stay
Not every traveler needs every item on this list. The purpose is to identify papers that could explain the family relationship or travel authority if questions arise.
Do I Need an Apostille for a Child Travel Consent Letter?
Usually, a request for notarization does not automatically mean that an apostille is required.
An apostille is a separate authentication used when a document must be officially recognized in another country. Whether a travel consent letter needs one depends on the instructions of the destination or receiving authority.
Do not order an apostille simply because a document is being carried overseas. First confirm whether the destination actually requires notarization, an apostille, consular legalization, or only a signed letter.
For documents that must formally be used outside the United States, our international document services page explains the difference between notarization, translation, apostille, and other forms of authentication.
What Should I Check Before the Trip?
Complete this checklist well before leaving for the airport:
- Check each passport. Confirm the names, expiration dates, condition, and destination validity rules.
- Check visas and entry authorizations. Verify the requirements for adults and children.
- Check the destination’s rules. Use official government or embassy information.
- Contact the airline. Ask what it requires when a child travels with only one parent or another adult.
- Review custody orders. Make sure the trip does not conflict with a court order.
- Prepare the permission letter. Include the people, trip dates, destination, authorization, and contact details.
- Complete notarization early. Do not leave it until the night before departure.
- Carry paper and digital copies. Keep copies separate from the originals.
Official starting points include the U.S. Department of State guidance for travel with minors and U.S. Customs and Border Protection information about children traveling without both parents.
Do Not Wait Until You Reach the Airport
The best time to resolve uncertainty is before the travel day.
If you are unsure what the destination requires, check with the airline, destination country’s embassy or consulate, and any attorney handling a custody matter. A notary can notarize the appropriate signature but cannot determine custody rights, provide legal advice, or guarantee that a particular country will accept a document.
Once you know what must be signed, Anshin Mobile Notary and Live Scan can help you complete the notarization properly.
Need a Travel Permission Letter Notarized in Los Angeles?
We provide professional in-office and mobile notary appointments for parents preparing travel consent letters and other family travel papers.
Both parents can sign when that is the selected Belt AND Suspenders approach, or the non-traveling parent can complete the required permission letter based on the instructions provided for the trip.
Call or text Anshin Mobile Notary and Live Scan at (310) 526-0200 before your departure date.
Learn about our Los Angeles notary services or schedule a mobile notary to come to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What papers do I need to travel with kids?
Children generally need their own valid passports for international air travel, along with any visas or entry authorizations required by the destination. When a child is not traveling with both parents, consider carrying a signed permission letter from the absent parent or parents. Custody papers, birth certificates, and other documents may also be helpful depending on the family’s circumstances.
Can one parent travel with a child without the other parent?
Often yes, but the destination, airline, custody arrangements, and citizenship of the travelers can affect the required papers. Some countries may request a signed or notarized permission letter from the non-traveling parent.
Do I need a notarized letter to travel with my child?
Not for every trip. However, some countries require or recommend a notarized consent letter when a child travels without both parents. Check the destination’s current rules and ask the airline before departure.
What if my child travels with a grandparent?
The parents or legal guardians should consider providing a signed permission letter identifying the child, accompanying grandparent, destination, and travel dates. Depending on the destination, the letter may need to be notarized. Separate medical authorization may also be appropriate.
Should both parents sign a child travel consent form?
That depends on who is traveling and the instructions for the trip. If neither parent is traveling, obtaining authorization from both parents may be the safer approach when both have legal rights. Even when one parent is traveling, some families choose signatures from both parents as an additional Belt AND Suspenders precaution.
Does a child travel letter need an apostille?
Not usually unless the destination or receiving authority specifically requests authentication. Notarization and apostille are different processes, so confirm the exact requirement before ordering additional services.
Can a notary prepare my travel consent form?
A California notary can perform the requested notarization but does not automatically act as an attorney or decide what language your document should contain. Use a form supplied by the destination, airline, attorney, school, or travel organization when one is available.
This article provides general educational information and is not legal advice. Travel and entry requirements can change. Confirm current requirements with the airline, destination authorities, and a qualified attorney when custody or legal rights are involved.
