Canada does not legally require a travel consent letter to take a child across the border, but Canadian and foreign border officials routinely ask for one when a child is travelling with only one parent or guardian. The letter should be signed by the parent not travelling (or, where one parent has sole decision-making authority, state that clearly with supporting documents), include travel dates and contact information, and ideally be notarized. If a parenting order or separation agreement already addresses travel, bring a copy of it instead of, or alongside, the letter.
- A travel consent letter is not a legal requirement in Canada, but is commonly requested at borders and by airlines.
- It should be signed by every parent or guardian not travelling with the child, unless one parent has documented sole decision-making authority.
- Include travel dates, destinations, and contact information for both the travelling parent and the non-travelling parent.
- Notarization is recommended but not universally required — some destinations and airlines are stricter than others.
- If a parenting order or separation agreement already permits the trip, bring a copy — it can substitute for or supplement a letter.
- Also carry the child's passport and, often, a long-form birth certificate showing both parents' names.
Is a Consent Letter Legally Required?
No Canadian statute requires a travel consent letter. The practical reality is different: the Government of Canada actively recommends one for any child travelling without both parents, and many foreign border agencies and airlines treat its absence as a red flag — because a letter is one of the few tools available to screen for parental child abduction at the border. Not having one does not mean you will be stopped, but it meaningfully raises the odds of delay, extra questioning, or in rare cases being denied boarding by an airline applying its own stricter policy.
Treat the consent letter the way you would treat trip insurance: nothing forces you to have it, but travelling internationally with a child and no letter, no order, and no explanation is a preventable risk for a document that takes minutes to prepare.
Who Needs to Sign
As a general rule, every parent or legal guardian who is not travelling with the child should sign the letter. This applies whether the parents are divorced, separated, or never married, and regardless of whether a formal parenting arrangement exists yet. Where parents share decision-making responsibility — the Ontario term for what used to be called joint custody — both need to consent to international travel, since it touches the child's residence and safety.
Where one parent has sole decision-making responsibility, documented in a final order or agreement, that parent can generally travel without the other parent's signature, provided they carry the order or agreement to show if asked. If your arrangement is still being worked out, see our guide on how custody cases work in Toronto for how decision-making authority gets determined and documented.
What the Letter Should Include
A properly drafted consent letter should cover:
- The child's full name and date of birth
- The travelling parent or guardian's name and relationship to the child
- Specific travel dates and destination(s), or a reasonable date range if the itinerary has some flexibility
- A clear statement that the non-travelling parent consents to the specific trip
- Contact information — phone number and address — for the non-travelling parent, so an official can verify consent directly if needed
- The signature and printed name of each consenting parent
Keep the dates specific rather than open-ended where possible. A letter that says "consent to travel between July 1 and July 15, 2027" is far more convincing to a border official than one that says "consent to travel at any time," which can look generic or outdated.
Does It Need to Be Notarized?
Notarization is not universally required, but it is widely recommended, including by the Government of Canada's own travel guidance. Some countries and airlines apply stricter standards than others, and a notarized letter removes any question about whether the signature is genuine. Given how inexpensive and quick notarization typically is relative to the cost of a disrupted trip, most family lawyers recommend it as a default rather than an exception.
When a Court Order Is Enough
If your parenting order or separation agreement already specifically addresses international travel — for example, naming the destination, the dates, or a general right to travel with proper notice — bringing a copy of that order can substitute for, or strongly reinforce, a consent letter. This is one more reason a well-drafted separation agreement pays off well after the ink is dry: anticipating ordinary future situations like a vacation avoids needing fresh consent — or a fresh dispute — every time.
Where travel plans fall outside what an existing order contemplates, or where the other parent is likely to object, it is worth reviewing our guide to relocating with a child after separation — a short trip is treated very differently from a move, but the underlying principle of needing clear authority before you go is the same. If travel comes up while the rest of the separation is still being worked out, resolving the whole arrangement through collaborative family law can prevent a single trip from becoming its own standalone fight.
Other Documents to Bring
Beyond the consent letter, bring the child's own passport and, for many destinations, a long-form birth certificate listing both parents' names. If the child or travelling parent has a different surname than what appears on the birth certificate — common after remarriage or a legal name change — carry documentation explaining the discrepancy, such as a marriage certificate or name-change certificate, to avoid delays. If your own divorce was recent, some officials also ask for proof the marriage legally ended — see our guide on how to get a divorce certificate in Ontario.
If the Other Parent Refuses to Sign
If there is no court order limiting travel and the other parent is simply refusing to cooperate — not because of a genuine safety or abduction concern, but out of spite or inertia — you have two realistic options: travel anyway, accepting the risk of additional questioning at the border, or apply to court for a specific order authorizing the trip. If the refusal reflects a genuine dispute about international travel risk, especially involving a country that is not a Hague Convention signatory, that disagreement should be resolved by a court before the trip, not worked around. If the pattern runs deeper than one trip — the other parent is generally blocking contact, not just a single vacation — see our guide on whether your ex can stop you from seeing your child.
Need a travel consent letter drafted properly, or help resolving a disagreement about travelling with your child? Call our Toronto family lawyers at 416-274-2222.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Canadian law does not require a consent letter to cross the border with a child. However, Canadian border services, foreign immigration officers, and airlines frequently ask one-parent travel to be accompanied by one, specifically to screen for child abduction, so travelling without one carries real practical risk even though it is not a legal mandate.
Generally, every parent or legal guardian who is not travelling with the child should sign. If one parent has sole decision-making responsibility (what used to be called sole custody) documented in a court order or agreement, that parent can usually travel with just that documentation, though a letter is still good practice if feasible.
Not universally, but it is strongly recommended. Some countries and airlines are stricter than others about notarization, and a notarized letter carries more weight with any official who questions it. Government of Canada guidance recommends notarization even though it does not make the letter itself a legal requirement.
It should name the child and travelling parent, state the specific trip dates and destinations (or a reasonable range if the exact itinerary isn't fixed), confirm the non-travelling parent's consent to the trip, and include contact information for the non-travelling parent so officials can verify consent if needed.
Bring a copy of the order along with the consent letter, or in place of it if the order specifically authorizes the trip. A clear, specific court order carries significant weight with border officials and can resolve questions a generic letter cannot.
If there is no court order restricting travel and the other parent is simply being uncooperative, you may be able to travel without a letter, accepting some risk of delay or questioning at the border — or you can apply to court for an order permitting the specific trip. Refusal rooted in a genuine custody or safety dispute is different and should be addressed through the court before travelling.
Typically no — these letters are primarily relevant for international travel, where immigration and customs officials in Canada and abroad are watching for cross-border child abduction. Domestic travel within Canada rarely raises the same documentation requests.
Bring the child's passport and, often, a long-form birth certificate listing both parents' names, since some officials cross-reference the birth certificate against who is travelling. If your family situation is unusual — a name change, a parent with a different surname than the child — carrying supporting documents that explain it reduces the chance of delay.