Parental consent letter for a minor’s travel: free in Word, or sign it online

What the template includes

• Names of the parents or guardians and the child
• Child’s date of birth and passport number
• Destination, dates and travel details
• Who travels with the child, or alone
• Where the child will stay
• Permission for emergency medical care
• Contacts for both parents
• Copies of IDs and an online authenticity check

What you fill in

How it gets signed

1. 1Choose “Use this template”, fill in the fields and read the full travel consent letter once more.
2. 2Send it by WhatsApp or email. The other party opens the link on their phone without an account.
3. 3They tap the brown bar at the bottom that says “Sign as …” and draw their signature with a finger.
4. 4Everyone gets the signed PDF with its signature certificate. Anyone can check it at signsolu.com/verificar.

Before signing, each signer agrees to sign electronically. The screen links to the electronic signature disclosure the ESIGN Act asks for.

Each parent signs from their own phone, even in different cities. Some countries and airlines ask for the letter to be notarized. If yours does, print the signed letter and take it to a notary.

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Make an online signature once and use the PNG on any PDF, contract or email. It is free and needs no account.

What the law says

No US law requires a consent letter for every trip. Airlines, border officers and some destination countries may ask for proof that a child traveling without both parents has permission. A signed letter with both parents’ contacts is the usual way to show it.

Several countries set their own rules for minors leaving or entering, and some ask for a notarized letter. Check the entry rules of the destination and the airline’s policy before the trip.

The ESIGN Act gives the electronic signatures on the letter the same effect as ink in the US.

When to carry a consent letter

• A child travels with only one parent.
• A child travels with grandparents, relatives or friends.
• A child travels with a school, sports team or tour group.
• A child flies alone as an unaccompanied minor.
• Parents are divorced or separated and share custody.

What border officers may ask

Officers may talk to the child and the adult. They may ask where the other parent is and how to reach them. A clear letter with phone numbers lets them confirm the trip quickly.

If one parent has sole custody, carry the court order with the letter. If a parent has died, carry the death certificate.

A worked example

Laura takes her daughter Ella to Cancún for the holidays. Mark, Ella’s father, stays home.

Laura fills in the letter and sends it to Mark, who signs from his phone at work. Both sign, and Laura prints a copy and keeps the PDF on her phone. At the airport the agent reads the letter and the trip goes on.

Checklist before the trip

1. 1Both parents signed the letter.
2. 2Dates and flights match the tickets.
3. 3Copies of both parents’ IDs are attached.
4. 4The destination’s rules for minors were checked.
5. 5A printed copy and the PDF are both on hand.

Mistakes to avoid

• Only one parent signs. The point is to show the absent parent agrees.
• No phone numbers. Officers want to reach the parent who is not traveling.
• Dates that do not match the tickets. Update the letter if plans change.

Special cases

• Unaccompanied minors. Airlines have their own forms and fees for children flying alone. Fill in theirs and carry this letter too.
• School and team trips. The organizer may collect letters for the whole group. Add the group leader’s name and phone.
• Different last names. If the child’s last name differs from the traveling parent’s, bring the birth certificate.
• Long stays abroad. For a semester or a summer with relatives, add the address and the caregiver’s details.

Signing from two places

Parents often live in different homes or cities. Each parent receives the link and signs from their own phone. The certificate shows when each one signed, which helps if an officer asks.

Send the signed PDF to the adult who travels with the child. Keep a copy yourself in case the airline calls.

What to carry at the airport

• The signed consent letter, printed and on a phone.
• The child’s passport and any visa.
• Copies of both parents’ IDs.
• The birth certificate if last names differ.
• Custody papers if they apply.

If plans change

A new flight or a new date means a new letter. Edit the template, send it again and let both parents sign. Old letters with the wrong dates can cause questions at the gate.

Notarizing when you are abroad

If the destination asks for a notarized letter and a parent lives abroad, that parent can often use a US embassy or consulate, or a remote online notary where allowed. Plan for it early, since appointments can take weeks.

A filled-in sample

“We, Laura Bennett and Mark Bennett, consent to our daughter Ella Bennett, born April 3, 2015, passport 123456789, traveling to Cancún, Mexico, from December 20, 2026 to January 2, 2027, with her mother Laura Bennett. Contact Mark Bennett at 555-0144.”

Change the names, dates and contacts to yours. Keep the sentence short so an officer can read it in seconds.

If the trip includes stops in other countries, list them in clause 2.

Add the address where the child stays at each stop.

Before you sign

• What a letter of consent means
• Is an electronic contract valid?

Other templates

• Letter of consent
• Consent form
• Medical power of attorney
• Power of attorney letter
• Photo release form