What Documents Does a Child Need to Travel?
United States · Canada · United Kingdomversion 2026-09
A documents list for children crossing borders: which travel document applies, plus the birth certificate, ID copies and orders officials may ask for.
Packing for a child who crosses a border means answering two separate questions. The first is which travel document the child must hold, which turns on age, citizenship and how the border is crossed. The second is which supporting papers an officer may ask to see, which is where the birth certificate, the custody order and the consent letter sit. The form on this site produces the letter; the rest of the list is below.
Two different questions
A travel document proves who the child is and what status they have. A consent letter shows that a parent or guardian agrees to the trip. One does not cover for the other: a passport does not show consent, and a letter does not show identity or citizenship. Sources describe the two lists separately, which is why a child can hold a valid passport and still be asked for a consent letter.
Travel document by mode
| Travelling | Document described by the source | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Land or sea from contiguous territory, US or Canadian citizen child under 16 | An original or a copy of the birth certificate issued by the Vital Records Department, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, a Naturalization Certificate or a Canadian Citizenship Card. A hospital-issued certificate is accepted only for a newborn while the Vital Records certificate is outstanding | S4 |
| By air, any age | An unexpired passport is required for everyone, including infants | S4 |
| School, religious, social, cultural or sports group by land or sea, under 19 | An original or copy of the birth certificate, plus a letter on organisational letterhead | S4 |
| 16 to 18 travelling with friends or family | A passport, as for all US and Canadian citizens over 15 | S4 |
| Entering Canada as a minor | The child's own passport — a parent's passport cannot be used even where the child's details appear in it — plus a copy of the birth certificate and the letter of authorization IRCC describes | S9 |
| Lawful permanent residents, refugees and asylees | An Alien Registration Receipt Card (Form I-551) or other valid evidence of that status | S4 |
Carry these with the consent letter
- A copy of the child's birth certificate.
- A photocopy of the parents' or guardians' signed passports or national identity cards, which IRCC asks to be attached to the letter when the child travels with someone other than the parents or guardians.
- Copies of legal custody documents where custody is shared.
- Guardianship or adoption papers where a guardian or adoptive parent travels with the child.
- A court decision, death certificate or birth certificate naming only one parent where there is no second parent with legal claims.
- A divorce or marriage certificate where the parent's surname differs from the child's, which British guidance lists among documents that help at the border.
Original or copy?
The sources treat the two kinds of paper differently. Global Affairs Canada states that original signed letters are best. IRCC states that, for a child travelling with an adult who is not the parent or guardian, the letter does not need to be certified, and that a photocopy of the parents' or guardians' signed passports or national identity cards should be attached. CBP accepts an original or a copy of the birth certificate for a US or Canadian citizen child under 16 arriving by land or sea.
Where to keep them
- The letter and the travel documents in the hand luggage of the adult who is travelling with the child.
- A second copy of the letter in a different bag, so one lost folder is not the whole set.
- The custody, guardianship or court documents with the letter rather than in checked baggage.
- A phone number that will answer on the travel dates written on the letter itself.
What the consent letter does not replace
- The child's passport, visa, eTA or permanent resident card.
- Any form an airline or cruise line requires in its own format.
- The documents that prove identity, citizenship or custody status.
Frequently asked questions
Does a child need a passport to cross a land border?
For US and Canadian citizen children under 16 arriving by land or sea from contiguous territory, CBP states that an original or copy of the birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, a Naturalization Certificate or a Canadian Citizenship Card may be presented. For travel by air, an unexpired passport is required for everyone, including infants. The airline page sets this out stage by stage.
Do the parents' ID copies need to be certified?
IRCC states that a letter of authorization for a child travelling with a person other than the parents or guardians does not need to be certified, and that a photocopy of the parents' or guardians' signed passports or national identity cards should be attached to the letter.
Is a photocopy of the consent letter enough?
Global Affairs Canada states that original signed letters are best. Whether a copy is accepted at a given counter is not something the sources checked for this page settle, which is why carrying the signed original and a spare copy is the arrangement described in the guidance.
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Disclaimer
This page is general information, not legal advice.
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Jurisdiction: United States · Canada · United Kingdom — version 2026-09.
What government sources say about notarisation and witnesses (information only):
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection states that there is no regulation requiring a consent letter to be notarized, but that CBP highly advises it. Certain destination countries require a consent letter for children arriving or leaving without both parents, in some cases notarized.
- Global Affairs Canada states that a consent letter is not legally required in Canada, that any adult may witness the signing, and that it strongly recommends a notary public witness it. Original signed letters are best.
- For the United Kingdom, GOV.UK states you must get the permission of everyone with parental responsibility, or a court, before taking a child abroad, and that a letter from that person is usually enough to show permission.
- Cruise lines set their own rules and they differ. On 13 September 2026 the published pages of Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Disney Cruise Line and Norwegian did not all require the same document.
- Royal Caribbean: adults who are not the parent or legal guardian must present an original, notarized letter signed by the child's parent(s).
- Carnival: original signed letter strongly recommended when a parent or legal guardian is not sailing.
- Disney Cruise Line: the Minor Authorization Form is required for each child travelling without a parent or legal guardian.
- Norwegian: their Parent/Guardian Consent Form must be signed by both living parents/legal guardians, with a copy of government-issued ID attached.
Check the current published policy of the airline, cruise line or border agency you are dealing with.
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Sources
Sumber:
- S4 — https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1300?language=en_US — U.S. Customs and Border Protection — checked 13 September 2026
- S5 — https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1467?language=en_US — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (WHTI document requirements) — checked 13 September 2026
- S6 — https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article1208?language=en_US — U.S. Customs and Border Protection — checked 13 September 2026
- S7 — https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/children/consent-letter — Global Affairs Canada — checked 13 September 2026
- S9 — https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/minor-children-travelling-canada.html — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada — checked 13 September 2026
- S14 — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/getting-through-the-uk-border-faster/faster-travel-through-the-uk-border — GOV.UK (updated 28 July 2026) — checked 13 September 2026