What is needed to fly with a child that is not yours?

If you are traveling with a child who is not yours, bring signed and notarized consent forms from the child's parents or legal guardians. Consent form requirements vary by destination, so you may not be asked to produce them, but it's always better to be safe than sorry.



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U.S. citizen children traveling abroad You may also need a letter of permission from the other parent for your child to travel. If your child travels alone, depending on the country, they may be required to present a notarized letter from both parents or their legal guardian.

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection recommends that any child under the age of 16 traveling without both legal guardians should have a notarized Child Travel Consent signed by both legal guardians. Having your Child Travel Consent notarized decreases the chance of travel authorities questioning its validity.

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Typically, minors under the age of 18 do not have to present identification for domestic U.S. travel. Airlines will accept identification from the responsible adult on behalf of the minor(s). For international travel, minors under the age of 18 must present the same travel documents as the adult.

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It's not uncommon for parents with different last names than their children to have to produce either a Child Travel Consent form or some other proof of guardianship. A birth or adoption certificate is usually sufficient in this instance so long as you're listed on the forms as a parent or guardian.

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The letter should say I acknowledge that my son/daughter is traveling outside the country with [the name of the adult] with my permission. If one parent has sole custody of the child, a copy of the custody document can take the place of the other parent's letter.

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The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says that “the seating of children close by their parents or guardians should be the aim of airline seat allocation procedures for family groups and large parties of children.”

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A notarized letter of consent will be required for children who travel without one or both of their parents or legal guardians. The letter of consent ensures the legitimacy of the travel consent offered by the accompanying adult.

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  1. Recommended Consent Letter for Children Travelling Abroad.
  2. Information about travelling child.
  3. Information about accompanying person (leave blank if child is travelling alone)
  4. Contact information during trip.
  5. Signature(s) of person(s) giving consent. Signature of witness.


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A child travel consent form allows a minor to travel alone or with another person or group. It is written by one or both parents and can be used for domestic or international travel.

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It is not illegal for a grandparent to transport a grandchild without a letter of permission, but the letter could be helpful in those rare cases of emergencies or if for some reason you must deal with law enforcement officials. Ideally, the letter should be signed by both parents.

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If your infant is 1 year old on the outbound journey but turns 2 by the time of the return journey, you need to book the flights for a child and not for an infant. A traveller between 2 to 12 year old is classified as a child, and anyone above 12 years old is classified as an adult.

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Infants or children under 2 years of age can travel on the lap of an adult for free (within the United States) or at a reduced fare (for international travel).

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Some airlines permit this for kids as young as 12. When a child has reached this minimum age for traveling alone without unaccompanied-minor procedures, the airline does not require evidence of parental permission to travel alone. If the child has a passport, he or she can even travel internationally.

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If you are traveling with a child who is not yours, bring signed and notarized consent forms from the child's parents or legal guardians. Consent form requirements vary by destination, so you may not be asked to produce them, but it's always better to be safe than sorry.

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