A Child Travel Consent Form is a legal document signed by a parent or legal guardian authorizing a minor child to travel domestically or internationally with another adult who is not their custodial parent. The form grants the accompanying adult temporary authority over the child during the specified travel period and may include authorization for emergency medical decisions.

This document serves a critical role in child safety and anti-abduction enforcement. Under the International Parental Kidnapping Crime Act (IPKCA), 18 U.S.C. Section 1204, it is a federal crime for a parent to remove a child from the United States with intent to obstruct another parent's custodial rights. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers are trained to identify potential parental abduction and may request written consent from the non-traveling parent. The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, ratified by the United States, provides the legal framework for international cooperation in child abduction cases.

Domestically, airlines, bus companies, and other carriers frequently require written parental consent for unaccompanied minors or children traveling with non-parent adults. Many states have laws addressing the authority of temporary caregivers, and without a consent form, a grandparent, family friend, or coach traveling with a child may be unable to authorize medical treatment in an emergency. The form provides legal clarity that protects the child, the traveling adult, and the parent.

A Child Travel Consent Form is necessary in these specific situations: when a child travels internationally with one parent and the other parent is not present, as border agents in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and EU countries routinely request proof of consent; when a child travels with grandparents, aunts, uncles, family friends, or a school group leader for domestic trips; when a divorced or separated parent sends a child on vacation with the other parent's new spouse or partner; and when a child participates in a school-sponsored trip, sports tournament, or summer program that involves overnight travel.

Additional scenarios include children traveling for medical treatment with a non-parent caregiver who may need to authorize procedures, military families where one parent is deployed and the child travels with a relative, and foster care situations where a foster parent takes a child across state lines. Some cruise lines require notarized consent forms for minors boarding without both parents.

Without this document, the consequences can be severe. CBP can detain a child at the border pending investigation. Airlines may refuse to board a minor. In custody dispute situations, travel without documented consent from the other parent can be treated as a violation of a custody order, potentially resulting in contempt of court charges or modification of custody arrangements.

A complete Child Travel Consent Form must include the following elements:

Child identification -- full legal name as it appears on their passport or birth certificate, date of birth, passport number (for international travel), and any identifying information required by carriers or border agents.

Parent/guardian information -- full legal names, addresses, phone numbers, and relationship to the child for each consenting parent or guardian. In joint custody situations, both parents should ideally sign the form.

Traveling companion details -- full legal name, date of birth, passport number, relationship to the child, driver's license number, and contact information for the adult who will be supervising the child during travel.

Travel itinerary -- specific dates of departure and return, destinations (including addresses where the child will be staying), mode of transportation, and flight or carrier information where applicable.

Medical authorization -- explicit consent for the traveling adult to authorize emergency medical treatment, including the child's known allergies, current medications, health insurance information, and primary physician contact details. This is critical because under state informed consent laws, medical providers generally cannot treat a minor without parental consent except in life-threatening emergencies.

Emergency contacts -- at least two emergency contacts with phone numbers, including the non-traveling parent.

Scope and limitations -- clear statement of what the traveling adult is and is not authorized to do, including any restrictions on activities, travel modifications, or medical decisions.

Notarization -- while not legally required in all jurisdictions, CBP and the U.S. State Department strongly recommend notarization for international travel consent forms. Many countries, including Canada and Mexico, may require it at their borders.

Signatures and date -- both parents' signatures (or the custodial parent's signature with a copy of the custody order) with the date of execution.