The short answer: Canadian law does not make a consent letter compulsory for a child entering the country, but a border officer can ask for one, and a child may not be let in if the officer is not satisfied that the parents agree to the trip. The letter comes from the parent (or both parents) staying at home, with a copy of that parent’s passport or national ID attached. Every child who flies in also needs an eTA of their own.
A child’s eTA is a separate matter, covered in the guide to eTA for newborns and infants, where even the youngest traveller needs an individual authorisation. The letter is a different piece of paper for a different moment: it comes out at the border, and what officers ask on arrival is the reason to have it ready. Most online advice is written for Canadian children leaving the country; this article covers a visiting child arriving with one parent, a grandparent, a relative or a group.
Does a child need a consent letter to enter Canada?
For entry purposes, anyone under 18 is a minor. A child with both parents usually has nothing to prove beyond their own passport and eTA. The questions start when the adult next to the child is not both parents.
The letter is not required by Canadian law, but airlines and border officers may ask for it. Without one, expect questions, and possibly a request to phone the parent who stayed behind. In the worst case the child is refused entry, because the officer is not convinced the parents agreed to the trip. Officers also look out for missing children, so they may speak to the adult, the child, or both.
The travel.gc.ca guidance suggests letters for children under 19 who leave Canada. That is advice for departures, not the entry rule.
Who signs the letter: one parent, both parents, or a guardian
The signer is whoever has legal responsibility for the child and is not on the trip. If two people share it, both are expected to sign, even if they are divorced.
| Who travels with the child | Who signs | What to carry |
|---|---|---|
| One parent | The parent who stays home | The letter, a copy of the stay-at-home parent’s signed ID, the child’s passport, a birth certificate copy |
| Grandparents or other relatives | Both parents, together or separately | The letter(s), photocopies of the parents’ signed ID, the child’s passport, a birth certificate copy |
| A school, sports or church group | The parents of each child | One letter per child naming the group leader, with copies of the signers’ ID |
| A friend of the family | Both parents | The same, with the adult’s own contact details in the letter |
| A legal guardian or adoptive parents | No letter needed; carry the guardianship or adoption papers | Guardianship or adoption papers, and the child’s passport |
| A child travelling alone | Both parents or the guardian | The letter, plus contact details (name, address, phone) for whoever will care for the child in Canada |
A child travelling alone needs their own passport; a parent’s passport with the child written into it does not count. Several children from one family can share a letter, but if some travel on different days or with different adults, each trip gets its own.
What to write in a consent letter for Canada, field by field
Canada has no official format. What matters is that the officer finds the facts in one place. A sound letter covers these points:
- The child. Full name, date and place of birth, passport number, issue date and issuing country.
- The accompanying adult. Full name, passport number with issue date and country, and how the adult is related to the child.
- The trip. The date the child enters Canada, the date they leave, and whether they travel alone or with that adult.
- Where the child stays. Address in Canada, phone number, email, and the person the child stays with.
- The people who consent. Full names, home address, phone numbers and email, so an officer can reach them.
- A short sentence of permission, for example: “I agree that my daughter may travel to Canada with her grandmother on the dates stated.” Your own words are fine.
- Signatures and dates, by hand, from each signer.
- The witness block. A line for a witness or a notary public, with name and signature.
The government publishes a downloadable template on the travel.gc.ca consent letter template, and it asks for the same details. It was built for children leaving Canada, so its date fields speak of departing and returning. Change them to “arrival in Canada” and “departure from Canada”, otherwise the letter describes the wrong journey. Write it in English or French if you can.
Travelling with grandparents or another relative
When a grandparent brings the child, the parents give permission, and their consent has to be visible on paper. Both parents sign, on one letter or separate ones, and each attaches a photocopy of a signed passport or national ID. The letter gives the grandparent’s full name and passport details, the relationship, and the address and phone number where the child will stay. Officers look more closely when the adult is not a parent, so completeness counts more than elegance.
School, sports or church groups
For a child who travels with a team, a class or a congregation, the guidance asks for written permission from the parents of each child. The leader therefore carries a separate signed letter for every child, together with the parents’ ID copies and the child’s passport. A single letter written by the organiser is not what the official guidance describes, so each family should sign its own.
Does the letter need to be notarized?
The official sources do not say the same thing:
- The canada.ca page on minor children says a letter from parents of a child travelling with someone else “does not need to be certified”.
- CBSA, the border agency, advises having the consent letter notarized to avoid delays.
- The travel.gc.ca guidance says any adult may act as a witness, and strongly recommends a notary.
Put together: notarization is not mandatory, but it gives the officer fewer reasons to ask follow-up questions. If a notary is easy to reach, use one; if not, a signed letter with an adult witness and an ID copy is a reasonable fallback.
Bring the original either way. Photocopies and digital versions may not be accepted. A parent abroad can sometimes have a signature witnessed by a consul at a Canadian office overseas, which is a paid service.
Separated, divorced, widowed or adoptive parents
- Shared custody. Bring the custody papers, and ideally a letter from the other parent, even where a parenting order lets one parent decide.
- Sole custody. Only that parent signs. Carry a copy of the custody decision.
- A parent who has died. A copy of the death certificate.
- Guardians and adoptive parents. The guardianship or adoption papers.
- A parent who cannot be reached (abroad, in prison). The guidance points to a court order if one exists; otherwise get legal advice.
- A parent who refuses to sign. This is a legal matter, not a paperwork one. The government points to mediation and legal advice; a family lawyer is the right person to ask.
Driving in from the US with a child
Visitors arriving by car or on foot do not need an eTA, as explained in the rules for entering Canada by land or sea. The letter question stays the same. CBSA asks that a minor arrive in the same vehicle as the adult who carries the letter and the custody papers.
The short version
- A consent letter is not required by Canadian law, but officers and airlines may ask for it.
- A minor is anyone under 18 at the Canadian border.
- The parent or parents who stay behind sign; add a photocopy of their signed passport or ID.
- List the child, the adult, the trip dates, and the Canadian address and phone numbers of everyone involved.
- Notarization is recommended by CBSA and travel.gc.ca, while canada.ca says certification is not needed. Bring the original.
- Each child, however young, needs an eTA of their own when flying in.
FAQ
Can a minor travel to Canada with only one parent? Yes. The child needs their own passport and eTA, and the parent should carry a letter from the other parent with that parent’s address and phone number, plus a photocopy of their signed passport or ID.
Can I travel with my child without father’s consent in Canada? The guidance offers no shortcut. If the other parent cannot be reached or will not sign, the official advice is a court order where one exists, or legal advice or mediation before the trip. Do not travel without the letter and hope it will not come up.
How to write a letter of consent for a child to travel with grandparents? Have both parents sign, on one letter or two. Include the passport details of the child and grandparent, the relationship, the dates, the address in Canada and the parents’ contact details, with signed ID copies attached.
Do you need a consent letter to travel with children in Canada? Not by law, but you should have one if a child travels with anyone other than both parents. Officers and airlines may ask for it.
Can you provide an example of a child travel consent letter? There is no official format, so the better example is a checklist. The field-by-field list above covers every detail an officer expects, and the travel.gc.ca template can be adapted for arrival in Canada.