What is the child travel consent letter form template?
Children travelling without one or both parents are often asked for written consent at check-in or at the border, and having it ready — properly filled in, signed, and easy to find — can be the difference between a smooth departure and a stressful delay. This child travel consent letter template records exactly what officials typically want to see: who the child is, where they're going and with whom, and that the parent giving consent has done so knowingly.
The form adjusts to the situation: travelling with one parent, another adult, a group, or entirely alone as an unaccompanied minor all bring up different follow-up questions, and the "other parent or guardian" section covers common circumstances like sole custody, a parent who has passed away, or one not named on the birth certificate, with a place to attach supporting documents where relevant.
Once completed, the letter is saved as a signed PDF in the parent's FileIt vault immediately — easy to print and carry alongside the child's passport for the whole trip, and easy to find again if it's ever needed for a future journey too.
- Best for
- Parents and guardians arranging travel for a child without one or both parents present
- Filled in by
- The parent or legal guardian giving consent
- Time to complete
- About 8 minutes
- Includes
- Conditional questions by travel arrangement, supporting document upload, two signature fields
Who uses a child travel consent letter form?
- A child travelling on holiday with one parent while the other stays home
- A grandparent, relative or family friend taking a child on a trip
- A school trip or organised group travelling with several children
- An older child using an airline's unaccompanied minor service
- A parent with sole custody documenting that status for border officials
- Preparing consent ahead of a trip where the other parent isn't available to sign in person
Questions on this child travel consent letter form
39 questions over 5 pages · includes signature, file upload, conditional questions, multiple pages, consent checkbox.
1 The child
- Child's full name (as in passport)*
- Date of birth*
- Nationality*
- Passport number*
- Issuing country*
- Passport expiry date
2 The trip
- Destination country / countries*
- Departure date*
- Return date*
- Purpose of the trip* Holiday · Visiting family · School trip · Sports or competition · Study or exchange · Other
- The child will travel* With one parent (the other is not travelling) · With another adult (relative, friend, teacher…) · With an organised group · Alone (airline unaccompanied-minor service)
- Travel details
- Where the child will stay
3 Travelling with
- Accompanying adult's full name* asked only when it applies
- Relationship to the child* asked only when it applies
- Their passport / ID number* asked only when it applies
- Their phone* asked only when it applies
- Their email asked only when it applies
- Organisation running the trip asked only when it applies
- Who will meet the child on arrival?* asked only when it applies
4 Parents and guardians
- Your full name*
- Your relationship to the child* Mother · Father · Parent · Legal guardian
- Your passport / ID number*
- Your address*
- Email*
- Phone (reachable during the trip)*
- The other parent / guardian* Also consents to this trip (they will sign too, or send a separate letter) · Is the accompanying adult · I have sole parental responsibility / custody · Is deceased · Is not named on the birth certificate · Other
- Other parent's full name* asked only when it applies
- Their passport / ID number asked only when it applies
- Their phone* asked only when it applies
- Their email asked only when it applies
- Please explain* asked only when it applies
- Supporting document asked only when it applies
5 Consent and signature
- Consent*
- Verification*
- Place of signing*
- Date*
- Signature of parent / guardian*
- Signature of the other parent / guardian asked only when it applies
The child travel consent letter form, page by page
1 The child
A note at the top explains that rules for this kind of letter differ by country, airline and border authority, and that the wording should be checked and adapted — and notarised where required — before travel. The form then records the child's full name as it appears in their passport, date of birth, nationality, and passport number, issuing country and expiry date.
2 The trip
This page covers the destination country or countries, departure and return dates, and the purpose of the trip — holiday, visiting family, a school trip, sports or competition, study or exchange, or other. It asks how the child will travel: with one parent (the other not travelling), with another adult, with an organised group, or alone using an airline's unaccompanied minor service. There's room for travel details like flight or train numbers, and the address where the child will be staying.
3 Travelling with
If the child is travelling with another adult, this page collects that adult's full name, relationship to the child, ID or passport number, and contact details. If it's an organised group trip, it asks for the organisation running it. If the child is travelling alone, it instead asks who will meet the child on arrival, with their name, relationship, phone and ID number.
4 Parents and guardians
The parent giving consent provides their own name, relationship to the child, ID number, address and contact details reachable during the trip. A separate section addresses the other parent or guardian: whether they also consent (and will sign separately or together), are the accompanying adult, whether the consenting parent has sole parental responsibility, or whether the other parent is deceased or not named on the birth certificate — each option asking for the relevant detail, and a place to attach supporting documents such as a custody order where needed.
5 Consent and signature
The parent confirms they are the child's parent or legal guardian, consents to the trip as described, and confirms the information given is true to the best of their knowledge. They also agree that authorities, airlines or the accompanying adult may contact them to verify the letter. The form records the place and date of signing, the parent's signature, and — where the other parent also consents — a second signature line for them.
Make the template yours
- Add a note listing the specific countries on the itinerary and any consent requirements you've already confirmed for each
- Set the vault folder so travel consent letters file with the child's other family or travel documents
- Add a question for a return travel date buffer if the trip includes flexible or open-ended plans
- Attach a scanned copy of the parent's own ID alongside the letter if your destination typically asks for it
- Turn on an emailed PDF copy so both parents (where relevant) have their own copy of the signed letter
- Always check the specific requirements of every country on the route, since they vary and can change
Tips for a better child travel consent letter form
- Check the exact requirements for every country on the itinerary well before departure — some require notarisation, translation, or a specific format
- Print the signed PDF and carry it with the child's passport for the entire trip, not just at departure
- Keep contact details for both parents current and reachable, since officials may call to verify the letter
- For sole custody or other special circumstances, carry the supporting document (such as a custody order) alongside the letter, not just a description of it
- This is a starting template, not legal advice — have it reviewed for your specific route and circumstances, and notarised if the destination requires it.
Every response becomes a PDF in your vault
As soon as the consent letter is signed and submitted, FileIt saves it as a PDF in your vault, and you receive an email confirmation. If you've turned on a copy for the respondent, a second signer — the other parent, for example — can also receive their own PDF.
Most parents print the PDF straight away to carry with the child's passport, and keep the digital copy filed in their vault in case a second copy is needed, or for reference on a future trip with a similar arrangement.
- Start from this template. It opens in the FileIt Forms designer — change any question, add pages, set the rules for when questions appear.
- Share it. Turn on a public link, or send it to people by email, each with their own link. They don’t need a FileIt account.
- Get the answers as PDFs. Each response is saved as a PDF in the vault folder you choose, with uploaded files attached — and listed in a Responses table you can export to CSV.
Child travel consent letter form: frequently asked questions
Is this child travel consent letter template free?
Yes — it's included with the Forms app on every FileIt account, including the free plan, along with more than 160 other ready-made templates.
Does completing this form make the consent legally valid?
This form gives you a clear starting point for recording consent, but requirements vary by country, airline and border authority — including whether notarisation is needed. Check the specific rules for your trip and have the letter reviewed if you're unsure.
Do I need a FileIt account to fill this in?
No. You complete and sign the form directly; no account or sign-up is required to submit it.
Where is the signed letter stored?
The completed letter is saved automatically as a PDF in your FileIt vault, ready to download and print.
Does the form ask different questions depending on who's travelling with the child?
Yes — the accompanying adult, group, or unaccompanied minor sections only appear based on how the child is travelling, using conditional logic already built into the template.
Can both parents sign the same letter?
Yes — if the other parent also consents, the form provides a second signature field so both parents can sign the same document.
What if the other parent isn't available to sign?
The form includes options for situations like sole custody, a deceased parent, or a parent not named on the birth certificate, with a place to attach supporting documents such as a custody order.