Do I really need a "consent to travel with a minor" letter?

[MouseMum]

Have never travelled with my children without my husband before, so this has never been an issue. This year, DD15 and I are visiting WDW alone. How important is it that I have this letter, and in what form should I be okay with? Do I really need to do the whole notary public signage if we are a two-parent family, with no custody issues? I will do it, but I'm just wondering if I am in a safe zone for the consent letter. I just read that I can have a letter written, signed by both parents, and witnessed, and that would be good enough. Your insights are very welcome. TIA

 

[Micharlotte]

I haven’t travelled without my husband to the US for an extended trip, but I was asked for a letter for a quick day trip. I did not have a letter and was allowed to travel anyway, but to fly I would definitely get one. I can’t offer any advice about what sort of letter will work, sorry.

 

[flav]

DH and I just did one using the form from the Canadian Government website: https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/children/consent-letter

It is straightforward to do and can save your trip.

You have the option of signing in front of a regular witness or in front of a notary public.

I do not know if it is the same in Ontario but we just went to our bank for the latter and the manager who had that authority signed for free.

 

[mort1331]

We always just write each other a letter, no notary. I have been stopped, showed what I had, no issues.
I will say on the note we include numbers where the other parent can be reached if they want to .

 

[Blackadder337]

I'd rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

I've been asked for one a few times, and I've always had it with me. Usually they just do a super quick scan of the letter and pass it back (I keep extra copies just in case they keep it) . But I've never gotten one notarized etc.. Much like Mort said, we just list the email, phone numbers and addresses where each of us can be reached during the trip.

 

[AngelDisney]

I had a consent letter signed by DH, not notarized. I was never asked to show the letter while travelling with DD (during the years when she was age of 10-17). Probably it’s more important to have one if travelling with young children who cannot articulate well when being questioned.

 

[SaraMc]

It’s always better to be safe than sorry. I have a letter with me when I take one of the kids with me across just to do a target run. When they were small I got asked a lot for it.

 

[Shanti]

Have never travelled with my children without my husband before, so this has never been an issue. This year, DD15 and I are visiting WDW alone. How important is it that I have this letter, and in what form should I be okay with? Do I really need to do the whole notary public signage if we are a two-parent family, with no custody issues? I will do it, but I'm just wondering if I am in a safe zone for the consent letter. I just read that I can have a letter written, signed by both parents, and witnessed, and that would be good enough. Your insights are very welcome. TIA

Yes, you should take a notarized letter. You might not get asked for it (I wasn't). But they have the absolute right to prevent you from crossing the border without it. Do you really want to worry about that? Typing up a 2-sentence letter and getting it notarized is easy. Explaining to your daughter, as you stand at the border with suitcases in hand, that her trip is cancelled because you didn't want to take care of a technicality, would be hard.

 

[Dream.in.dessert]

I travel across the boarder all the time alone with my children. I have never had an issue, all though we all share the same last name and my name is on the birth certificate. I always have a letter with me just in case and they have only asked me for it once in the 5 years I've been doing it. I think that was because I had a friend with me and it probably looked suspicious to them.
My letters are pretty simple.

Our family Address

Date you are crossing

To whom it may concern,

I give permission for my spouse (spouses full name) to take our children (children's full names) cross the CAN/USA boarder. They will be going to Disney and staying at Location. They will be returning to Canada on date.
If you have any questions, please contact me at phone number.

Sincerly,
Signature

Hope this helps!

 

[Micharlotte]

Does anyone know if you need a letter if you’re travelling without the other parent on a plane within Canada?

 

[ellbell]

As per the government webpage https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/children/consent-letter it is recommended but not required. I have 4 children and haven't heard from their father in years. I plan on bringing them all to disney and won't be able to bring this consent letter.

 

[MikeyNS]

Coming back from Disneyland Paris with my 2 boys (12+10) without my wife (my wife flew over with us but decided to visit a client in Spain so she didn't travel back with us) to Halifax.. the night before we had forgotten to get a letter so she scribbled something on the back of a piece of paper saying who she was, when she was coming back and she had knowledge of me travelling without her, etc.
We were lucky we caught it as the customs agent in Halifax asked if I had a letter and I showed him the scribbled note and he was okay with it (I had her boarding pass showing she left the country with us in my back pocket if needed).

They never asked the boys a thing.. "Is this your dad? Where is your mom?", etc..

 

[bookbabe626]

As per the government webpage https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/children/consent-letter it is recommended but not required. I have 4 children and haven't heard from their father in years. I plan on bringing them all to disney and won't be able to bring this consent letter.

Depending on the ages of the children, you could always bring your custody paperwork (assuming you have sole custody) or a letter from their school or family doctor maybe? The US border is a little more uncertain than it used to be...

 

[star72232]

I had prepped one (just a signed note from DH) when I took my DD (12 at the time) to Paris and Rome last year - and proceeded to completely forget it and left it at home. No one ever asked about it, no one ever asked her a single question when we were traveling (TO to Paris, Paris to Rome, Rome to TO).

 

[jamhart]

My ex-wife is Australian and she travels from the USA to Australia once per year with my daughter (who is currently 9) and she has never been asked for a letter.
I have done 5 trips to WDW with just my daughter and I (flying from Boston to Orlando) and I have never been asked for a letter.
With that being said, I have in the past carried a non-notarized letter just in case. These days I don't bother, though I have the information accessible on the phone to show if needed.

 

[sablebomb]

You may not need it, but it's always better to be safe than sorry and have your trip delayed or negatively affected in any way.
Seeing as your not in a separated family or have any sort of custody issues, I would think a written letter, signed by your husband, and his contact information on it so if they want to call him they could, that should be fine.

If like me, in a separation situation; I will have my letter of consent to travel notarized and with me!

 

[MouseMum]

DH and I just did one using the form from the Canadian Government website: https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/children/consent-letter

It is straightforward to do and can save your trip.

You have the option of signing in front of a regular witness or in front of a notary public.

I do not know if it is the same in Ontario but we just went to our bank for the latter and the manager who had that authority signed for free.

Good to know about the bank manager thing. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a thing online this weekend with regard to finding if any particular bank provided this service, as they all say to contact your local bank and ask...which I will on Monday when it's opened. As well, one website said that some bank managers, although having the authority to notarize, choose not to.

Does anyone know if you need a letter if you’re travelling without the other parent on a plane within Canada?

The government website speaks only to travelling to a foreign country.

 

[MouseMum]

As per the government webpage https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/children/consent-letter it is recommended but not required. I have 4 children and haven't heard from their father in years. I plan on bringing them all to disney and won't be able to bring this consent letter.

Just read this on the government website:

If the other parent is not in the picture and obtaining a consent letter is impossible, what other documents can be carried?

If there is a court order stating that the whereabouts of the other parent are unknown and granting the accompanying parent full/sole custody, we recommend carrying a copy of that document.

If a court order has not been issued, we recommend consulting with a lawyer to consider taking legal action.

If the other parent was granted access rights by a previous court order, but has not exercised those rights in a long time and is now unreachable, we recommend consulting with a lawyer to consider obtaining an up-to-date court order.

In either case, we recommend carrying a copy of the court order.

If in doubt, be sure to consult with a lawyer, as each situation is unique.

 

[verleniahall]

all banks have a notary now - in fact in our small KS town, each bank actually has TWO! (and we have 5 banks!)

It is always better to be safe than sorry - you would had for something that would take 10 minutes to do to completely change a trip

 

[OnceUponATime15]

When traveling with my GS (lived at the same address) I use the website Law Depot - it takes less then 5 minutes to fill in the form & print it. Getting it notarized is quick as well, our town hall clerks office has staff who are licensed to notarize.

On every trip I’ve been asked to produce the letter for US customs at Pearson. Canada Border Services upon our return has requested it on about 3/4s of those trips