If you and your former spouse have joint custody of your children, or if your former spouse has sole custody of your child or children, you will need a notarized travel consent of you want to travel with the children outside of the country.
Your child may also need a notarized travel consent if he or she is traveling alone or with friends, relatives, or a group.
This document is not legally required in Canada, but it can simplify the travel process when crossing borders (or even when returning to Canada).
The Government of Canada provides a frequently asked questions about consent letter which you can access here (http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/children/faq). It also provides a sample travel consent form which you can access here (http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/children/consent-letter).
Regardless of the form of the consent, you want to include the following information, then have your signature, and the signature of your ex-spouse notarized:
- The children’s full names and birth dates;
- Their passport numbers;
- The legal names of the traveling child’s parents;
- The purpose of their trip, destination, and contact information including name address and telephone number for their accommodations;
- The child’s transportation carrier information (airline, flight number, departure and arrival time)
- The name and contact information for any adult traveling with them;
- Their departure date and return date
If you need some assistance completing a travel consent letter, or if you need information about whether you require a travel consent letter, you should speak with a family law lawyer.
