Does Your Child Need a Notarized Travel Consent?

Every summer, thousands of Atlanta-area children fly internationally — to visit family abroad, attend a school program, or vacation with one parent or a grandparent. What many parents do not realize until they reach the airline counter is that for a minor traveling without both parents, a notarized child travel consent form is often expected.

It is one of the most common — and most preventable — sources of last-minute travel stress. The good news: the form is simple to prepare when you know what to expect.

What Is a Notarized Child Travel Consent?

A notarized child travel consent is a written letter from a parent or legal guardian giving permission for a minor to travel. It is sometimes called a Permission to Travel Letter or, in Spanish, a Carta de Permiso para Viajar de Menores. A Notary Public verifies the parent’s identity, witnesses the signature, and confirms the signing appears voluntary.

The form does not replace a passport or visa. It is an additional document that airlines, border officials, and many destination countries may request when a child travels internationally without both parents.

When Is It Generally Needed?

Requirements vary by country and airline, but a notarized travel consent is commonly recommended or expected when:

• A child travels internationally with only one parent
• A child travels with a grandparent, family friend, or another adult who is not a parent
• A child travels alone as an unaccompanied minor on an international flight
• A child travels with a school, church, or sports group without a parent

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recommends that any child traveling internationally with only one parent — or with someone who is not a parent — carry a notarized letter of consent.  The U.S. Department of State offers similar guidance and recommends checking destination-country rules before booking,

Who Signs and What Goes on the Form

Generally, the absent parent — or both parents, if neither is traveling — must sign the consent letter. This applies even when parents are divorced or separated, or when one parent has primary custody. A notary cannot decide whether a custody arrangement permits travel; if you are unsure, talk to a licensed Georgia family law attorney before scheduling.

A complete travel consent letter usually includes:

• The child’s full legal name, date of birth, and passport number
• Both parents’ names and contact information
• The accompanying adult’s name, relationship, and contact information
• The destination country and travel dates
• A statement granting permission to travel
• Authorization for emergency medical decisions, when appropriate

Important: do not sign the form before your notary appointment. The signature must be witnessed in person.

When the Form Also Needs an Apostille

If your child’s destination is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, the receiving country may also expect the notarized form to carry an apostille — an internationally recognized authentication of the notary’s signature and seal. Parents commonly request apostilles for travel to Mexico, Colombia, Spain, and Italy.

In Georgia, apostilles for state-issued and notarized documents are issued by the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA), not the Secretary of State.  GSCCCA is in Atlanta. Walk-in processing of a small number of documents is generally completed the same day; mail-in processing typically takes one to two business days plus mail time.

Timeline and Common Mistakes

For peace of mind, plan to start at least three weeks before the trip:

• Three weeks out — confirm requirements with the destination country and airline
• Two weeks out — schedule the notarization (both parents available, when applicable)
• One to two weeks out — submit the form for apostille if required
• Travel week — carry the original document with you

A few common mistakes cause most problems: signing the form before the appointment, bringing an expired ID, leaving the destination or accompanying adult information blank, forgetting the apostille, and waiting until the week of travel to begin. A short conversation with a notary professional ahead of time can head off most of these.

How to Prepare for Your Notary Appointment

Bring the unsigned consent letter — fully completed except for signatures — along with a valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID for each signing parent and the child’s passport details. If both parents must sign, both should attend the appointment. A mobile notary can come to a location convenient for everyone, such as a kitchen table or a neutral meeting spot.

Williams Mobile Signings is a fully bilingual mobile notary service across Metro Atlanta, including Fayetteville, Riverdale, Jonesboro, Peachtree City, College Park, Union City, Stockbridge, and McDonough. We will review your form in English or Spanish before the signing so the wording is clear to everyone at the table. We do not provide immigration or legal advice; for questions about custody, parental rights, or international travel restrictions, please consult a licensed Georgia attorney.

Planning Ahead

Summer travel should be exciting, not stressful. Knowing the form exists, who must sign, when it might also need an apostille, and how long the process realistically takes can save your family from a last-minute scramble at the airport. If your child is flying internationally without both parents this summer, the time to prepare the notarized travel consent is now — not the night before the flight.

Williams Mobile Signings is here for the moment your family sits down to handle this — bilingual, mobile across Metro Atlanta, and respectful of your time. We come to you, walk through the form together before any signatures, and can route an apostille through GSCCCA in the same week when needed.