New Jersey Notary Information
Notarizing a Child Travel Consent Letter
By Tawana Harris ·
When a child travels without both parents — with a grandparent, a school group, a sports team or one parent alone — airlines, border officials and host countries often expect a signed consent letter, and frequently a notarized one. It is a short document that causes a surprising amount of last-minute stress.
What the letter usually contains
Consent letters typically name the child, the travelling adult, the destination and the dates of travel, and state that the parent or guardian consents to the trip. Many also include contact details for the parents and information about who may authorise medical care while the child is away.
The exact requirements come from the airline, the destination country or the organisation running the trip. Ask them what they expect and follow it precisely — a notary cannot draft the letter for you or decide what it should say.
Who signs
Generally every parent or legal guardian who is not travelling with the child signs the letter. Each signer appears in person with valid, unexpired government-issued photo identification, and one parent cannot sign for the other.
If one parent is unavailable, lives elsewhere, or cannot be located, that is a legal question rather than a notarial one. The travelling adult should raise it with an attorney or with the authority asking for the letter, well before the departure date.
What to bring
Photo identification for every signing parent or guardian, the complete printed letter, and blank signature lines. If the letter carries notarial wording that says "sworn to", the signature has to be made in front of the notary after an oath, so do not sign it in advance.
If the letter has no notarial wording at all, the requesting party has to supply it. A notary cannot select or add certificate wording to your document.
Arrange it early
Travel documents have a habit of being discovered the night before a flight. Aim to have the letter notarized at least a week ahead, and keep the notarized original with the travelling adult's passport rather than packed in a suitcase. If both parents cannot be in the same room, mention it when requesting the appointment so the timing can be worked out.
Travel consent letters can be notarized at home, at an office or at another convenient location anywhere in New Jersey, including evenings and Saturdays.