Which Countries Require a Child Travel Consent Letter? Why do I need a Notary?

If you’re a parent planning international travel with your child, or without them, one of the most overlooked legal steps is arranging the correct travel consent documentation. Many countries impose strict requirements on minors travelling alone, with only one parent, or with an adult who is not their parent, largely as a safeguard against international parental child abduction and child trafficking.

At Notary Online, we prepare and notarise child travel consent letters and authorisations every week for Australian families heading overseas. Below is a country by country breakdown based primarily on official government sources, supplemented by reputable legal commentary where government guidance is less detailed. Requirements change frequently, so always confirm current rules with the destination country’s embassy or consulate before you travel.

Brazil: Consent Required on the Way Out, Not the Way In

Brazil has one of the most rigorously enforced regimes in the world, and it catches many travellers off guard because the restriction applies to departure, not entry.

Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms there are no restrictions on minors entering the country, but strict controls apply when a Brazilian child under 18 is leaving Brazilian territory unaccompanied, with only one parent, or with a third party. In every one of these cases, authorisation from both parents or the legal guardian is compulsory. This obligation applies even if the child holds another nationality and is travelling on a foreign passport. The requirement stems from Articles 83 and 84 of Brazil’s Statute of the Child and Adolescent (Law 8.069/1990) and National Justice Council Resolution No. 131/2011.

Key features of the Brazilian regime:

• The authorisation must be prepared in two originals; Federal Police retain one copy at the airport when the child departs.
• If accompanied by a third party rather than a parent, that person must be a Brazilian national unless a court has authorised otherwise.
• Only a Childhood and Youth Justice Court judge can authorise departure for a minor who lacks proper authorisation.
• The safest option is to have the authorisation recorded directly in the child’s Brazilian passport when it is renewed.
• Foreign minors (non Brazilian nationals) travelling to and within Brazil on certain visa categories must also provide a notarised Letter of Consent as part of the visa application.

Source: Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (gov.br/mre)

South Africa: The Unabridged Birth Certificate Rule

South Africa is famous among travel professionals for its documentation requirements, introduced to curb child trafficking through its borders.

According to the South African Government’s official portal, an unabridged birth certificate (or equivalent parentage document) is required in most cases for a minor travelling internationally. Where a child is travelling with only one parent, or with someone other than their parents, additional documents are needed: a parental consent affidavit or court order granting custody, plus a copy of the other parent’s or guardian’s ID or passport and contact details. Unaccompanied minors must also carry consent from both parents or guardians, along with a letter from their host in South Africa.

Notable feature: South African citizens travelling on a South African passport do not need to carry a birth certificate. The requirement is aimed more broadly at proving parentage for any child (South African or foreign) crossing the border.

Source: South African Government (gov.za)

Canada: Recommended, Not Legally Mandatory, But Widely Enforced Abroad

Canada takes a different approach. A consent letter is not a domestic legal requirement, but Global Affairs Canada strongly recommends every Canadian child carry one when travelling abroad alone, with only one parent or guardian, or with friends, relatives, or a group, because foreign immigration authorities and airlines frequently demand it, and Canadian border officials may ask for it on re-entry.

Global Affairs Canada provides a free, downloadable and interactive consent letter template, and recommends it be signed before a notary public or another official authorised to administer oaths, rather than merely before a lay witness.

Separately, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s guidance for minors entering Canada sets out specific documentary requirements depending on custody arrangements. For example, a child travelling with only one parent should carry a letter of authorisation from the parent who is not travelling, including that parent’s contact details and a photocopy of their passport or ID.

Source: Global Affairs Canada (travel.gc.ca) and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (canada.ca)

Chile: Mandatory Notarial Authorisation with a Brazil Specific Twist

Chile enforces one of the stricter regimes in South America. Under Article 49 of Law 16.618, minors under 18 require authorisation from their parents, tutors, or the relevant Family Court to enter or leave the country.

Per Chile’s consular and government portals, where a minor travels with only one parent (or alone), a notarial travel authorisation from the parent who is not accompanying them, or from both parents if the child travels alone or with a third party, must be presented to Chile’s International Police (PDI) in original form, along with three simple photocopies. If parental consent cannot be obtained, authorisation must instead come from the relevant Family Tribunal.

Unique characteristic: Chile’s own government guidance specifically flags that if the destination is Brazil or Paraguay, the notarial authorisation must additionally be legalised at that country’s consulate in Chile before departure. This is a rare example of one country’s rules cross referencing another’s.

Source: Chile’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Chile Atiende / Consular services (chile.gob.cl, chileatiende.gob.cl, consulado.gob.cl)

Argentina: Modernising Fast, From Notarial Deeds to a Digital Register

Argentina has historically required formal written authorisation from both parents (or legal guardians) for a minor to leave the country unaccompanied, with only one parent, or with a third party, per the National Directorate of Migration.

What makes Argentina worth watching closely in 2025 and 2026 is that it has been actively digitising this process. Argentina’s official government portal confirms that, as of June 2025, parents can now register travel authorisation electronically and directly through RENAPER (the national civil registry) when applying for the child’s passport, with the record shared in real time with Migraciones. This removes the need for a notarial power of attorney in many cases, although families may still choose the traditional notarised route. A further update from the Directorate confirmed the addition of a QR code on the physical authorisation form to allow real time digital verification of signatures at the border.

Notable feature: children aged 13 and over must give their own express consent to leave the country, even where both parents agree.

Source: Argentina’s National Directorate of Migration and RENAPER, via Argentina.gob.ar

Portugal: Consent Turns on Marital Status and Who Isn’t Travelling

Portugal’s Immigration and Borders Service (formerly SEF, now largely absorbed into AIMA) sets out a nuanced framework depending on the parents’ relationship and how many of them are accompanying the child.

According to Portugal’s official government services portal (gov.pt), exit authorisation is only required for a minor leaving Portuguese territory if travelling without either parent. If the child travels with just one parent, including where the parents are unmarried, divorced, or separated, no authorisation is generally needed, provided there is no formal objection from the other parent (an objection can be lodged directly with the immigration authority). Where authorisation is required, it must be a written, dated document, legally certified (via a notary, solicitor, lawyer, or Portuguese consulate), identifying exactly who has been given authority to accompany the child.

Source: Portuguese Government Services (gov.pt) and Immigration and Borders Service (sef.pt)

Mexico: The SAM Format or a Notarial Alternative

Mexico’s National Institute of Migration (INM) requires minors who are Mexican nationals, or foreign nationals with temporary, temporary student, or permanent residency, travelling abroad alone or with a third party to present either a notarial document specifying the transport method, destination, and travel dates, signed by whoever holds parental authority, or the INM’s own “Salida de Menores” (SAM) format, obtained online and stamped at a migration office, airport, or border crossing.

According to INM’s official guidance, the SAM format is not required where the child is travelling with one or both parents. Where one parent resides abroad, for example in Canada, that parent must grant authorisation before a notary in their country of residence and then have the document apostilled for it to take effect in Mexico.

Source: Mexico’s Instituto Nacional de Migración (gob.mx) and Secretaría de Gobernación

Australia: Not a Strict Legal Requirement, But a Serious Legal Risk

Rounding out the list from home: Australia does not mandate a specific “consent form” by statute, but the Australian Government’s Smartraveller service is unambiguous that before taking a child overseas, consent must be obtained from everyone who holds parental responsibility for them, or a court order must be secured. Travelling without it may constitute a criminal offence.

The Australian Passport Office separately confirms that full parental consent (from everyone with parental responsibility) is generally required to issue a child a passport in the first place, and that consent signatures must be independently witnessed. Legal commentary notes that taking a child overseas without the required consent can amount to international parental child abduction under the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth), carrying penalties of up to 20 years’ imprisonment in serious cases.

Source: Smartraveller and the Australian Passport Office (smartraveller.gov.au, passports.gov.au), Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Other Countries Commonly Flagged by Legal and Travel Sources

Official government guidance on minor travel consent is not always published in English or in a single consolidated location, so for the countries below we’ve relied more heavily on reputable secondary sources, cross checked against government travel advisories where possible:

• Zimbabwe: The U.S. Department of State’s travel advisory and Zimbabwean immigration guidance indicate that a certified or notarised consent letter (typically dated within three months of travel) is expected from the parent who is not travelling, along with an unabridged birth certificate showing both parents’ details. These checks are strictly enforced at borders shared with South Africa and Botswana.
• Barbados: Legal and airline guidance indicates an authorisation letter from a parent or legal guardian is required for minors travelling without both parents.
• Namibia and other Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries: Several SADC states apply unabridged birth certificate and consent rules similar to South Africa’s, reflecting a regional approach to combatting child trafficking. Always verify directly with the relevant country’s immigration authority.

Why This Matters for Australian Families

Even where a destination doesn’t legally mandate a consent letter, Australian authorities themselves, through Smartraveller, expect parents to have one whenever a child travels without every person who holds parental responsibility. A well drafted, properly notarised consent letter or authorisation:

• Reduces the risk of a child being denied boarding or refused entry or exit.
• Provides evidence against allegations of international parental child abduction.
• Satisfies the documentary standards (certified translations, apostilles, or consular legalisation) that many destination countries specifically require.

Get Your Consent Documents Notarised Correctly

Because requirements vary so significantly by country, and some, like Brazil and Chile, apply extra rules depending on the destination, it’s worth having your travel consent letter or authorisation reviewed and notarised by a qualified notary public before you travel, rather than relying on a generic downloadable template.

If you’re planning a trip and need a consent letter, notarial authorisation, or apostille prepared correctly for your destination, get in touch with Notary Online and we’ll guide you through exactly what’s required.

This article is general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Requirements change frequently, so always verify current rules with the relevant embassy, consulate, or immigration authority before travelling.