Child Travel Consent

The parents or guardians of a minor child can use a child medical consent to authorize a third party to make medical decisions on behalf of the child. The right normally belongs to the
parents or guardians so a Child Medical Consent is only needed if the child is in the care of a relative or friend for the duration, which can come in handy in the event of a medical emergency.

The answer will first depend on whether the child is traveling domestically or internationally. Domestically, unaccompanied minors are not specifically regulated, which does not mean that an airline company would not have rules of its own. The standard practice is that minors aged 12 to 15 can travel independently of parental consent. For international travel, you will be hard-pressed to find an airline that would allow a minor to travel with non-parents without a Child Travel Consent.

Quite simply, you might have to prove that you are indeed a parent. This can be accomplished with a copy of the birth certificate or marriage certificate. In the case of an adopted child, you may want to have the adoption papers around.

Without a Child Travel Consent, you may not be able to go very far with a minor child in tow who is not your charge. It is unlikely that you will be allowed to board a plane or pass a law enforcement checkpoint.

Typically, the Child Travel Consent required for domestic travel requires fewer details than the one for international travel. The common thread is that both must make clear the granting of consent to travel. If you and the child are traveling abroad with a domestic layover, you might need both versions of the consent.