Child Travel Consent for Japan From Australia

Japan does not require a consent letter for a child entering with one parent, but it recommends one. The Embassy of Japan says a child aged 16 or younger travelling without all parents should carry a letter approving the trip, signed and dated by every parent or guardian, and that it need not be notarised. A notary is optional, not required.

Key takeaways

• For a child 16 or younger travelling to Japan without all parents or guardians, the Embassy of Japan strongly recommends a letter of consent.
• The letter should approve the trip and be signed and dated by all the child's parents or guardians, including the one travelling.
• The Embassy says the letter does not need to be notarised. You do not need a notary or an apostille for it.
• Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns that taking a child across a border without the other custodial parent's consent can lead to a return order under the Hague Convention, and in some countries to prosecution.
• A child who is a Japanese national needs the consent of both custodial parents for a Japanese passport.

What does Japan recommend?

The Embassy of Japan's visa FAQ answers the question directly. If you are travelling with a minor who is 16 years old or younger, and not all of the minor's parents or legal guardians are travelling, it strongly recommends obtaining a letter of consent from them and bringing it to Japan. A young person aged 16 or younger travelling alone should do the same.

The FAQ describes the letter simply: it should include a statement approving the trip, and be signed and dated by all of the minor's parents or legal guardians. It adds that the letter does not need to be notarised. That is unusual, and worth knowing: many families assume a notary is needed and pay for one they do not need.

By situation, the Embassy's guidance works out like this:

The child is travelling	Who signs the letter	Notarised?
With all parents or guardians	No letter needed	Not applicable
With one parent	All parents, including the one travelling	Not needed
With a grandparent, friend or group	All parents or guardians	Not needed
Alone, aged 16 or younger	All parents or guardians	Not needed
With a parent who has sole custody	That parent, with a copy of the order	Not needed

What should the letter say?

The Embassy's requirement is short: a statement approving the trip, signed and dated by all the parents or guardians. Adding a few details makes it easier for an immigration officer or airline to match it to the child:

1. The child's full name, date of birth and passport number.
2. The adult travelling with the child, if any, and their relationship.
3. The travel dates and where the child will stay in Japan.
4. A clear statement approving the trip.
5. The signature and date of every parent or guardian, with their contact details.
6. A copy of each signing parent's passport or licence, attached.

Note one difference from many countries: the Embassy asks for the letter to be signed by all the parents or guardians, not only the one staying behind. If one parent is travelling with the child, that parent signs too.

Do you need a notary, a JP or an apostille?

No, on the Embassy's guidance. Its FAQ says the letter does not need to be notarised, and nothing in it asks for a witness or an apostille. A letter simply signed and dated by the parents meets the recommendation.

Some families still choose to have a signature witnessed, for example if the parents are separated and want an independent record that the absent parent signed. A JP can witness it for that purpose. Only use a notary if a specific body, such as an airline or a school programme, asks for notarisation in writing. Our guide to travel consent letters explains when notarisation genuinely matters for other countries.

The Hague Convention warning

Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes a page for parents, updated April 2026, on travelling abroad with a child. Its central point: under the Hague Convention on international child abduction, when a child is wrongfully removed across a national border, the child should in principle be returned promptly to the country of habitual residence. If one parent takes a child to Japan without the consent of the other parent who has custody, and that parent applies to a court, there can be an order to return the child. Japan and Australia are both parties to the Convention.

The Ministry adds that removing a child without the other custodial parent's consent may be a crime in the country the child leaves, and that some parents have been arrested on returning, or placed on an international wanted list. It advises anyone considering a move across borders with a child to check the law of the child's country of habitual residence first. A consent letter is therefore more than a formality at the airport: it is also a record that the trip was agreed.

If your child is a Japanese national

Many children travelling to Japan from Australia are Japanese nationals too. The Ministry says a Japanese passport for a minor needs the consent of both custodial parents. The application carries the signature of one custodian as legal representative, but if the other parent has told a Japanese embassy, consulate or passport office in advance that they disagree, the passport is usually issued only after both parents' consent is verified, often through a signed letter of consent. The Ministry also says that Japanese missions in countries where taking a child abroad is a crime check verbally that both parents agree, even without a prior objection.

A parent worried that the other parent may take a child abroad can lodge a written objection in advance, in person at a Japanese embassy, consulate or passport office, with supporting documents such as the koseki tohon, the family register, showing their parental authority.

Travelling alone, and airlines

The Embassy's FAQ confirms that a minor under 18 can travel to Japan alone. For those aged 16 or younger, it again strongly recommends a letter of consent from all parents or guardians. Separately, the airline will have its own rules for children flying without an adult, often with a minimum age, an escort service and its own consent form. Those are the airline's conditions, not Japan's, so check them when you book. The Embassy does not mention a translation; a clear letter in English is normally understood, and a short Japanese version alongside it can help if the child is staying with Japanese-speaking relatives.

If you are thinking of moving

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises anyone considering moving across borders with a child to check the legal system of the child's country of habitual residence first. For a family living in Australia, that means Australian family law: relocating a child to Japan without the other parent's agreement or a court order can lead to a Hague return application. The Ministry also lists what Japanese missions cannot do in these cases, such as searching for a child removed by the other parent, paying legal fees, or interpreting and translating for court proceedings. They can record a consultation about a family matter, give information about family lawyers, and pass on safety concerns. Get legal advice before a move; a notary witnesses signatures but cannot advise on custody.

Sole custody and separated parents

The Embassy asks for the letter to be signed by all parents or guardians. Where a court has given one parent sole parental responsibility, the other parent's signature may not be needed, but carry a copy of the order to explain why the letter has one signature. Where parents are separated without orders, both usually still share responsibility, so both sign. If the other parent will not agree to the trip, do not travel on an incomplete letter: given the Ministry's Hague warning, get family law advice first.

Leaving Australia

On the Australian side, the child needs their own passport, and the Australian Passport Office generally needs the consent of everyone with parental responsibility to issue one. Australia does not generally ask for a consent letter at departure, but a child can be stopped from leaving if a court order restrains travel or the child is on the Australian Federal Police's Family Law Watchlist.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Paying for a notary when the Embassy says the letter need not be notarised.
• Only the absent parent signing, when the Embassy asks for all parents to sign.
• Forgetting to date the letter.
• Travelling without agreement, which risks a Hague return application.
• Carrying your only original of a birth certificate or custody order.

In short

For a child aged 16 or younger travelling to Japan without all their parents, the Embassy of Japan strongly recommends a consent letter approving the trip, signed and dated by every parent or guardian. It need not be notarised, and no apostille is needed. Japan's foreign ministry warns that taking a child across borders without the other custodial parent's consent can lead to a Hague return order. A Japanese passport for a minor needs both custodial parents' consent. Our guide to Japanese visa documents covers papers that do need a notary.

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If an airline or programme has asked for a notarised letter, send us what it asked for, and we will explain each step before you book.