Child Travel Consent for the US From Australia

Table of contents

A consent letter is recommended, not required, for a child entering the United States. USA.gov says a child travelling with only one custodial parent should carry a letter of consent from the other parent, preferably in English and notarised. In Australia, that means signing it before a notary public.

Key takeaways

USA.gov, the US government's official information site, says a child travelling to the US alone, with one custodial parent or with a guardian should have a letter of consent.
The letter comes from the other parent, or from both parents if the child travels alone or with a guardian. USA.gov prefers it in English and notarised.
A parent with sole custody should carry a copy of the custody document instead.
Every child, including infants, needs their own travel documents to enter the US.
An Australian notary can notarise the letter. No apostille is needed for a letter carried at the border.

Strictly, it is a recommendation, not a legal requirement written into US entry rules. USA.gov's page on travel documents for children, updated April 2026, explains that ports of entry in many countries have security measures to prevent international child abduction, and that a child travelling alone or with only one parent or guardian may need a letter of consent. For non-US children travelling to the US, it says the child should have a letter of consent from the other parent, or signed by both custodial parents.

In practice, US border officers can ask questions about any child travelling without both parents. A clear, signed letter answers those questions before they become a delay. For a family flying from Australia, the letter costs little and can save a long conversation at the arrival hall.

A summary of USA.gov's guidance for children travelling to the US.

Put together, USA.gov's guidance and the child's own documents look like this:

The child is travelling	Consent document	The child's own documents
With both parents	None needed	Passport and US travel authorisation or visa
With one custodial parent	Letter from the other parent, in English, preferably notarised	Passport and US travel authorisation or visa
With a guardian, grandparent or friend	Letter signed by both parents	Passport and US travel authorisation or visa
Alone	Letter signed by both parents, plus any airline form	Passport and US travel authorisation or visa
With a parent who has sole custody	A copy of the custody document	Passport and US travel authorisation or visa

What should the letter say?

USA.gov gives the core sentence: the parent acknowledges that the child is traveling outside the country with [the name of the adult] with my permission. A letter built around that line, with enough detail for an officer to match it to the child, works well. Include:

The child's full name, date of birth and passport number.
The travelling adult's full name, relationship to the child and passport number.
The destination, the travel dates, and where the child will stay.
The consenting parent's full name, address, phone number and email, so an officer could contact them.
The consent sentence itself, then the parent's signature and the date.
A copy of the consenting parent's passport or licence, attached.

Write it in English, as USA.gov prefers. Keep it to one page if you can, and make one letter per trip rather than a vague open-ended one.

Notarised, the Australian way

USA.gov says it is preferred that the letter be notarised. In the US, a notary public mainly verifies the signer's identity. In Australia, the equivalent is to sign the letter before an Australian notary public, who checks your identification, watches you sign, and attaches a notarial certificate.

A JP or another witness is not a notary, so a JP-witnessed letter may not meet the "notarised" preference, even though it still shows the parent signed. If the trip matters, use a notary. No apostille is needed for a letter you carry at the border: an apostille is for documents lodged with an authority, and US border officers are not asking for one. Our guide to travel consent letters covers the notarial step in general, and our guide on the Australian and US notary explains the difference.

For a trip that matters, sign before a notary.

When one parent has sole custody

A parent with sole custody cannot get consent from someone who has no say. USA.gov says that parent should carry a copy of the custody document. For an Australian family, that is usually a sealed copy of the relevant Family Court or Federal Circuit and Family Court order. If the other parent has died, a death certificate serves the same purpose; if only one parent is named on the birth certificate, carry the full birth certificate. Bring copies, not your only original.

The child's own travel documents

USA.gov is clear that all children, including infants, must have their own travel documents to enter the US, such as a passport or visa. For an Australian child, that means:

Their own Australian passport. The Australian Passport Office generally needs the consent of everyone with parental responsibility for a child's passport, so arrange that well before the trip.
Their own US travel authorisation under the Visa Waiver Program, or a visa if they are not eligible. Each traveller, including a baby, needs their own.
If the child is also a US citizen, a US passport; a US citizen enters the US on a US passport.

If your child is a US citizen who has never been documented, our guide to the DS-3053 consent form covers the parental consent needed for a child's first US passport.

Keep the letter with the passports, not in checked luggage.

Leaving Australia, and airline rules

USA.gov also tells families to check what the child's home country requires for a child leaving without both parents. 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. If there is any dispute about the trip, get legal advice before booking.

For a child flying alone, USA.gov notes the airline may require its own unaccompanied minor or travel consent form, and may charge for an escort service. The person meeting the child may also need to give the airline identification and contact details. Ask the airline before you book about age limits, connecting flights and its forms, since those rules are the airline's, not the government's.

Separated parents, and surnames

Where parents are separated without court orders, both usually still share parental responsibility, so the travelling parent needs the other's consent in the ordinary way. If the other parent will not sign, a letter cannot be forced; that is a family law question, and legal advice or a court order is the route. Do not travel on a letter the other parent has not signed.

If the travelling parent and the child have different surnames, officers may take a moment longer to connect them. Carrying the child's full birth certificate, which names both parents, alongside the consent letter makes the link obvious. It is not something USA.gov lists, but it is a simple way to answer a likely question.

Coming home

The consent letter is about the trip out and the arrival in the US. An Australian citizen child does not need anyone's consent to re-enter Australia, and Australian border officers do not ask for a consent letter on return. Keep the letter with the passports until you are home anyway, in case an airline or officer asks about it on the way back.

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming no letter is needed because it is not a legal requirement.
A letter signed by the travelling parent instead of the other parent.
Using a JP when the trip would benefit from a notarised letter.
Paying for an apostille on a letter carried at the border.
Forgetting the child's own travel authorisation, even for a baby.
Carrying your only original of a custody order.

An illustration

This is an illustration, not a real case. A mother is taking her two children from Brisbane to visit family in California for three weeks, while their father stays home for work. The father prepares a one-page letter in English naming both children, their passport numbers, the mother, the dates and the address in California, and ending with the consent sentence. He signs it before a notary, attaches a copy of his passport, and the mother carries it with the children's passports and travel authorisations.

In short

For a child travelling to the US with only one parent, USA.gov recommends a letter of consent from the other parent, in English and preferably notarised; in Australia, sign it before a notary public. If the child travels alone or with a guardian, both parents sign. A parent with sole custody carries the custody document instead. Every child needs their own passport and travel authorisation. No apostille is needed. Our guide to US visa documents covers other paperwork for the trip.

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If you need a consent letter notarised before a trip, send us the travel dates and who is travelling, and we will explain each step before you book.

Frequently asked questions

Does my child need a consent letter to enter the US with one parent?

It is not written into US entry law, but USA.gov says a child travelling with only one custodial parent should have a letter of consent from the other parent, preferably in English and notarised.

Who signs the consent letter?

The parent who is not travelling. If the child travels alone or with a guardian, USA.gov says both custodial parents should sign.

What should the letter say?

USA.gov suggests a sentence acknowledging that the child is travelling outside the country with the named adult with the parent's permission. Add the child's and adult's details, dates, destination and contact details.

Does the letter have to be notarised?

USA.gov says notarisation is preferred, not required. In Australia, the equivalent is signing before an Australian notary public, who confirms your identity and certifies the signature.

Can a JP witness the letter instead?

A JP can witness a signature, but a JP is not a notary, so the letter may not meet the notarised preference. For an important trip, use a notary.

Does the consent letter need an apostille?

No. An apostille is for documents lodged with an authority. A consent letter carried at the US border does not need one.

I have sole custody. What do I carry?

USA.gov says a parent with sole custody should carry a copy of the custody document. In Australia, that is usually a sealed copy of the court order.

Does my baby need their own travel documents?

Yes. USA.gov says all children, including infants, need their own travel documents, such as a passport or visa, to enter the US.

What if my child is flying to the US alone?

Both parents should sign the consent letter, and the airline may require its own unaccompanied minor form and fee. Check with the airline before booking.

Does Australia require a consent letter to leave?

Not generally. But a child can be prevented from leaving Australia if a court order restrains travel or the child is on the AFP's Family Law Watchlist.