Tips for Travelling with Children

Version PDF Tips for Travelling with Children Adobe Acrobat Reader® is needed to view and print the publication. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, it can be downloaded free of charge.

When travelling with children, you will see the world through their awestruck eyes. Keep in mind that you will be travelling at your children’s pace, not your own. Here are some essential tips for a safe and successful trip:

• Ensure that each child has a valid Canadian passport and supporting identification, such as a birth certificate or citizenship card. Check with the nearest embassy or consulate of each destination country regarding additional entry conditions and documentation (if required), including divorce papers, custody court orders or a death certificate (if one parent is deceased).

• Obtain a certified letter authorizing travel, signed and dated by the absent lawful parent (if the child is travelling with one parent) or by both parents (if the child is travelling alone or with a guardian). See www.voyage.gc.ca/alt/letter.asp for a sample consent letter.

• Seek advice from a lawyer if a custody dispute might develop while the child is abroad. Custody arrangements in Canada may not be recognized in some countries. For details, see our publication International Child Abductions: A Manual for Parents.

• Never leave a young child unattended and keep some form of identification in the child’s pocket in case you are separated. Carry recent photographs of the child for emergency identification purposes.

• Arrange in advance for the airline to escort and supervise an unaccompanied child from check-in through arrival. Note that airlines require a parent or guardian to stay at the airport until the flight has departed. The person greeting the child at the destination must have appropriate identification and authorization.

• Use an approved child safety seat for infants when travelling by air. Carry a bottle or pacifier to make the child more comfortable and to equalize ear pressure.

• Bring an adequate supply of baby products (keeping in mind new airline carry-on restrictions) as well as vital medications and a doctor’s note detailing their generic names and purposes. Consult with a pediatrician on how best to protect your child’s health while travelling

• For more information, visit our Web site at www.voyage.gc.ca/alt/child.asp.
  

BACK TO TOP

Consular Services

Canadian government offices abroad
www.voyage.gc.ca/alt/canoffices.asp

• Users exercise due diligence in ensuring the accuracy of the materials reproduced;
• Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada be identified as the source department; and
• the reproduction not be represented as an official version of the materials reproduced, nor as having been made in affiliation with or with the endorsement of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.

BACK TO TOP

Français | Home | Contact Us | Help | Search | Canada Site | About Us | Site Map | Media Room Department

Before You Go | While Abroad | Travel Updates | Travel Reports | Current Issues
Country Profiles | Drugs and Travel | Laws and Regulations | Publications | Maps | Related Links
Emergencies | Contacts In Canada | Contacts Abroad