{"id":2491,"date":"2026-11-12T20:54:23","date_gmt":"2026-11-12T20:54:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lawgicalcorp.com\/blog\/children-visiting-canada-consent-letter\/"},"modified":"2026-11-12T20:54:23","modified_gmt":"2026-11-12T20:54:23","slug":"children-visiting-canada-consent-letter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lawgicalcorp.com\/blog\/children-visiting-canada-consent-letter\/","title":{"rendered":"Children visiting Canada: consent letters, custody and travelling with one parent"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha<\/a>, lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation \u00b7 Reviewed November 12, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha is a lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation, called to the BC bar in 2019, and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Updated November 12, 2026: Government of Canada guidance on children travelling checked that day.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Visa:<\/strong> children need their own visa or eTA, like adults.<\/p>\n

Consent:<\/strong> a child travelling without both parents should carry a consent letter from the parent or parents not travelling.<\/p>\n

Why a lawyer:<\/strong> custody disputes and refused child visas need legal answers, not just forms. Why a lawyer<\/a><\/p>\n

Book a consultation<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Our immigration lawyers<\/p>\n

\"SundeepSundeep S. Grewal<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a>\"PrabhpreetPrabhpreet Kaur Sangha<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a>\"PardeepPardeep S. Grewal<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n
\nAbout our lawyers<\/summary>\n
\n

Sundeep S. Grewal<\/a><\/strong> founded Lawgical Law Corporation and argues immigration cases at the Immigration and Refugee Board and the Federal Court of Canada.<\/p>\n

Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha<\/a><\/strong> focuses on refugee claims, immigration appeals, inadmissibility, detention reviews and Federal Court cases, and has presented at Continuing Legal Education seminars and the National Immigration Conference.<\/p>\n

Pardeep S. Grewal<\/a><\/strong> is an immigration and estates lawyer known for clear communication and practical strategy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n

Children visiting Canada need the same travel document as an adult from their country: a visitor visa or an eTA. Border officers watch closely for children travelling with only one parent, with relatives, or with friends. The Government of Canada recommends a consent letter signed by the parent or parents not travelling, and officers may also ask for custody or guardianship documents. Separated parents, a deceased parent, or a parent who won’t sign all need different documents. Missing paperwork can mean questions at the border, a refused visa, or a child turned back.<\/p>\n

Lawgical Law Corporation<\/a>, an immigration law firm in Surrey, Abbotsford and Vancouver, BC, handles visitor visas for children and the custody questions that come with them; this guide is by Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha.<\/p>\n

Documents by situation<\/h2>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
What a child should carry<\/caption>\n
Situation<\/th>\nDocuments<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Travelling with both parents<\/td>\nPassport, visa or eTA, birth certificate<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Travelling with one parent<\/td>\nA consent letter from the other parent, with contact details<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Separated or divorced parents<\/td>\nThe consent letter and the custody order or agreement<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
One parent deceased<\/td>\nThe death certificate<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Travelling with relatives or friends<\/td>\nConsent letters from both parents, with contact details<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

The Government of Canada publishes a recommended consent letter template.<\/p>\n

If the child’s visa is refused<\/h2>\n

See a child’s visitor visa refused<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Why talk to a lawyer when a child is travelling?<\/h2>\n

One lawyer, one file, every step:<\/strong><\/p>\n