It’s a good thing that you, as a parent, can take your kid whenever you travel in a different country. It means that you can’t bear the feeling of being away from your child. In addition to that, you can easily orient your child to the joy that traveling brings to everyone, especially if you’re traveling for vacation purposes.
Necessary Documents Whenever You Travel with Your Kids Internationally
However, every country has a different policy when it comes to taking your kids while traveling internationally. Due to the fact that child abductions (even by their own parents) are becoming more common nowadays, almost every country in the whole world has policies when it comes to taking kids abroad, especially in the U.S.
Aside from U.S. Government-issued passport, your kid needs to have other documentations before traveling abroad, whether he or she travels with you or alone. Be informed, though, that every country has a different policy concerning this one so you have to do some research first before commencing on your travel.
Here are some of the destinations where Americans usually go and their policies concerning traveling with a minor:
- The Bahamas – Being one of the most common tourist destinations in the Caribbean, the Bahamas only requires the minor to have a proof of citizenship such as a sealed Birth Certificate, whether he or she is accompanied by an adult or not. However, if a child or minor travels without one of his or her parents, the parent must present a notarized letter of consent by the absentee parent.
- Canada – If you’re traveling to Canada with a kid who is not your child, you must bring a notarized letter of consent or sworn affidavit from the minor’s parents before he or she is permitted to enter the country. As of now, there’s no definite form of this document but the details require the minor’s parent’s names and copies of their country-issued IDs. If something isn’t clear to you, kindly go to CBSA’s online website for more specific details.
- Mexico – If you plan to travel to Mexico with your kids, there’s no need for you to get any additional documentation even if the other parent isn’t around. However, if your kid uses a Mexican passport or traveling alone, he or she needs to have a notarized consent to travel from both parents before he or she is permitted to leave Mexico. In addition to that, the consent must be written in Spanish or must have a Spanish translation if in case that the letter is written in English.