Family Law Brochure
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Travelling with your child this summer?
Since 1986, Canada Border Service Agency has recovered over 1,400 missing children*. To protect your children and avoid delays while travelling, here are a few tips.
You will need certain documents when you cross international borders:
- All children need a passport, regardless of their age. Go to Passport Canada’s office at www.ppt.gc.ca for information on how to apply and exceptions for travel to the United States.
- If travelling alone or with only one parent or guardian, your child should carry a consent letter confirming permission to leave the country. See www.voyage.gc.ca for a sample or you can see your family law lawyer to assist with drafting the consent letter.
- Whether you have custody or access rights, or are the legal guardian of the child you are travelling with, you should carry a copy of the separation documents or court order giving you these rights.
If you think a custody dispute might arise, you should get legal advice before your child leaves Canada. Other countries may not recognize your child custody arrangements. See International Child Abductions: A Manual for Parents at www.voyage.gc.ca for more information.
Double-check any court orders and agreements between you and your ex-spouse to make certain there are no limits on taking your child out of the province or country. If you are unsure, seek legal advice.
For more information, call Passport Canada at 1-800-567-6868, or the Consular Affairs Bureau at 1-800-267-6788.
*Canada. Canada Border Services Agency’s Our Missing Children program, Borderproofing Children. May 2006. 16 June 2008 http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/media/facts-faits/046-eng.html