Child travel consent letters, notarised
Your child is travelling without you and the airline or destination wants a notarised consent letter. The Notary verifies your identity and witnesses your signature, and we add the UK FCDO apostille where it is required. From £135 plus VAT per document.
Appointed by the Court of Faculties · Regulated through The Faculty Office of The Archbishop of Canterbury · Member of The Notaries' Society of England and Wales
Not sure what your document needs? Send it to us and we reply within one hour in office hours.
At a glance
- Identity checked, signature witnessedThe Notary verifies each parent’s identity, witnesses the signature and issues the notarial certificate.
- Both parents at one appointmentTwo parents can sign the same letter together, each with their own identification.
- From £135 plus VATPer document, in person at Gray’s Inn Road. With standard apostille £230, including the UK FCDO fee.
- 7 days a week2 hours’ notice in office hours. Out of hours, evenings and weekends, from £235 with 24 hours’ notice.
Fixed fee agreed in writing before you pay. Translation, where needed, quoted first.
- With one parent
- With grandparents
- On a school trip
- On their own
- With another adult
Consent the airline and border will accept
Your child is travelling abroad with the other parent, a grandparent, a school group or on their own, and the airline, the destination country’s border authority or its embassy has asked for a consent letter signed before a notary.
GOV.UK says you must have the permission of everyone with parental responsibility to take a child abroad, and that a letter from the person with parental responsibility, with their contact details and details of the trip, is usually enough. Some countries and airlines ask for more. Canada’s government says a consent letter is not legally required there but may be requested, and strongly recommends that a notary witness its signing. South Africa’s government lists a parental consent affidavit where a child travels with one parent or another adult. Mexico’s embassy in the UK says children resident in Mexico who leave Mexico alone, or with an adult who is not their parent or guardian, need either an online authorisation form or a parent’s permission notarised in the UK, apostilled and translated into Spanish.
You bring your own letter, following the airline’s or destination’s instructions or template; we can point you to them. The Notary verifies your identity, witnesses your signature and completes the notarial certificate under signature and seal. Where the destination requires it, we obtain the UK FCDO apostille. We do not advise on custody or parental responsibility; if that is in question, please speak to a family solicitor first.
How it works
- 1
Send us the letter and the instructions
Email your letter, the destination, the travel dates and any instructions from the airline, embassy or school. We reply within one hour in office hours with what is needed and a fixed fee.
- 2
Book your appointment
In person at Gray’s Inn Road, by video for parents in England and Wales where it is accepted, out of hours, or with the Mobile Notary at your home or office in Central London.
- 3
Sign before the Notary
The Notary verifies each parent’s identity, witnesses the signatures and completes the notarial certificate. Both parents can sign at the same appointment.
- 4
Apostille, if required
We obtain the UK FCDO apostille: standard 3 working days, urgent 1 working day. An e-apostille is usually issued within 24 hours, where the destination accepts it.
- 5
Ready to travel
Collect the letter from Gray’s Inn Road, or choose next-day UK delivery. Carry the original: Canada’s guidance notes that border officials may question photocopies.
The fee you are quoted is the fee you pay
Notary appointment
| Consent letter notarised, in personGray’s Inn Road, per document, without apostille | £135 |
|---|---|
| By videoparents in England and Wales, where accepted | from £195 |
| Out of hours, 7 days a weekin person, evenings, weekends and bank holidays | from £235 |
| Mobile Notary, Central Londonat your home or office | £350 |
Plus VAT, per document.
Apostille and delivery
| Consent letter with standard apostille (3 working days)£135 Notary fee plus £95 apostille, per document, including the FCDO fee | £230 |
|---|---|
| Consent letter with urgent apostille (next working day)£135 Notary fee plus £125 apostille, per document, including the FCDO fee | £260 |
| E-apostille instead of paperper document, where the destination accepts it | +£30 |
| Next-day UK deliveryper order | £25 |
Plus VAT. Translation and international courier are quoted in writing before you proceed.
In person or by video?
A consent letter can be signed before the Notary at an online appointment, for parents in England and Wales, where the airline or destination accepts it. Both parents can join the same video appointment. Many border officials expect a wet-ink original, so check the instructions first and tell us; we confirm before you book.
If one parent lives outside England and Wales, they cannot sign with us by video. They can sign before a notary or consular officer where they live, or come to Gray’s Inn Road.
Sending us an original
Post it, send it by courier or hand-deliver it to Fox Court, 14 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8HN, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm. We recommend a tracked service.
Send us your document →
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Child travel consent letters
Anything else? Email team@internationalnotary.co.uk or call 020 3488 4195. WhatsApp is also available.
Do I need a notarised consent letter?
It depends on the airline and the destination. Check with the airline and the destination country’s embassy; GOV.UK advises contacting the embassy of the country you are travelling to. Send us their instructions and we confirm from them what is needed before you pay.
Can both parents sign at the same appointment?
Yes. Both parents can sign the same letter at one appointment, each with their own identification. One letter signed by both is one document.
Can you write the consent letter for me?
No. You bring your own letter, following the airline’s or destination’s template or instructions, and we can point you to them. GOV.UK suggests the letter includes the other person’s contact details and details of the trip. The Notary verifies identity, witnesses signatures and issues the notarial certificate.
Does it need an apostille?
Only if the destination asks for one. Mexico’s embassy in the UK, for example, asks for the notarised permission to be apostilled and translated into Spanish for children resident in Mexico leaving Mexico without a parent or guardian. We confirm from the instructions you have been given.
The destination wants an affidavit, not a letter. Can you help?
Yes. South Africa’s government, for example, refers to a parental consent affidavit. An affidavit is sworn or affirmed before the Notary; see our page on statutory declarations and affidavits.
Can you advise on whether the other parent has to agree?
No. We do not give advice on custody or parental responsibility. Please speak to a family solicitor if that is in question.
How soon can I be seen?
The same day, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm, with 2 hours’ notice. Out of hours: evenings 6pm to 8pm, Saturday 10am to 4pm, Sunday and bank holidays 11am to 3pm, with 24 hours’ notice.
How do I get the finished document back?
Collect it from our Gray’s Inn Road office, or choose next-day UK delivery for £25 plus VAT per order. International courier is quoted in writing. E-apostilles are emailed.
What if I need to cancel?
Please see clause 14 of our Terms of Business. Read the Terms of Business.
Sources and checks
Last checked: 9 November 2026. GOV.UK: Get permission to take a child abroad; Government of Canada: Consent letter for children travelling outside Canada; South African Government: requirements for travelling with children; Embassy of Mexico in the UK: travelling with children in and out of Mexico; GOV.UK: Get your document legalised. Entry and exit rules for children are set by each country and airline and can change.
Requirements are set by the receiving organisation and the issuing authority. We confirm the route for your document before you pay.
Travelling soon?
Book the Notary, or send us your letter and the airline’s or embassy’s instructions first. We reply within one hour in office hours with what is needed and a fixed fee.