Consent letters for minors travelling from India in 2026: who signs, when to notarise, templates
By Ananya Singh (Ananya Singh writes about Indian passports, visa logistics and immigration for FlightGPT. She tracks MEA/passportindia.gov.in notifications, VFS Global and consular procedures, and the U.S. Department of State's visa rules, and cross-checks every guide against the official source before publishing.) · Published · Last updated · 10 min read
A grandmother flying her grandchild to Dubai, a father taking the kids to see family while mum stays back — these are exactly the situations where immigration asks for a consent letter. Here is who must sign, when notarisation is needed, and copy-paste templates.
Quick answer
When a minor (under 18) travels internationally from India without both parents — with one parent, a grandparent, a relative, or alone — airlines and immigration authorities frequently ask for a parental consent letter from the non-travelling parent(s). It is not one single government form; it is a declaration that the absent parent(s) consent to the trip, naming the child, the accompanying adult, the destination and the dates. For international travel it should be notarised (and for some destinations, signed before a consular officer or with apostille/attestation) because a notarised letter is far more likely to be accepted at a border. This is separate from the consent needed to issue a minor's passport, which uses the official Annexure D/C/G/H forms on passportindia.gov.in. Always check the destination country's specific rule, because requirements vary — some are strict, some informal. Templates are at the end of this guide.
Two different things people confuse: passport consent vs travel consent
There are two separate 'consent' moments in a child's travel, and mixing them up causes real delays:
- Consent to ISSUE the passport — handled by MEA/passportindia.gov.in using official Annexures. For a fresh or reissued minor passport, both parents ideally consent via Annexure D (and both should be present at the Passport Seva Kendra). Where one parent's consent cannot be obtained, Annexure C (single-parent declaration with reason) or Annexure G/H (one parent not consenting / legal guardian applying) is used. A divorced single parent carries the custody order. This is a one-time process to get the booklet.
- Consent to TRAVEL on a specific trip — handled at the airline counter and at immigration, using a consent letter from the non-travelling parent(s). This is trip-specific (this destination, these dates, this accompanying adult) and is what this guide is mainly about.
So a child can already hold a valid passport (passport consent done) and still need a fresh travel-consent letter for each international trip taken without both parents. Don't assume the passport covers it. For the passport-application side, see our companion document/apostille guide for how birth certificates and affidavits get authenticated.
When you actually need a consent letter
The trigger is travelling without both parents present. The common scenarios:
- Child + one parent (the other parent stays in India) → consent letter from the non-travelling parent. This is the most common case and the one most often checked on departures to the Gulf and to strict-entry countries.
- Child + grandparent or other relative → consent letter from both parents, naming the accompanying adult and their relationship.
- Child travelling alone → consent from both parents plus the airline's unaccompanied-minor (UM) process and fee.
- Single/widowed/divorced parent travelling with the child → carry supporting proof (death certificate, custody order, or the relevant passport Annexure) instead of, or alongside, the other parent's consent.
Who enforces it? Airlines often check at check-in (some carriers, including Indian and Gulf carriers, actively ask on certain routes), and immigration of both the origin and destination can ask. Some countries are strict about minors crossing borders with one parent or a non-parent; others rarely ask. Because you cannot predict which officer will ask, the safe default is: carry the letter even if you think you might not need it. An unused notarised letter costs you nothing; a missing one can cost you the flight.
What the letter must contain
A consent letter that holds up at a border is specific. Include all of:
- Child's details — full name (as on passport), date of birth, passport number, nationality.
- The consenting parent(s) — full name(s), relationship to the child, passport/ID number(s), contact details, and signature(s).
- The accompanying adult — full name, relationship to the child, and passport number. (Omit if the child is travelling alone; note the UM arrangement instead.)
- The trip — destination country/countries, purpose, departure and return dates, and flight details if known.
- An explicit consent statement — that the parent(s) authorise the child to travel as described, and (often helpful) authorise the accompanying adult to make emergency medical decisions.
- Date and place of signing, and space for the notary's seal.
Attach copies of the consenting parent's passport/ID and the child's passport. If the document needs to satisfy a destination abroad, you may also need it translated and, for some countries, apostilled or embassy-attested — confirm with that country's consulate. Several Indian missions abroad publish their own consent/authorisation proforma (for example on embassy websites); if your situation involves an Indian consulate, use their format.
Notarisation, apostille and the one-parent-abroad case
Should you notarise? For international travel, yes. Notarisation verifies the signing parent's identity and that they genuinely consented, and a notarised letter is much more likely to be accepted at immigration than a plain one. It is inexpensive and quick at any notary in India.
When do you need more than notarisation? If the destination authority (or an Indian consulate process) requires it, the letter may need to be apostilled (for Hague Convention countries) or embassy-attested (for non-Hague countries like the UAE/Qatar). This follows the same chain as any other document — see our apostille guide.
The one-parent-abroad situation is common for NRI families and worth spelling out: if the consenting parent is outside India, they should sign the consent before a notary in that country (or at the Indian mission there), attach a copy of their passport, and send it to the travelling parent. For a minor passport application where one parent is abroad, the parent in India signs the form and obtains the other parent's consent on Annexure D, notarised in the country of residence. Keep originals; carry colour copies too.
Templates you can adapt
Two ready templates. Adapt the bracketed fields, print on plain paper, sign before a notary, and attach ID copies. These are starting points — always check your specific destination's and airline's requirements.
Template 1 — child travelling with ONE parent (consent from the other parent):
"I, [Full name of non-travelling parent], holder of Indian passport no. [XXXXXX], residing at [address], being the [mother/father] of [child's full name], date of birth [DD/MM/YYYY], holder of passport no. [XXXXXX], hereby give my full consent for my child to travel to [destination country] from [departure date] to [return date] in the company of [his/her] [father/mother] [Full name], passport no. [XXXXXX]. I authorise the accompanying parent to make any necessary decisions, including emergency medical decisions, on behalf of the child during this trip. Signed at [place] on [date]. [Signature]. [Notary attestation below.]"
Template 2 — child travelling with a grandparent/relative (consent from BOTH parents):
"We, [Father's full name], passport no. [XXXXXX], and [Mother's full name], passport no. [XXXXXX], parents of [child's full name], date of birth [DD/MM/YYYY], passport no. [XXXXXX], hereby authorise our child to travel to [destination country] from [departure date] to [return date] accompanied by [Accompanying adult's full name], passport no. [XXXXXX], who is the child's [relationship]. We authorise the accompanying adult to make emergency medical decisions for the child during this trip. Signed at [place] on [date]. [Both signatures]. [Notary attestation below.]"
For a child flying alone, you additionally book the airline's unaccompanied-minor service — see our unaccompanied-minor rules guide. When the paperwork is ready, compare family-friendly flights and daytime arrivals on FlightGPT.
Frequently asked questions
Does a child need a consent letter to travel abroad with one parent from India?
Often, yes. When a minor travels internationally without both parents, airlines and immigration authorities frequently ask for a consent letter from the non-travelling parent. Because you can't predict which officer will ask, carry a notarised letter even if you think you might not need it — an unused one costs nothing, a missing one can cost the flight.
Should the consent letter be notarised?
For international travel, yes. Notarisation verifies the signing parent's identity and consent, and a notarised letter is much more likely to be accepted at immigration than a plain one. For some destinations you may additionally need it apostilled (Hague countries) or embassy-attested (non-Hague countries like the UAE).
Who signs the consent letter if the child travels with a grandparent?
Both parents should sign, naming the accompanying adult (the grandparent), their relationship to the child, and their passport number, along with the destination, dates and an explicit consent statement. Attach copies of the parents' and child's passports, and notarise it.
What is the difference between Annexure D and a travel consent letter?
Annexure D (and C/G/H) are official passportindia.gov.in forms used to consent to ISSUING a minor's passport — a one-time step. A travel consent letter is a separate, trip-specific document used at the airline counter and immigration to consent to a particular journey without both parents. Having the passport does not replace the travel letter.
What should a minor's travel consent letter include?
The child's full name, date of birth, passport number and nationality; the consenting parent's name, relationship, passport number, contact and signature; the accompanying adult's name, relationship and passport number; the destination, dates and purpose; an explicit consent (and emergency medical authorisation) statement; and the date, place and notary seal. Attach ID copies.
What if the consenting parent is living abroad?
They should sign the consent before a notary in their country of residence (or at the Indian mission there), attach a copy of their passport, and send it to the travelling parent. For a minor passport application with one parent abroad, the parent in India signs the form and obtains the other parent's consent on Annexure D, notarised in the country of residence.
Does a single or divorced parent need the other parent's consent?
It depends on the situation. A widowed parent carries the death certificate; a divorced parent with sole custody carries the custody order; otherwise the other parent's consent is generally expected. For passport issuance, the relevant Annexure (C for single-parent declaration, G/H where one parent doesn't consent or a guardian applies) is used. Carry the supporting legal document at the border.