A child under the age of 18 can travel to the USA without both parents. Only one parent, a sibling, a class teacher, or another chaperone can accompany them, or they can travel unaccompanied. In this situation, the flight attendants and airport staff will ensure the child arrives safely at their final destination.
-
Table of Contents
Both Parents Must Agree for a Child Under 18 Traveling to the USA
Both parents must consent to the travel of a child under the age of 18 to the USA. If only one parent is accompanying the child, written consent in English must be obtained from the other parent. If neither parent is accompanying the child, consent from both parents is needed.
The USA is strict in this respect, the aim of the regulation being to reduce international child abduction. If the child (or one parent) does not provide written consent to the immigration officer, and the officer becomes suspicious, the child may be detained until the situation is resolved.
In the vast majority of cases, the travel of a child under the age of 18 will be without complications, but it is better to anticipate any issues and bring the travel consent.
-
Minor Travel Consent Form for the USA
🖋️ What the Travel Consent Must Contain
Consent for a child to travel does not have a set format. It is not a pre-printed form. You just need to type it on a computer and add a certified signature from the parents who are not travelling with the child. The following details must be included:
- Child’s identifying information – name, gender, date and place of birth, birth number and passport number
- Contact details of both parents
- Travel information – flight numbers, itinerary, destination
📄 Sample Consent Form for Child’s Travel to the USA
Consent for International Travel
I, [Parent’s Name] of [Parent’s Full Residential Address], declare that I am the legal parent/guardian of [Child’s Name], born on [Child’s Date of Birth] at [Child’s Place of Birth], with a [The Country Issuing the Child’s Passport] passport numbered [Child’s Passport Number], issued on [Child’s Passport Issue Date] at [Child’s Passport Issue Location].
My child, [Child’s Name], has my consent to travel to [Child’s Destination], from [Travel Start Date] to [Travel End Date], staying at [Address of Where Child Will Reside in the USA].
My child will be traveling with their [Relationship to Accompanying Person], [Accompanying Person’s Name] of [Accompanying Person’s Permanent Residence Address]. [Accompanying Person’s Name] is carrying a [The Country Issuing the Accompanying Person’s Passport] passport numbered [Accompanying Person’s Passport Number], which was issued on [Date of Issuance of Accompanying Person’s Passport] at [Place of Issuance of Accompanying Person’s Passport].
Any questions regarding this document may be addressed to me at:
[Name of Parent]
[Full Residential Address of Parent]
[Parent’s Telephone Number]
[Parent’s Email]Signed on this [Day]th day of [Month, Year].
[Parent’s Verified Signature]
[Parent’s Name]👮 To Whom Consent for Child’s Travel to the USA Is Given
The document is not specifically given or shown to anyone. However, it can be requested by airport staff before departure, or by an official during the USA entry interview. The aim of the measure is not to create more bureaucracy, but to protect children from abduction.
-
Flight Ticket for Unaccompanied Minor
A child between the ages of 6 and 17 can travel to the USA completely unaccompanied, but you must book the Unaccompanied Minor (UMNR) service, sometimes referred to as “Unaccompanied Children”.
🧒 How the Unaccompanied Minor Service Works
The “Unaccompanied Minor” service is most often used when a child is traveling with the rest of the family or with the other parent. At the departure airport, the parent will hand over the child to the ground staff who will be responsible for the child. The child will receive a neckband with a distinctive unaccompanied child marking, plus an identification wristband.
The pouch contains all the child’s documents, name, flight number, contact details of the parents, and a list of the languages in which the child can communicate. The ground staff will escort the child to the plane, where the cabin crew will assume responsibility for the child. Due to possible last-minute cancellations, the parent usually must wait at the airport until the flight departs.
On arrival, the child waits on the plane until all other passengers have disembarked. The cabin crew will then hand over the child to the ground staff, who will be waiting at the plane.
The ground staff will escort the child through immigration, assist them in collecting their luggage, or hand them back to the cabin crew for the next flight. At the final destination, they will hand over the child to a designated person, who must present proof of identity.
💵 The Cost of the Unaccompanied Minor Service
The service fee and conditions vary slightly from airline to airline. For a single flight between Europe and the USA, there is usually an additional fee of $125–$170, for example, Delta charges for up to 4 children. The “Unaccompanied Minor” assistance service must be booked through the airline’s point of contact.
Contribute with Your Question or Personal Experience