saltspring

I will be going to Canada with my 5-year-old son, but without his mother. My son and I are both Canadian citizens. I have a notarized travel letter signed by her. How strict is Canada in asking for it at the border? We are both Canadians, so they can't refuse us entry, right? Why then would they ask to see one? This is my first time travelling alone internationally with my son, so I'm just curious about peoples' experiences in this area.

mkjr

It is not legally required and unlikely to be asked for. They could not deny entry even if you did not have any such letter.

B407

When I was a child, I travelled extensively with only one parent and also as an unaccompanied minor. Also my parents and I possessed different citizenships at the time too and have never had trouble re-entering Canada and was never asked to produce any sort of letters.

ProudEdmontonian

The 'letter' is some assurance that you are not 'abducting' your child as part of a child custody dispute.

Typically it ought to contain the name, address, phone number and e-mail of the non-travelling parent.

Fredd

What more could you do? IMO the notarized letter should be completely adequate for your purposes. We, with American passports, just traveled from the U.S. to Europe and back with a 12-year-old Canadian grandson and were never asked once for the elaborate notarized letter (with photocopies of passports attached) signed by both of his parents.

It might be different if you were flying ex-Canada but I seriously doubt returning to Canada will be an issue.

mkjr

a question for all those nervous nellies.

how does the CBS agent know the notary is actually a notary and not some friend down the street?

that's right, they don't.

the only way that a CBS agent would know the other parent actually signed it, well, produced ID in front of the notary (it could always be faked), is to have the notary's signature authenticated at the state level, then the state representative's signature would be further legalized by an official of that country’s embassy, high commission or consulate accredited to Canada and then sent to the Canadian embassy in Ottawa (not sure if they do it abroad any more) to be further authenticated.

basically, each level has the signature of the person on file to compare it against...

OTHERWISE.....your paper you have signed is worth ZERO ZIP NADA!!

but hey, if it makes you feel better, get it. but the CBS agent will have NO idea whether it is even authentic or not.

Fredd

You can find Government of Canada information, including a sample letter, here:

http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/child...ent-letter/faq

mkjr

succumbing to the pressure of "the man" is distinctly Canadian. i love it.

Fredd

You don't state from what country you're arriving. If you're arriving from and returning to the U.S., CBP provides almost exactly the same information as does Canada, i.e. a letter is not required but strongly recommended, and it is suggested the letter be notarized. "While CBP may not ask to see this documentation, if we do ask, and you do not have it, you may be detained until the circumstances of the child traveling without both parents can be fully assessed." Your wife's notarized signature on a travel consent letter for you and your son should suffice and give you peace of mind.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/det...ot-a-parent-or

mkjr

i get it. some people are happy being sheeps. that's fine. i however, choose to question why something that is legally ineffective in the first place is strongly recommended...

now, some countries DO have legal requirements when parents travel with child and without other parents.

as i noted, neither the US nor Canadian border officials will have any idea that the letter is truly notarized or even signed by your wife/other parent for a Canadian either travelling to the US or Canada.

i travel with my child that does not even look like me...[different skin colour] and NEVER has US or Canadian border official asked anything. but then again, we are both on NEXUS so perhaps that matters. either way, good business for notaries...in fact, people in my office ask me to do this for free and i decline since i refused to put my own notary seal on something that is pile of crap. if they want to be a sheep, they can pay for it....and yes, i know i am a jerk.

gglave

So that instead of spending 3 hours in immigration secondary (and then being admitted) you spent 3 minutes at immigration primary (and then you're admitted).

ls17031

+1

mkjr

i am sure people can decide how much risk they can assume in life in many ways without your fear mongering.

gglave

How is saying "have a letter in your bag in case you need it" 'fear mongering?'

You seem like an awfully confrontational fellow... Why is that?

saltspring

I have been wondering about this too. How would any border agent in any country know that the signature in front of them is an actual notary? Have there been any situations of notary's signatures verified? Sounds almost unbelievable.