Travel Documents Needed for Grandchildren

Traveling with grandchildren can be fun, but you will need certain documents before you embark. Find out what to bring depending on the destination.

Traveling with grandchildren provides a wonderful bonding opportunity for grandparents. But you'll need to plan to take along some family travel documents to help the journey go smoothly, and get through tricky security checkpoints without incident. What documentation you need will also depend on your destination.

While you can pick up some items you forgot to pack at your destination, getting or replacing a passport or another vital document isn't easy. Know what you need to pack before you go.

Letter of Permission from Guardians for Grandparents to Travel with Children

Although most grandparents will never have to show it, carrying a letter of permission is advisable. Templates for such letters are available online, so you can create your own letter of permission using the instructions. You want to format your letter in a way that it:

• Gives consent from the parent(s) to allow their child(ren) to travel with their grandparents
  
• Includes all children's full names and ages
• Indicates the travel period from departure to the date of return, including a few days before and after in case of any travel changes
  
• Includes the name of the notary and the date notarized
• Lists the general travel destination(s)
• Provides contact information for the parent, including the full address and any major phone numbers
• Provides the name of the grandparent(s)
• Provides the name of the parent(s)
• Shows the signature of the parent(s) and the date
  

If a grandchild's parents are divorced, both parents should ideally sign documents. Sometimes, children are transported across borders during custody disputes, so both signatures help alleviate any potential issues.

Getting the letter of permission notarized by a licensed official adds a layer of security to your document, making it official in the eyes of any government officials. Many businesses, including banks, law offices, CPAs, and mail services like UPS, will perform this quick signature process with you.

• Copies of insurance cards advisable
• Letter of permission from parents advisable
• No ID required for air, rail, land travel
  

• Certified copies of birth certificates for travel to border countries by land or sea
• Passports required for air travel and disembarking ship in some ports
• Vaccinations required for some countries
  
• Visas required for some countries

Domestic Travel

Thankfully, grandchildren under 18 won't need any ID for domestic road trips with grandparents. In addition, airlines and trains don't usually require any form of ID for children under 18 for domestic travel.

Still, it's never a bad idea to bring some ID anyway. Photocopies of the grandkids' birth certificates should work fine regardless of circumstance, so keep those in a safe place in your luggage where it won't be moved or carry it around with you, which increases the chance that its lost. In addition, you should bring:

• Insurance cards: copies of the grandchildren's insurance cards as well as prescription cards, dental cards, and secondary insurance cards if applicable.
• Letter of permission: a notarized letter from the parent(s) permitting medical care.

Bordering Countries

If you're traveling to Mexico, or Canada most grandchildren 16 and under can travel using certified copies of their birth certificates instead of a passport. However, this provision applies only to travel by land or sea and does not apply to travel by air.

For instance, taking a cruise that returns to the port of departure, Americans will not need passports to re-enter the United States. They may, however, need passports to disembark the ship in foreign ports. Passengers should check with their cruise lines or, to be safe, carry passports regardless.

Some travel authorities suggest obtaining a limited power of attorney if you're traveling, which would allow you to make health care decisions for minors in your care in case of an emergency.

International Travel

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) is a United States legal framework that requires travelers to present a valid passport or another approved secure document when traveling to the U.S. from places within the Western Hemisphere.

Even small children and infants need a passport for air travel overseas. Children cannot be added to a parent's passport. If a child doesn't have a passport, both parents should appear in person to apply for one. When that's not possible, other paperwork will be required, including a notarized permission from the parent who is not present to obtain the passport for their child.

Some countries also require a visa for entry, and vaccinations may sometimes be required. Before booking a trip, check the U.S. Department of State's website for country-specific information. You'll also want to revisit this a few days before your trip for any last-minute issues.

Parents uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

1. Children traveling to another country without their parents. U.S. Customs and Border Protection. 2023.
2. International Travel Documents for Children. U.S. General Services Administration. 2024.
3. Do minors need identification to travel?Federal Aviation Administration. 2024.
4. Documents: Do I need a passport to go on a cruise?U.S. Customs and Border Protection. 2024.
5. Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. U.S. Customs and Border Protection. 2018.

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