.jpg)
George contacted me recently concerning his eldest daughter (aged 21) taking his younger daughter (aged 17) on holiday to France. George had read that it is a criminal offence to travel with a minor without the written consent of the parents. Prudently, George called me to ask my advice. I sent George a template travel consent letter that I have prepared and I guided George in tailoring the letter to his and his wife’s specific requirements.
They were keen that their letter contained sufficient details to guide the authorities who might read their letter as to the scope of their permission but without being so restrictive that their daughters had problems if there was an unforeseen change in their travel plans. Once the letter was in the form they were happy with, I met the parents and verified their identifies using their passports and proof of current address. I created a notarial certificate that encompassed the travel consent letter and copies of the passports of the parents and their two daughters. We discussed whether it would be helpful also to have the letter apostilled. We concluded that, given the age of the young ladies and the nature of their travel arrangements, it might not be an essential step. George decided to proceed without the apostille and, instead, to rely on my notarial certification of the travel consent letter he had signed with his wife.
