Travel consent, passports and relocation

Travel consent, passports and relocation: what are the options?

Parents usually land on one of these 3 approaches.

1. 1. Either parent travels freely with the child

   Either of you can take the child anywhere without asking.

2. 2. Notice and itinerary

   The travelling parent tells the other in advance and shares the plans.

3. 3. Joint consent for international travel or moves

   Both of you must agree before the child leaves the country or moves.

Travel consent, passports and relocation: what does the evidence say?

Your call. No outcome evidence picks a winner. Preference, culture, money and logistics decide.

Standard clauses in court parenting plans

Sources

• Maryland Courts

What else is worth knowing?

Border officials may ask a parent travelling alone with a child for a consent letter from the other parent. Passport applications for a child usually need both parents. Deciding your own rule about travel and moving avoids conflict.

Questions to ask each other

• Would either of us travel alone with the child?
• What documents and permissions do we need to put in place?
• How would we handle a move?

More in Legal, financial and "what if" planning

• Will and guardian nomination
• Life and disability insurance, beneficiaries, emergency fund
• Prematurity, NICU and birth complications
• Pregnancy loss
• Special needs, disability and neurodivergence
• If the child is not who we expected (temperament, interests, ability, gender expression)
• Major life disruptions (job loss, serious illness, death of a parent, ageing grandparents, moving)
• If we separate