# Traveling with a child who's not your own **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 29, 2019, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-child-whos-not-your-own/833238 "2019-04-29T23:15:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-child-whos-not-your-own/833238/1 "2019-04-29T23:15:02Z")
I’m taking my daughter and her friend on a trip. I know I’ll need some kind of authorization to get her medical treatment if she gets sick. Is there a standard form for this? Any other resources on what I might need to properly stand in for her parents? What about TSA? Thanks for any advice you can offer. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-child-whos-not-your-own/833238/2 "2019-04-29T23:23:54Z")
I would get a letter from her guardians that states her name, birthdate, and that you have their permission to take their daughter to [place] for [how long]. While traveling you have their permission to seek appropriate medical care, and make serious medical decisions until such time as her parents can be contacted. Signed, her parents/guardians [signature, name, relationship] Get a copy of her health insurance card, and find out if she has any allergies or medications that she needs to bring. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-child-whos-not-your-own/833238/3 "2019-04-29T23:29:01Z")
Are you traveling within the United States or internationally? ETA: assuming you are American… ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-child-whos-not-your-own/833238/4 "2019-04-29T23:41:58Z")
I’m American and we’ll be in the US for the trip. I should have made that clear, thanks for raising it. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-child-whos-not-your-own/833238/5 "2019-04-29T23:51:37Z")
Talk to your daughter’s school about their standard field trip form. It should have all the legalese in it. Adapt it, have the friend’s parents sign it, then keep it with the letter **Sunny Daze** suggests. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-child-whos-not-your-own/833238/6 "2019-04-29T23:54:10Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > I would get a letter from her guardians that states her name, birthdate, and that you have their permission to take their daughter to [place] for [how long]. While traveling you have their permission to seek appropriate medical care, and make serious medical decisions until such time as her parents can be contacted. Signed, her parents/guardians [signature, name, relationship] It may or may not carry any additional validity, but you might want to have all parties sign it in front of a notary public, and have it notarized. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-child-whos-not-your-own/833238/7 "2019-04-30T00:06:40Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > It may or may not carry any additional validity, but you might want to have all parties sign it in front of a notary public, and have it notarized. +1 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-child-whos-not-your-own/833238/8 "2019-04-30T00:24:58Z")
Perhaps a copy of the childs birth certificate would be helpful? Two forms of ID might be required at hospitals. It can’t hurt to have it just in case. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-child-whos-not-your-own/833238/9 "2019-04-30T01:02:41Z")
Many years ago we took my son’s friend with us on a trip to Disneyland. We weren’t leaving the country or even the state, so it never even occurred to us to get some sort of permission slip from his parents. I don’t think we even took his medical card with us. Different times, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-child-whos-not-your-own/833238/10 "2019-04-30T01:59:15Z")
My old boss, who was a lawyer, had a permission form like this for her kids’ grandparents, giving the dates of the trip along with permission for medical treatment and other in loco parentis judgments. It had to be notarized (I notarized many versions of it, as those kids went on a lot of trips, and she had them even when the kids were staying in town with their grandparents while she traveled with her husband). It needed to be signed by both parents as well as the grandparents (but only notarized once). I think she also included a copy of their birth certificates, but some of these trips required passports so they had those, too. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-child-whos-not-your-own/833238/11 "2019-04-30T02:44:31Z")
The suggestions contained above are all good. In reality, probably none are strictly _needed_. We have taken many trips, by air within the United States, with teenage friends of our kids (ages 13-16). Never faced an issue of any kind. It might be different with younger kids. Better safe than sorry, and a medical authorization and some form of “permission” is probably a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-child-whos-not-your-own/833238/12 "2019-04-30T03:15:04Z")
Free child travel consent form: [Child Travel Consent | Free Consent Form (US) | LawDepot](https://www.lawdepot.com/contracts/child-travel-consent/#.XMe9h6Z7k_U) ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-child-whos-not-your-own/833238/13 "2019-04-30T04:52:52Z")
Thanks, **Enola** , very helpful. ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-child-whos-not-your-own/833238/14 "2019-04-30T17:19:05Z")
I travel with kids sports teams (even to canada) frequently. The standard form is just "Dear Airline/TSA/border-control-agent/hotel, (any and all that may be encountered, My child, XXZXZX, is traveling with adult, xxxxx, on a trip to xxxxx for xxxxx purpose during the week of xxxx. Feel free to call me if there are any questions. SIncerely, parent cell: work: address: doctor: medical insurance info: " Notarization has never been required, but it is only $10 at any UPS or mailbox store so if convenient do it. And then take a picture as the letter may be displaced or not handed back. Family famous story- my children have different last names and once while traveling, a TSA agent asked my 2-3 year old son, “And Sigma, do you have any other names?” Sigma: “what do you mean?” agent: “Are there any other names that get said with Sigma?” Sigma:“My dada sometimes calls me Little Nipper.” Huge laughs all around. So generally it isn’t so much the answer so much as what the response to any question is- and having a letter shows that you have your ducks in a row and it will never actually be read, but it is handy for you if you ever need to check in quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-child-whos-not-your-own/833238/15 "2019-05-01T04:51:31Z")
Not sure if this is universal, but at my bank all the bankers are notaries and the service is provided for free. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2019, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-child-whos-not-your-own/833238/16 "2019-05-08T02:16:27Z")
We always had signed permission paperwork when we took kids on Scout trips. Never needed it. The two times we took a child with us somewhere else, we had the parents just write a note saying we were authorized to seek emergency care. Needed it one time (and it was a nonissue). The other time, we didn’t need it. We didn’t get it notarized either time. A couple years back, we were hosting a high school student from Germany. He got sick and I took him to a drugstore clinic. We had all sorts of paperwork from the organization, but they kept demanding more and more before they’d see him: the paperwork didn’t specifically name _me_, just the organization. I had paperwork stating that I was an official host from the organization - but that was simply not good enough. We finally left. We went to another drugstore (different chain) that afternoon - and they didn’t bat an eye.