When you become a parent, many things in your life change—not least of all how you travel. No matter if you are traveling with your children, or without them, there will be a lot more for you to consider than when it was just the two of you vacationing alone.

Bringing the Kids Along

When bringing your little ones along on a vacation, you’ll need to make sure that you have everything you need to travel with them. Traveling with children can be much harder than traveling solo because of the strict documentation requirements when traveling with minors.

For single parents who share custody with another parent, or parents who are together but where only one parent will be traveling with the child, it is important to have both a Child Travel Consent letter and a Child Medical Consent letter. These forms can make travel with children faster, easier, and smoother by providing quick proof of permission to government officials and travel professionals.

You may need these documents if:

  • You have a different surname than your child
  • You are traveling without the other parent or guardian of the child
  • You are a single parent who shares custody
  • You are traveling with the other parent or guardian, but may be taking separate flights or using other methods of travel separately
  • You are traveling as a family, but not for the entirety of the trip
  • You are traveling internationally with your child

It is also important to make sure that you have a valid birth certificate and passport for any minor children. Remember to plan ahead and start early as a passport for any child under the age of 14 (in the USA) requires written proof of consent from both parents, or from a parent or guardian who has sole custody.

Any minor child (even an infant) who will be traveling out of the country will need a passport, no matter how young they are. Passport requirements are different based on the age of the minor, so look into your responsibilities early on.

Remember to keep copies of all important documents on you so that you can use them when needed. You may need to present them to airport security or even just when you check in at the airport.

Traveling Without the Kids

Perhaps you and your spouse are taking a much needed vacation together, or maybe you have to travel for work. Either way, there are some trips that just aren’t meant for the kids. But as a parent, you still have responsibilities when traveling without children.

If you are traveling with the other parent or guardian, you will need to select someone for your child to stay with while you are gone. Preferably someone who you are also comfortable with allowing to make medical decisions on your behalf in the event of an emergency.

You should provide the person who will be caring for your child with a Child Medical Consent letter, a copy of their birth certificate or any photo identification, as well as their passport if they plan to travel. It’s also a good idea to consider having written confirmation of temporary guardianship for your caretaker to use.

Inform your child’s school, doctor, or any other relevant professionals about your trip and your appointed guardian to make sure that there are no issues while you are away.

Alternatively, if your minor child will be traveling without you or another parent or guardian, they are required to have a Child Travel Consent letter.

Children and Travel

Sometimes, even just getting to an appointment on time can be an accomplishment when you have children. Traveling as a parent doesn’t need to be difficult, it just requires more planning and consideration than it did before your family grew.

Traveling with your kids can be an adventure that offers you and your children shared life experiences, while traveling without them can help to give you the time and space you may need.

Whichever works for you, be sure to look into any travel requirements beforehand, and to have the proper documentation before hopping on a plane to ensure that you have a safe, happy, and stress-free trip.

Brittany Foster is a Marketing Writer for LawDepot—the leading publisher in do-it-yourself online legal forms and contracts.