Write Letter of Consent

A letter of consent is written to authorize a person to do something on your behalf, to use something you own or to allow a minor child to travel. There can be many reasons you might need to write a letter of consent. If you need to write one, though, it’s very important you write it correctly.

Steps

Sample Letters

Doc:Letter of Consent for Child Traveling,Letter of Consent for Car,Letter of Consent for Signature

Writing the Consent Letter

1. Be very clear about what you are granting. Consent letters don’t need to be very long. But they need to explicitly say who is granting consent to whom and for what. As in, I (your name) grant (their name) consent to (be specific here about what you are giving them permission for or to do).
   • Ask yourself why you are writing the letter. This will help you focus it. Be extremely simple and direct in language. There’s no reason to include unnecessary information such as motivation or creative flourishes. Those are bad ideas because they could muddy the message, and the consent needs to be extremely clear. For example, if you are giving consent so your daughter can get a Japanese passport, just say that.
   • Follow the rules required for the specific type of consent. For example, some companies may require that you verify your identity as parent or legal guardian before giving your minor child consent to use their services.
2. Include the original signature. You need to make sure that the consent letter is signed, and it’s a good idea if it’s signed in front of a witness who is not the same person receiving consent.
   • If the consent letter is for a corporation, it must be signed by an officer of the corporation.
   • In the case of Limited Liability Company, the manager must sign the letter. If there is not a manager, a member of the LLC can sign it.
   • If the consent letter is for something like consent to use a trade name, and the trade name is owned by more than one person, both owners must sign it.
3. Have the consent letter certified by a notary. It’s a good idea to have an official certify, stamp, or seal the consent letter to verify to its accuracy.
   • You can find many templates for detailed consent letters online that include a section for a notary. Don't skip this part or your consent letter's validity might be questioned.
   • Check at your local post office or courthouse for a notary. Most such offices will have one. A notary verifies that you are the actual person who signed the letter (or that the other parent is the person who did so). It removes doubt.

Writing the Travel Consent Letter

1. Include specific details about the child if writing a Travel Tips consent letter. If you are writing a consent letter for your child to travel alone or with another parent overseas, make sure that you include pertinent information about the child.
   • The letter should include the child’s full name, date of birth, place of birth, passport number, date of issuance of passport, and place of issuance of passport. If neither parent is traveling with the child, both parents should sign the consent letter. Include flight numbers and other specific travel information.
   • Write that you grant permission for the child (include child's name) to travel to the country (which you should name) with the name of anyone accompanying the child. Include the accompanying person’s name, passport number, date of issuance of passport, and place of issuance of passport.
   • Provide the name of the person in a foreign country the child will be staying with, if any, including address, telephone and fax numbers of that person. Write a separate consent form for each child if more than one child is traveling.
2. Check with authorities before you travel to make sure you have the required documents for where you are going. This will ensure that you are following all of the rules of the visited country.
   • Don’t get offended if you’re asked to prove your child’s identity. This is done to protect against child abduction and smuggling. It's also very common for a consent letter to be required.
   • Check with the airline, the embassy, a travel agency and/or the embassy in the country you’re traveling to. They will know if there are any special requirements.
3. Prepare for unique circumstances. Sometimes a consent letter isn't so easy to get or prove, depending on what's going on with the other parent.
   • If you want to take your child out of the country but the other parent objects, you could apply to a court to seek formal permission.
   • If the other parent has passed away and you have a different last name, it’s a good idea to bring the deceased parent’s death certificate, your birth certificate, and your marriage certificate. The goal here is to be able to easily prove what you are saying with certified information.
   • If you are a foster or adoptive parent or a legal guardian of a parent take a copy of the court order designating you as such. If the child is in your care temporarily, you should get a consent letter signed by the child welfare agency representative.

Determining When You Need a Consent Letter

1. Bring a consent letter when a minor child is traveling overseas without both parents. Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to have a letter of consent on hand whenever the minor child leaves the country with only one parent or without either parent, even if traveling between the United States and Canada.
   • Some people mistakenly think the letter is not needed if the child is with one parent, is with a parent and a stepparent, or is with another relative, like a grandparent. However, the bottom line is this: if the child is traveling without one living parent, get a letter of consent from that parent.
   • If your last name is different from your child’s, you may need a bridging document to prove you are the child’s parent. An example of a bridging document is the child’s birth certificate bearing both parents’ names. Make sure it’s a notarized or certified copy.
   • The letter of consent could also give permission for the “trip custodian” (the traveling parent or adult) to authorize any necessary routine or emergency medical treatment needed during the trip. This clause is especially needed when the child is traveling without either parent, say with a school group or a grandparent.
2. Understand other reasons a person might need a letter of consent. Although the most common letter of consent is probably for minor travel, there are other reasons people might need one. Sometimes, it’s another person providing consent to you for research or an interview you conducted.
   • If you are interviewing someone for a book or using a testimonial or endorsement, it’s a good idea to get an official letter of consent from that person attesting that you are authorized to use the material. Be very specific as to what will be used and where.
   • When conducting academic research, you will often be required ethically to obtain written consent from participants. Informed consent means you not only gain the consent of the person but that you fully inform them about all rights as a participant in your study, what it will entail, where it will be published, and whether there are any risks.
   • Sometimes letters of consent are written by a property owner granting a person consent to use his or her property, such as a house or car. You could provide some details of how the property will be used and for what time frame and purpose.
3. Use standard business letter format. This will look most professional. If you are a company, put the consent letter on formal letterhead. Do not include conditions or stipulations. Consent letters should not have such provisions. They should not be overly complicated.
   • In business letter format, you want to include the address of the person or company you’re writing to on the top left, the date, and your name and address. Use a formal salutation and conclusion. Be polite but direct.
   • Although written letters can be accepted, you should type the letter or use a template you find online so that it looks more formal and professional. The signature must be handwritten, however.

Tips

• Include any additional details, such as duration of the permission, provision of items needed to complete the request and alternative contact details.
• A good rule of thumb is that if it's not in writing and not notarized, you'll have a hard time proving it.

Warnings

• This is only guidance. Seek legal or other relevant professional help for your personal situation.

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