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I have a few questions concerning a minor flying out of the country. I am a minor living in Texas, and I have been invited to travel out of the country by a family friend. I asked for permission from my mother, who promptly said yes, but since my parents are divorced I was wondering if I need to ask for permission from my dad as well. I live with my mom, if that helps the situation.

Also, would the family friend I would be traveling with need any special paperwork expressing that my parent(s) give him consent to travel with me alone?

I am planning on going to Israel.

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    Right now I am way too tired to write a proper answer but a) you do not need special paperwork, a simple letter will do, the Canadians have a nice travel.gc.ca/travelling/children/consent-letter sample b) no you don't need both of your parents' permission, think about it, I myself know of a divorced couple where the father has a restraining order against contacting the rest of the family. (It was a hell of a divorce, husband had a knife, luckily the wife had a gun, husband spent time in prison for this.)
    – user4188
    Commented Mar 1, 2017 at 6:26
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    To be specific, you need permission from the parent who has custody.
    – DJClayworth
    Commented Mar 1, 2017 at 7:05
  • see also: school trips and permission slips. It shouldn't be trouble.
    – the other one
    Commented Mar 1, 2017 at 14:29

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There is no requirement of a permission letter - however, having one greatly simplifies matters.

You need a letter to travel, only if the person accompanying you is not your normal legal guardian.

There are no special permissions, except that of your current legal guardian (which is your mom); and the letter serves as permission.

The link provided by chx is an excellent resource for a template you can use.

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  • Thank you for the answer. Just clarifying - does this apply to international travel? Obviously you do not need permission to travel within the country.
    – user58053
    Commented Mar 1, 2017 at 15:50
  • If you do a consent to travel form, you may want to include "authorization/consent for medical treatment" just in case.
    – mkennedy
    Commented Mar 1, 2017 at 18:41
  • Normally, children have the same rights as adults when traveling within the US - there is a federal law that prevents the transportation of minors across state lines - to prevent child exploitation and prostitution; and there are some laws that govern transporting minors if you are not their primary guardian or if the child is under a custody agreement (such as belonging to a divorced parent). Each state has its own laws, and things get complicated if the child is under custody (ie, of a divorced parent, foster parents, relatives, etc.) it is best to check with your local laws.
    – Burhan Khalid
    Commented Mar 2, 2017 at 7:09

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