Affidavit of Consent and Support

Affidavit of Consent and Support

It raises a red flag when a minor child is traveling alone or with someone who is not their parent or legal guardian. Without the proper documentation, they won’t be able to travel or worse, will be considered as a case of human trafficking. To prevent being in this situation, all required documents, like an Affidavit of Consent and Support, should be completed. If it’s your first time hearing about it and can’t wait to get started, check out below and learn what it is and how you can write one. Read More

An Affidavit of Consent and Support is a legal document that is used when a minor child is applying for a passport or traveling with another person other than their parents, legal guardian, or someone who is exercising parental authority or legal custody over the child. If an illegitimate child is traveling with their biological parent who does not have custody, this affidavit is also needed. It should be signed by the parent with sole parental authority and custody over the child. In the affidavit, it should state the travel arrangements, clearances, and appointments to ensure the safety of the child during travel. It should also include details such as point of origin and destination, the purpose of travel, and the full legal name of the representative, and their relationship to the child.

It is important to know how to write an Affidavit of Consent and Support in order to comply with the legal requirements of a traveling minor child. This can help ensure the child’s safety during travel and hold the person who is exercising parental authority during travel, accountable for them. It should contain statements of facts and signed under oath before a notary public or at least one witness. Parents are strongly advised to take this document seriously as this affidavit is a powerful document that concerns your children and who gets to travel with them. To help you out, here are five simple steps in drafting an affidavit of consent and support:

Purpose of the Affidavit of Consent and Support

This document is mainly used when a minor child is applying for a passport either accompanied or unaccompanied by their parents. It is also required when the child is traveling with someone who is not their legal guardian and will only be exercising parental authority during travel. Make sure that you only entrust the welfare of your children to someone that you fully trust. 

Write the statement of identity and statement of truth

An affidavit always has an affiant and should be identified first. State your personal information such as your name, age, profession, residence, and other information relevant to this affidavit. After that, you must indicate that all facts that will be stated in the affidavit are true and correct. It is the equivalent of swearing under oath in a courtroom proceeding. In short, you are stating that you are not lying in your affidavit and will only present the truth.

Specify pertinent details and statement of facts

In your affidavit, you must include important details such as the legal name of the person traveling with the child, their itinerary, and the purpose of travel. It is also important that you indicate who will provide financial support, allowances, and accommodation for your child or their travel companion. You must also include that your child is well-behaved and will not violate any rules and regulations of their destination. 

Consult a professional when necessary

Legal representation is usually not required when making an affidavit. But for instances that require legal assistance, it is best to consult with a lawyer and affidavits should be done with their help. 

Have it signed and notarized

Once done writing all the facts, find an eligible notary public who can attest to the veracity and accuracy of your statements. Bring with you all necessary identification documents like a government-issued ID (i.e. passport, driver’s license, etc.) The affidavit must only be signed in front of the notary public or completed in the presence of a witness. Make sure that you, the witness, and the notary public will sign each page of your document.

FAQs

This is an important document that you need to make on your own or with assistance from your lawyer. This will then allow your minor child to travel alone or accompanied by someone who will temporarily exercise parental authority over them during the specified travel period.

The Affidavit of Consent and Support is a powerful document that concerns your child and determines who gets to travel with them. You should only give consent to someone that you trust completely.

For children who are undergoing or have undergone the adoption process, you will still need to make this affidavit and also present a court decree of adoption and other documents to prove the identity of the child.

Yes. It can only be valid on the dates indicated in the document. It is advised that parents only give consent and support when the minor is travelling on their own or accompanied by a trusted guardian.

The Affidavit of Consent and Support is a document that allows someone else to exercise parental authority over your children. It is important for parents to take this document with utmost seriousness and given a great deal of thought before granting consent to someone regarding your child’s welfare during travel. This is a necessary requirement so that you can be sure about your child’s safety and wellbeing during travel. It is critical that you only give someone your consent and support when you are 100% sure that they can be trusted and will put your child’s safety to their top priority.