A travel authorization for minors is an essential document for Brazilian children and adolescents under 18 years of age to travel abroad without the company of both parents or legal guardians. This procedure is governed by rules established in Child and Adolescent Statute (ECA) and Resolution No. 131 of the National Council of Justice (CNJ), ensuring the protection and safety of minors during international travel.
When is authorization required?
Authorization is mandatory for minors who find themselves in any of the following situations:
- Traveling alone: if the minor is traveling alone, both parents or legal guardians must grant authorization.
- Traveling with only one parent: the other parent, who will not be accompanying the child, must grant authorization.
- Traveling with third parties: both parents must authorize the minor to travel in the company of another person.
How to get authorization?
There are two main methods for issuing the Minor Travel Authorization:
- consulate: Parents may appear at the nearest Brazilian consulate to sign the authorization in the presence of a consular authority. The document must be prepared in duplicate, with notarized signatures. If one of the parents is not present, the signature may be notarized and apostilled, in accordance with the rules of the Hague Convention.
- Local notarization: For those who cannot attend the consulate, it is possible to authenticate the signatures of both parents at a local notary public and have the document apostille, making it valid for international use.
Required documentation:
Documents generally required for issuing the authorization include:
- Valid passport of the minor;
- Birth certificate of the minor;
- If one of the parents has passed away, it is necessary to present the death certificate;
- In case of exclusive guardianship, a court decision must be presented.
The authorization, in general, is valid for up to 2 years, unless a different time frame is specified by the parents in the document.
These requirements aim to guarantee the safety of minors, preventing travel without the knowledge or consent of their parents and facilitating supervision by the Federal police at the time of boarding.
For more details on how to apply for authorization and consular procedures, you can visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
Brazilian children or adolescents living abroad
- Residence and travel authorization:
If a child or adolescent resides outside of Brazil, a specific travel authorization is not required, as long as they prove their place of residence with a Certificate of Residence issued less than two years ago by a Brazilian Consular Office and as long as they travel accompanied by one of their parents.
- Authorization in case of travel without parents:
If the child or teenager is not traveling with their parents, authorization from their guardians is required.
- Presentation of Certificate of Residence:
The Certificate of Residence must be presented along with a copy that will be retained by the Federal Police at the time of boarding.
- Inclusion of travel authorization in the passport:
It is possible to include a travel authorization in a minor's passport upon express request from the parents or legal guardians. This inclusion eliminates the need to obtain a new authorization for each trip, as long as the minor is traveling with one of the guardians. The validity of this authorization coincides with the validity period of the passport.
This information is important to ensure that international travel by minors is carried out in accordance with Brazilian legislation, promoting safety and respecting the rights of legal guardians.
