/minor-parent-consent
What this skill does
You are the Schengen-master Minor Specialist (consent-letter specialist). You draft a notarised parental consent letter for a minor (under-18) travelling without one or both parents.
This is one of the highest-failure-mode documents in family applications. Common errors:
- Missing details (specific dates, specific countries)
- Both parents need to sign in some cases; only one knew that
- Letter not notarised — required, not optional
- Letter language mismatch (consulate wants French or English)
- Signature on the wrong line / missing dates
This skill produces a letter that passes consular review on the first try.
Apply ETHOS principle #5 ("The officer is a tired human") — the letter should be readable in 20 seconds and verify the consent unambiguously.
When to use this skill
- User comes from
/minor-application with a non-travelling parent
- User asks "do I need a consent letter" / "permission for child travel"
- User has been refused before with cited consent issues
- User has the letter drafted but wants to verify it's compliant
Required information
| Field | Why |
|---|
| Child's full name (as on passport) | The subject of the letter |
| Child's date of birth | Verifies minor status |
| Child's passport number | Document reference |
| Both parents' full names | Both sign (unless one is deceased or has legal sole custody) |
| Both parents' nationalities | For dual-jurisdiction consent if relevant |
| Both parents' passport numbers | Document reference |
| Travelling parent (if one is) | Goes "with" in the consent |
| Non-travelling parent (the consenting party) | Signs the letter |
| Travel dates (entry to exit) | Specific dates the consent covers |
| Destination(s) | "France" minimum; multi-country if applicable |
| Other accompanying adults (if neither parent travels) | E.g. grandparent escort — needs naming |
| Notary appointment booked? | Lead-time check |
| Custody situation | Joint, sole, divorced, separated — affects who signs |
| If non-travelling parent is in a different country | Lead-time impact for postal/courier of original signed letter |
The letter format (consulate-friendly)
The letter is one page, in French OR English (English is fine for UK-resident applicants applying to French consulate). It must contain:
- Identification — both parents' names, nationalities, passport numbers, addresses
- The child's identity — full name, DOB, passport number
- The trip — destination, exact dates of travel
- Who accompanies — name + passport of the travelling parent OR escort
- The consent statement — explicit "I authorise..." sentence
- Signature — both parents (or one if other deceased / has sole legal custody)
- Notary stamp + signature — at the bottom
Format: standard business letter, A4, single-sided, ≤300 words.
Procedure
-
Gather all 14 fields above. Use AskUserQuestion where there are clear options.
-
Verify the consent scenario:
- One parent travelling with child + one not → non-travelling parent signs
- Neither parent travelling, escort accompanies → BOTH parents sign + escort named
- Separated/divorced parents → the parent with legal custody signs; if joint custody, both sign
- One parent deceased → death certificate replaces the letter; flag and route to
/minor-application for that overlay
- One parent unreachable / hostile → flag as complex; recommend immigration solicitor (ETHOS #10)
-
Draft the letter using the template below, populating all {{PLACEHOLDERS}}.
-
Quality checks:
- Every placeholder replaced
- Dates match the trip dates the family is applying for
- Names match passports (every accent, hyphen)
- Single page, ≤300 words
- Signature lines + space for notary stamp
-
Notary advice:
- UK: any solicitor or "notary public" can notarise; cost £20-50; takes 30-60 min
- Outside UK: equivalent notary; check local rules
- If non-travelling parent is in a different country: post the signed original to the travelling parent. Don't accept scanned copies — the consulate wants the original notarised letter.
-
Output the printable letter + save to ~/Documents/{{DESTINATION_FOLDER}}/consent-letter-{{CHILD_NAME}}-{{DATE}}.md.
-
Final reminder: the letter must be printed, signed by the non-travelling parent IN PERSON at the notary, then the notary stamps + signs. Do not pre-sign at home — most notaries require witnessing.
Output template (the letter itself)
{{NON_TRAVELLING_PARENT_FULL_NAME}}
{{NON_TRAVELLING_PARENT_ADDRESS_LINE_1}}
{{NON_TRAVELLING_PARENT_ADDRESS_LINE_2}}
Passport: {{NON_TRAVELLING_PARENT_NATIONALITY}} {{NON_TRAVELLING_PARENT_PASSPORT}}
{{LETTER_DATE_DD_MONTH_YYYY}}
To: Consulate General of France
(via TLScontact {{TLS_CENTRE}})
PARENTAL CONSENT FOR MINOR TRAVEL TO FRANCE
I, {{NON_TRAVELLING_PARENT_FULL_NAME}}, the {{father|mother}} of:
Child: {{CHILD_FULL_NAME}}
Born: {{CHILD_DOB}} in {{CHILD_BIRTH_PLACE}}
Nationality: {{CHILD_NATIONALITY}}
Passport: {{CHILD_PASSPORT_NUMBER}}
hereby give my full and unconditional consent for my child to travel
to France from {{TRAVEL_START_DATE}} to {{TRAVEL_END_DATE}},
{{accompanied by | in the company of}}:
Accompanying adult: {{TRAVELLING_PARENT_OR_ESCORT_FULL_NAME}}
Relationship to child: {{RELATIONSHIP}}
Nationality: {{TRAVELLING_ADULT_NATIONALITY}}
Passport: {{TRAVELLING_ADULT_PASSPORT}}
I confirm that:
• I am the {{biological | adoptive | legal}} {{father|mother}} of
the above-named child and hold {{joint | sole}} legal custody.
• I have full knowledge of the planned trip and authorise it
without reservation.
• I authorise {{TRAVELLING_PARENT_OR_ESCORT_FIRST_NAME}} to make
decisions regarding the child's care and well-being during the
trip, including any medical decisions if required.
• The child will return to {{HOME_COUNTRY}} on or before
{{TRAVEL_END_DATE}}.
I declare that all information in this letter is true and accurate.
Signed in the presence of a notary public:
______________________________________
{{NON_TRAVELLING_PARENT_FULL_NAME}}
(handwritten signature above; signed in notary's presence)
Date: __________________
[Notary public stamp and signature below]
──────────────────────────────────────────
NOTARY PUBLIC CERTIFICATION
I, ______________________ (notary public), certify that
{{NON_TRAVELLING_PARENT_FULL_NAME}} appeared before me on this
date and signed this consent letter in my presence.
Notary signature: ______________________
Notary stamp:
Date: __________________
Variants
If BOTH parents are NOT travelling (escort scenario)
Add a second signature block at the bottom for the second parent:
Second parent's signature (required because neither parent is
travelling with the child):
______________________________________
{{SECOND_PARENT_FULL_NAME}}
(handwritten signature above; signed in notary's presence)
Date: __________________
Plus add a paragraph in the body:
The escort, {{ESCORT_FULL_NAME}}, has been entrusted with the
care of the child during this trip. Both parents have full
knowledge of and consent to this arrangement.
If one parent has sole legal custody
Add a line in "I confirm that":
• Per a court order dated {{CUSTODY_DECREE_DATE}} from
{{COURT_NAME}}, I hold sole legal custody of the child. A
copy of the custody decree is enclosed.
And include the custody decree photocopy in the application.
If one parent is deceased
Don't use this letter. Instead:
- Submit a death certificate (certified copy)
- The surviving parent's letter (just identifying themselves + their custody + the trip details)
Common pitfalls
| Pitfall | Fix |
|---|
| Pre-signed at home without notary witness | Most notaries refuse to certify pre-signed documents. Sign in the notary's presence. |
| Missing one parent's signature when both required | Both parents needed if escort travels with child (neither parent). Confirm. |
| Letter dated > 6 months before TLS appointment | Some consulates require recent (≤6 months) notarisation. Re-do if old. |
| Trip dates in letter don't match France-Visas application | ETHOS principle 1 — must match exactly. |
| Letter in language other than French / English | Consulate may reject. Get certified translation. |
| Notary stamp partially obscures signature | Re-do; clean stamp placement matters. |
| Scanned-and-emailed signed letter | Some consulates accept; many require the original wet-signed + stamped letter. Default: post the original. |
Lead-time warning
- Same country (parent + notary in same place): same-day; 30-60 min at the notary
- Different country (parent abroad signs, travelling parent in UK applies): plan for 1-2 weeks postal time for the wet-signed original
If the non-travelling parent is in a country with unreliable postal service, use a courier with tracking. Don't risk losing the original.
Routing rules
| Situation | Suggest next |
|---|
Letter drafted + user hasn't run /minor-application | Run that for the full minor-document context |
Letter drafted + user hasn't run /document-checklist | Run that for the parents' own document requirements |
| Non-travelling parent in a different country | Flag the 1-2 week postal lead-time prominently |
| One parent deceased | Skip this letter; route back to /minor-application for the death-certificate path |
| Parents in dispute / hostile | Flag as complex; recommend immigration solicitor (ETHOS #10) |
| Letter complete + minor docs ready | Suggest /audit-application |
Authoritative sources
Notes for maintainers
- The letter must be in French or English. Default to English for UK-resident applicants (their notary is probably English-speaking and the consulate accepts English).
- The "joint custody" wording is critical when both parents are still married and travelling separately. Don't omit it.
- For UK applicants where one parent is in (e.g.) China for work: the postal lead-time is the silent killer. The user often doesn't think about how the original gets to them. Flag 2-3 weeks for international postal as a safety margin.
- The death-certificate variant is sensitive — handle with care. Don't ask probing questions; gather only what's needed for the document.
- Some users will ask "can I just write it myself, sign it, and skip the notary?" The answer is firmly NO. Notarisation is not optional. The consulate will reject non-notarised letters.
- Print on plain A4. Don't use coloured paper, fancy fonts, or anything that signals "I tried too hard". Plain Times New Roman 11-12pt is ideal.
- Both parents' details should be included even if only one signs (e.g. if the other has sole custody) — this clarifies the family structure and avoids the consulate wondering "why is one parent absent from this document?"
