If a child aged 17 or under is going to Guatemala with only one parent, carry a notarised consent letter in Spanish from the parent who is staying home. That is the UK government’s advice for entering and leaving Guatemala. Canada’s advice also requires a notarized consent letter, without naming a language or an age limit, and the US State Department recommends one. Guatemala’s migration institute (IGM) publishes a detailed exit checklist, but it is written for Guatemalan children, so foreign families are left reading three foreign-government pages and one Guatemalan one that do not line up exactly. This page puts them side by side.
TL;DR: UK: notarised letter in Spanish, signed by the non-travelling parent(s), needed to enter or exit, children 17 and under. Canada: notarized consent letter required for a child with one parent or a third party. US: consent letter recommended, plus a copy of the birth certificate. Guatemala’s IGM: checklist written for Guatemalan children (passport, RENAP birth certificate, one of five authorization documents). Dual nationals follow the IGM rules, see our minors exit authorization guide.
Quick summary
| Government page | Who it covers | What it asks for | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK (gov.uk, FCDO) | Children 17 and under, alone or with one parent or legal guardian, entering or exiting | Notarised Spanish-language letter signed by the parent(s) or guardian(s) not travelling; single parents need additional documents | 4 November 2026 |
| Canada (travel.gc.ca) | Children travelling with one parent, or with someone other than a parent | A notarized consent letter from the other parent, from both parents or from the guardian | 1 November 2026 |
| United States (travel.state.gov) | Any child not travelling with both parents | Copy of the birth certificate or other proof of relationship; notarized consent letter recommended | 24 September 2026 |
| Australia (smartraveller.gov.au) | Children travelling without both parents | Notarised written consent from both parents, in Spanish, approved by the nearest Guatemalan mission; a child travelling with at least one parent does not need the letter | 1 November 2026 |
| Guatemala (IGM) | Guatemalan children leaving Guatemala | Passport, RENAP birth certificate, and one of five documents from the absent parent | 1 November 2026 |
What the UK says
The FCDO’s Guatemala entry-requirements page (last updated 13 August 2026) is the most specific of the four. It says that children aged 17 and under need “a notarised letter in Spanish from the parents or guardians not travelling with them” when they travel on their own or with just one parent or a legal guardian, and it applies that both to entering and to exiting Guatemala. It sends readers to the Guatemalan embassy, or to the nearest IGM office if they are already in the country, to find out which documents they need, and it adds: “Single parents will need additional documents”.
Two practical points follow from the wording:
- Spanish and notarised. A letter in English only does not match the UK description, even if it is notarised.
- Both directions. The UK names entry as well as exit, so keep the original letter with the child’s passport for the whole trip, not just for the flight home.
What Canada and the US say
Canada’s travel advice for Guatemala is shorter but firm: “Children travelling with only one parent or with a third party must travel with a notarized letter of consent from the other parent, both parents or their guardian”. The same page links to a consent-letter template that the Government of Canada recommends for children going abroad. Canada also notes, under international child abduction, that the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction “does not apply between Canada and Guatemala”.
The US State Department’s Guatemala page (read 24 September 2026) asks every family to carry a copy of every child’s birth certificate, or other proof of the legal relationship to the child, and says: “A notarized letter of consent to travel is recommended if a child is not traveling with both parents”. US-specific passport and entry points for families are on our US traveller visa requirements page.
What Guatemala’s IGM publishes
IGM’s checklist, dated 18 July 2024, sets out the requirements for the departure of “niños, niñas y adolescentes guatemaltecos” by air, land or sea. For a Guatemalan child leaving the country:
| Who travels with the child | What IGM asks for |
|---|---|
| Both parents | Valid passport and a current RENAP birth certificate; no further authorization |
| One parent | The above, plus one document from the parent who is not travelling (list below) |
| A third person | One of the same documents, from both parents, jointly or separately |
| One parent has died | RENAP death certificate; if the surviving parent does not travel, that parent’s authorization too |
The five documents IGM accepts from the absent parent are: a mandato (original and copy), an acta de declaración jurada (original), a carta poder con firma legalizada (original), a document issued by a Guatemalan consulate or diplomatic post abroad (original), or a court order authorizing the child’s departure (copy).
The page does not set out a separate checklist for children who hold no Guatemalan nationality. IGM’s contact line on the same page is 2411-2411.
Where the five pages differ, and what that means for you
Australia’s Smartraveller page takes the opposite line from the UK: a child travelling with at least one parent does not need a consent letter, and the notarised, Spanish-language consent from both parents applies only when neither parent travels (read 1 November 2026; the page would not load on 4 November).
- Scope. The UK and Canadian pages talk about all children travelling with one parent; IGM’s checklist is written for Guatemalan children. Neither foreign government page says which IGM document a foreign parent should use. The UK’s answer is to ask the Guatemalan embassy before travel.
- Required or recommended. The UK and Canada both use the word must; the US calls the letter recommended.
- Language. The UK and Australia specify a Spanish-language letter; Canada and the US name no language.
Carrying a notarised letter in Spanish, signed by the absent parent, together with a copy of the child’s birth certificate covers what all three foreign-government pages ask for. For anything beyond that (sole custody, a deceased or untraceable parent, a court order), contact the Guatemalan embassy or consulate that serves you.
If your child is also Guatemalan
A child who is a Guatemalan national, including a dual national, is covered by IGM’s checklist above. Our minors exit authorization guide walks through the consular route for a parent living abroad, and our guide to a Guatemalan passport for minors covers the passport itself. If you live in Guatemala and are leaving for good, our exit checklist lists the same IGM documents alongside the other steps.
Before you fly
- Check the child’s passport validity and any visa rules for your nationality on our IGM immigration hub.
- Get the consent letter signed and notarised by the parent who is not travelling; for UK travellers, in Spanish.
- Pack a copy of the birth certificate (US advice) and keep the original letter with the passport for both entry and exit.
- Single parent or unusual custody situation: ask the Guatemalan embassy which additional documents it expects.
- For the airport itself, our La Aurora airport guide covers arrival and departure, and our Guatemala with kids guide covers the trip.
Sources
- Smartraveller (Australian Government), Guatemala — Travelling with Children, https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/americas/guatemala, read 1 November 2026 (capture content/research/captures/r41-cand/g/web-followup.txt L653-657)
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Guatemala entry requirements, Travelling with children: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/guatemala/entry-requirements (read 4 November 2026)
- Government of Canada, Travel advice and advisories for Guatemala, Children and travel: https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/guatemala (read 1 November 2026)
- US Department of State, Guatemala travel advisory and country information, Traveling with children: https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/guatemala.html (read 24 September 2026)
- Instituto Guatemalteco de Migración, Requisitos para el egreso de niños, niñas o adolescentes del territorio guatemalteco (18 July 2024): https://www.igm.gob.gt/index.php/sala-prensa/noticias-anteriores/requisitos-egreso-nna-territorio-guatemalteco (read 1 November 2026)
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my child need a consent letter to travel to Guatemala with only one parent?
The UK government says yes: a child aged 17 or under who is travelling on their own, or with just one parent or guardian, needs a notarised letter written in Spanish from whichever parent or guardian is staying behind, both to enter and to exit Guatemala (gov.uk, read 4 November 2026). Canada’s travel advice also says a notarized consent letter is required, and the US State Department recommends one.
Does the letter have to be in Spanish?
The UK’s Guatemala entry page says the letter must be in Spanish and notarised. Canada’s and the US pages ask for a notarized letter of consent without naming a language. If you are travelling on a Canadian or US passport, a letter in Spanish satisfies the strictest of the three government pages.
Is Guatemala's IGM exit rule for minors written for foreign children too?
IGM’s published checklist (dated 18 July 2024) is written for Guatemalan children: it asks for the child’s passport and a RENAP birth certificate and lists five documents the absent parent can provide. It does not set out a separate checklist for children who are not Guatemalan. The UK advises contacting the Guatemalan embassy, or IGM if you are already in Guatemala, about the documents you need.
My child is a dual national (Guatemalan and American, British or Canadian). Which rule applies?
A child who is also a Guatemalan national falls under IGM’s checklist for Guatemalan children, including the RENAP birth certificate and the authorization from the parent who is not travelling. The full procedure, including how a parent abroad signs at a Guatemalan consulate, is on our minors exit authorization page.
I am a single parent with sole custody. What do I need?
The UK page says a single parent has to carry extra documents and points to the Guatemalan embassy for the list. IGM’s checklist covers one case directly: if the other parent has died, bring the RENAP death certificate (for a Guatemalan child). For any other custody situation, ask the Guatemalan embassy or consulate before you book.
