Traveling solo with kids as an expat in Brazil

@Cheryl I recently read in Quora a very interesting and absolutely true revelation. "A child of a Brazilian, no matter where they are born or what the nationality of the other parent is, will ALWAYS be considered a Brazilian first."...especially if the mother is Brazilian.

That means that while my wife is Brazilian, and I am American, our daughter has been Brazilian since her birth. EVERYTHING is taken care of immediately by the mother. She was born in the USA but brought to Brazil as a toddler. My wife made Brazilian Portuguese her first language when she could talk. Years later our daughter is both a US Citizen and a Brazilian Citizen with passports in both languages.

Family is very important in Brazil. If the child's mother is Brazilian you don't have to worry about any documents, the mother has it taken care of even before birth...and if they are anything like my wife, they will just do it and maybe tell you about it after.

Roddie in Retirement🕵

11/25/24  Brazilian law is very explicit that if a Brazilian child, including a dual citizen, is traveling with only one parent, then they must have written permission from the other parent, documented and formalized in a cartório (notary office) in the form  required by Brazilian law. 

The same procedures are not normally required for foreign children, particularly if traveling with both parents, but the US Embassy gives this warning on its website:

"Please note that, while Brazilian law related to travel authorization does not explicitly apply to non-citizens of Brazil, Federal Police have, at times, delayed the travel of non-Brazilian minors who lack appropriate authorization from both parents.  For this reason, we recommend that families of non-Brazilian minors who may travel through Brazil without one or both parents execute written authorizations (following [instructions on the Embassy website]) in advance of travel and ensure that the minor, or the minor’s traveling companion, carries the original or notarized copy* of the minor’s birth certificate."

The instructions referenced above, and additional information, appear here:

https://br.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-se … y-matters/

This is good advice for citizens of any country who will be traveling with minor children; be sure to check your own embassy's site in Brazil for any country-specific information.

@abthree I am 100% sure that my wife never got written approval to travel with my daughter, but of course she's the Boss. 😏

Roddie in Retirement🕵

11/25/24 @roddiesho.  It's been a long time since your daughter was traveling as a minor, and I don't know how old the regs are.  I figure that the Embassy knows what they're talking about, and I know for a fact that on most flights I take, I see families traveling with minors with the papers in hand, waiting to show them first when they check in and then to the gate personnel so that they can board.

One data point here - I traveled with my 15 year old (US citizen) last April to Brazil without the mom. 

I was not asked for any authorization. 

However, I had the usual "Letter of consent to travel" notarized letter that was authorized by my wife with me in case it was asked.

I agree with @abthree - better be ready with the proper documentation and be more prepared than not.