Brazilian Minor Travel Authorization: Notary and Apostille
If a Brazilian child will travel with only one parent, alone, or with another adult, the absent parent or parents may need to complete a Brazilian minor travel authorization. SF Notary + Apostille provides mobile notarization throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and expedited California apostille service for eligible travel authorization forms.
We can notarize the required signatures, obtain the apostilles from the California Secretary of State, scan the completed documents, and ship them anywhere in the United States or abroad.
Who Needs a Brazilian Minor Travel Authorization?
Brazilian travel-authorization requirements generally apply to Brazilian citizens under 18, including children who are dual citizens of Brazil and the United States.
A written authorization is generally required when:
A Brazilian minor travels with only one parent
A Brazilian minor travels alone
A Brazilian minor travels with grandparents, relatives, friends, a school group, or another third party
When the child travels with one parent, the absent parent generally provides the authorization. When neither parent accompanies the child, authorization is generally required from both parents or legal guardians.
The authorization is particularly important when the child leaves Brazil. Brazilian authorities may prevent a Brazilian or dual-national minor from departing if the required authorization is missing or improperly completed.
If the child has a valid Brazilian passport containing an appropriate travel-authorization annotation, a separate authorization form may not be required. Parents should verify the wording and scope of the passport authorization before traveling.
What If the Child Is Not a Brazilian Citizen?
The requirements are less clear for a child who is not a Brazilian citizen. Nevertheless, Brazilian authorities, airlines, or immigration officials may request evidence of permission when a child travels without one or both parents.
Families of non-Brazilian children should consider carrying:
A notarized parental consent letter
The child’s original birth certificate or a certified or notarized copy
Custody orders, death certificates, or other supporting documents when applicable
Copies of the parents’ identification
Before proceeding, confirm the required documents with the airline, the Brazilian Consulate, or the attorney or authority requesting the authorization.
Two Ways to Complete a Brazilian Minor Travel Authorization
Option 1: Sign Through the Brazilian Consulate
A Brazilian parent may sign the authorization before the Brazilian Consulate and have the signature authenticated there. The parent must follow the Consulate’s current submission or appointment procedures and present acceptable Brazilian identification.
This option may eliminate the need for a California notarization and apostille. However, consular appointments and processing procedures may not fit every family’s location or travel deadline.
Review the current instructions from the Consulate General of Brazil in San Francisco before preparing the forms.
Option 2: Use a California Notary and Apostille
According to the Brazilian Consulate in San Francisco, a foreign parent must have their signature notarized and the document apostilled. A Brazilian parent who cannot appear personally at the Consulate may generally use the same notary-and-apostille process.
The Consulate requires two identical original authorization forms. Each copy should be properly completed and signed before the notary. Because the documents are separate originals, each notarized form generally requires its own apostille.
Once the California apostilles have been issued, the forms do not need to be submitted to the Brazilian Consulate for additional legalization.
California Notarization Requirements
Do not sign the travel authorization before meeting the notary.
The parent or guardian signing the authorization must:
Personally appear before the notary
Present satisfactory identification
Confirm that the document is complete
Sign each original authorization as instructed
California law requires the notarial certificate to contain specific statutory wording. If the Brazilian form’s notarial section does not contain compliant California wording, the notary may attach a separate California acknowledgment certificate. The notary verifies the signer’s identity and notarizes the signature but cannot advise the parents how to complete the authorization or determine who must sign.
Documents Commonly Required
The Brazilian Consulate in San Francisco currently instructs families to prepare:
Two identical original travel authorization forms
Two copies of the minor’s Brazilian passport identification page
Two copies of the minor’s Brazilian birth certificate
Additional documents may be required when a parent is deceased, unavailable, not identified on the birth certificate, or subject to a custody order.
Because requirements can vary according to the child’s citizenship, custody arrangements, passport annotations, and travel plans, confirm the exact requirements with the Brazilian Consulate before signing.
Our Notary and Apostille Process
Step 1: Send Us the Details
Email info@sfnotary.com with:
The parent’s or parents’ names
The signer’s current physical location
Whether the child is a Brazilian citizen or dual citizen
Whether the child will travel with one parent, alone, or with another adult
The travel date
Whether the forms are already prepared
Your deadline
The completed-document shipping destination
Please also send an unsigned copy of the form for review.
Step 2: Receive a Quote and Schedule the Signing
We will review the documents for notarization and apostille eligibility and provide a price quote, estimated turnaround time, and mobile-notary scheduling options.
Our mobile notaries serve San Francisco and communities throughout the Bay Area. If the signatures have already been notarized by another California notary, send us a scan before shipping the originals so we can check the notarial certificates for apparent apostille eligibility.
Step 3: Sign Both Originals Before the Notary
The required parent or parents will sign two identical original authorizations during the appointment. We will complete the appropriate California notarial certificates and retain the documents for apostille processing if requested.
Step 4: We Obtain the California Apostilles
We deliver the notarized documents to the California Secretary of State and obtain an apostille for each original authorization. Expedited service is generally completed on the next business day.
An apostille authenticates the California notary’s signature and commission. It does not certify the contents of the authorization or determine whether the document satisfies Brazilian travel or custody requirements.
Step 5: Scanning and FedEx Delivery
After the apostilles are issued, we can:
Email a scan for your review
Ship the originals by FedEx Priority Overnight within the United States
Ship by FedEx International Priority to Brazil or another country
Deliver the documents according to your attorney’s or recipient’s instructions
Contact Us Before Your Travel Date
Travel authorization problems can prevent a minor from departing Brazil, so it is best to complete the documents well before the scheduled trip.
Email info@sfnotary.com or call +1 (415) 655-9455 for a quote. Please include the travel date, the signers’ locations, the child’s citizenship, and an unsigned copy of the authorization form.
Disclaimer: Information on this website is for informational purposes only. These instructions are based on our knowledge and experience and are meant to be helpful; however, they might contain errors. Please let us know if you encounter mistakes so that we can promptly correct them. SF Notary + Apostille is not a law firm, and its agents are not attorneys. Please contact a licensed attorney or your local bar association for counsel on legal matters.