With the global K-pop wave, dance-academy teams, school dance clubs and cover-dance crews increasingly compete in the U.S. and abroad — and if even one member is a minor, a parental travel consent is a must. For the U.S., an apostille isn't required on the consent letter itself for entry; instead U.S. Customs and Border Protection checks a notarized consent — so confirm the exact requirements and prepare before departure to avoid delays at immigration. Apostille Korea's unaccompanied-minor team handles group intake, notarization and English drafting from the start.
What is a group parental travel consent?
A parental travel consent (Parent Travel Consent Letter / Child Travel Consent) is the official document proving parents consent to a trip when minors under 18 travel abroad without them. Beyond simple consent, it is an international safeguard for the minor's protection and against trafficking. For dance teams traveling with a coach or teacher, it is essential.
When do you need one?
- Dance-academy teams, school dance clubs or cover-dance crews competing as a group in the U.S.
- WOD or CrossFit competitions with a coach as escort
- K-pop dance or cover-dance competitions abroad
- Team training camps or long itineraries
- Trips where a relative or guardian travels in place of a parent
What each consent must contain
| Field | What to include |
|---|---|
| Parent / guardian info | Name, passport number, contact, address (both parents) |
| Child info | Name, date of birth, passport number |
| Trip info | Destination (U.S.), departure & return dates, place of stay |
| Escort info | Name, contact, relationship |
| Purpose of travel | Specific, e.g. 'dance competition' |
| Signature & date | Parent's handwritten signature + date |
The process
- Group intake consultConfirm headcount, country and competition dates. Submit at least 2–3 weeks before departure.
- Individual English consent per minorOne consent per minor, written in English. A single bundled team document is not accepted.
- NotarizationNotarized translation or notary-office notarization. Group documents can be processed together.
- Receive & final checkConfirm each person's documents are complete with nothing missing.
- Ready to departTravel with the consent alongside passports, tickets and competition confirmation.
How to apply
Our unaccompanied-minor team handles group intake, notarization and English drafting end-to-end. Submit the whole team's documents together and we lighten the load on the coach or organizer.
FAQ
Does a minor entering the U.S. without a parent really need a consent?
It isn't strictly mandatory, but U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) tightens document checks for minors entering with non-guardians, so it's strongly recommended. Without it you can face delays at immigration, and Korea's foreign ministry officially advises carrying one.
Even for a group, does each minor need an individual consent?
Yes — one consent per minor. Processing the whole team as a single document is not accepted, so prepare one per person.
Can group documents be processed all at once?
Yes. We take in and process the whole group's documents together — drafting guidance, notarization and English translation in one place.
How early should we start?
The more people, the longer collection and drafting take, so start at least 2–3 weeks before departure. Same-day handling is available for urgent cases.
English drafting is hard — can we get help?
Yes. Our team supports everything from English drafting to notarization, working with you end-to-end so there are no format mismatches or omissions.
Why Apostille Korea
- Group batch specialists — schools, academies, churches and associations — minors' documents processed together regardless of headcount.
- Drafting to notarization, one stop — drafting guidance, translation and notarization in one team, preventing omissions and format mismatches.
- Same-day available — same-day pickup for tight competition schedules.
- Simple online application — submit scans online — no visit to a notary office.
- Real-time status — track progress online after you apply.