Traveling as a family? It's important to understand that children and minors often need their own travel authorizations, just like adults. Whether your child is a newborn, toddler, or teen, here’s what you should know when applying for a visa or eTA with Sherpa°.
👶 Yes, Children Typically Need a Separate eVisa or eTA
For most countries, children are not automatically covered under their parents’ visa or travel authorization. Each traveler, regardless of age, is considered an individual applicant by government authorities.
This means you’ll usually need to:
- Submit a separate application for each child
- Upload their passport and photo (if required)
- Pay a separate government fee for each application
📋 What You’ll Need to Apply for a Child’s Visa
Applying for a child's eVisa or eTA usually requires:
- A valid passport for the child
- A clear passport-style photo (if required by the destination)
- The child’s travel details (arrival date, accommodation, etc.)
- In some cases, additional documentation like a birth certificate or parental consent letter
Sherpa° will prompt you for any additional documents if the country requires them.
🤝 Parents or Guardians Can Apply on Their Behalf
You can apply for your child’s travel authorization the same way you apply for your own. On Sherpa°, simply choose to apply for another traveler during checkout, and provide the child’s information.
You’ll see a clear breakdown of:
- Traveler names
- Government fees
- Any required documentation
🧾 Exceptions to the Rule
Some countries do allow minors under a certain age to travel under a parent’s visa, but these are rare and usually require:
- The child is to be listed in the parent’s passport (no longer common)
- The child is to be included in a group application with special government approval
Sherpa° will inform you on the application page if a separate eVisa is not required for a minor traveler.
✨ Pro Tip: Apply Early
Governments often treat children’s applications with the same processing time and scrutiny as adult applications. To avoid last-minute issues:
- Apply early
- Double-check all uploaded documents
- Include the correct details to match their passport
If you’ve added Reapply & Rejection Protection, we’ll help reapply for free in case of errors or denial.
If you're unsure whether your child needs a visa or eTA, use our Travel Requirements Tool to check requirements by nationality and destination.
Still have questions? Contact our support team here.
