JetBlue

An unaccompanied minor is a child between the ages of 5 and under 14 years traveling alone. There is an $100 per person fee each way for unaccompanied minors traveling on JetBlue.

Once children reach their fourteenth birthday they are no longer considered unaccompanied minors if they are traveling alone. However, customers may request additional assistance under these circumstances by calling JetBlue.

Please let us know that a child will be traveling unaccompanied when making their reservation and be prepared to supply the Reservation crewmember with the name, address and phone number, as it appears on the photo ID, of the person dropping off the child and picking up the child. If you are booking the unaccompanied minor on jetblue.com, we ask that you call us after receiving your confirmation number to provide us with this information.

Photo identification is required for both parties who will be dropping off and picking up the child. The child will not be accepted or released without the guardian’s photo ID. Please see specific documentation requirements below based on origin and destination country.

Additionally, it is important for the person dropping off the child to remain in the terminal until the flight has departed.

Unaccompanied minors may only travel on nonstop flights. They will NOT be permitted on connecting flights or direct flights (flight that makes a stop but does not change aircraft). Unaccompanied minors may not travel with an infant between the ages of three days and two years or a child between the ages of two and four years. As a courtesy and additional safety precaution, unaccompanied minors will be seated at the back of the aircraft so that the Inflight crew can assist them when needed.

Minors under the age of 18 traveling with a guardian other than a parent must have a notarized letter of permission in triplicate from both parents authorizing travel along with a photo ID. In addition, the letter should state the name of the person with whom the child is traveling or will be met by at the airport upon arrival.

If the child is traveling with only one parent or the sole custody parent, the traveling parent must have a notarized letter of permission from the non-custodial parent or a "Sole Custody" or "Father Unknown" document. However, if the child's last name is different from the last name of the accompanying parent(s), proof of parentage is required. Parents name changes must be documented (i.e. marriage certificate).

Passports are required.

There are no additional requirements for minors traveling between the United States and the Netherlands Antilles (St. Maarten).

For minors 16 years of age and younger, traveling alone, a notarized parental letter of consent is recommended. In the case of organized group travel, a letter is not necessary. It is assumed that the chaperone has obtained prior permission.

Passports are required.

Children 16 years of age and younger traveling alone or with someone other than a parent or legal guardian are required to hold a notarized parental letter of consent. This letter should be from the parent authorizing travel and should be accompanied with a copy of the parent's photo identification. In the case of organized group travel, a letter is not necessary; it is assumed that the chaperone has obtained prior permission.

Please contact the Embassy of the Barbados for additional entry/exit requirements for children under the age of 17.

Children under the age of 16 traveling with an adult other than their parents must have the appropriate travel documentation along with a notarized letter from the parent(s) authorizing the child to be accompanied by the respective adult for the trip.

Parents of adopted children should be particularly careful that they carry with them the proper documents of the child if different nationality from the parents.

Parents in the process of adopting children are advised not to leave their country with the children until all the legalities and paperwork is finalized.

Children entering Bermuda for the purpose of adoption must be in possession of documents from the Bermuda Department of Immigration confirming their entry into Bermuda for adoption.

Passports are required.

To prevent international child abduction, Colombia has implemented special exit procedures for Colombian children under 18 who are departing the country without both their mother and their father or a legal guardian.  These procedures apply to U.S. citizen children if they are also Colombian citizens or if they are legal residents of Colombia.  The procedures do not apply to U.S. citizen children present in Colombia as tourists using a U.S. passport.  Complying with the procedures can be complex and time-consuming, especially if an absent parent is outside Colombia at the time.  Advance planning is essential.

The procedures are as follows: Upon exiting the country, the person traveling with the child (or the child him/herself) must present a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate, along with written, signed authorization from the absent parent(s) or legal guardian.  The authorization must explicitly grant permission for the child to travel alone, with one parent, or with a third party, by name.  When a parent is deceased, a notarized copy of a death certificate is required instead of written authorization.  When one parent has sole custody of the child, that parent may present a custody decree instead of the other parent’s written authorization.

If the documents to be presented originated in the United States, they must first be translated into Spanish and then signed in front of a Colombian consul at a Colombian consulate.  Then, upon arrival in Colombia, the documents must be presented to the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for certification of the consul’s signature.

Alternatively, the documents can be translated into Spanish, then notarized by a notary public in the United States, and authenticated by requesting an apostille from the competent authority in the state where the documents were prepared.  The document, translation, and apostille can then be presented to immigration officers at the airport when the child travels.

If the documents originated in Colombia and are written in Spanish, only notarization by a Colombian notary is required.  For documents originating in countries other than the United States or Colombia, please inquire with the Colombian embassy serving that country.

In cases where the absent parent refuses or is unable to provide consent, the other parent can request assistance from the Colombian child protective service, Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar (ICBF).  In appropriate cases, ICBF will investigate and may issue a document that will allow the child to travel without both parents’ consent.  This process may take a significant amount of time and is not within the control of the U.S. government.

There are no additional requirements for minors traveling between the United States and Costa Rica.

Unaccompanied minors and other special service customers can be met after clearing Customs due to local airport procedures which do not allow the issuance of gate passes in JFK.

Passports are required.

Strict exit requirements apply to all minors under 18 years of age leaving the Dominican Republic. Such children must hold an Exit Permit signed by both parents and authorized by the Immigration Authorities in the Dominican Republic or representation of the Dominican Republic abroad. This applies to:

• Residents of the Dominican Republic and traveling:
  • Unaccompanied; or
  • With an adult other than a parent or legal guardian; or
  • With only one parent; or
• Minors leaving with different person than they have entered with, if being:
  • Nationals of Dominican Republic residing abroad; or
  • Foreign minors whose parents are nationals of Dominican Republic
  • Foreign nationals

Please note: This Exit Permit is only a requirement of minors who are leaving the Dominican Republic and not for minors leaving the Unites States or entering the Dominican Republic.

This authorization must be in Spanish, and it must be notarized at a Dominican consulate in the United States or notarized and then certified at the Dominican Attorney General’s office (Procuraduria de la Republica) if done in the Dominican Republic. Though not a requirement for non-resident minors (in the Dominican Republic), the U.S. Embassy recommends that any minor traveling to the Dominican Republic without one or both parents have a notarized document from the parent(s). This letter of authorization must:

• Be written in Spanish;
• Contain the name of the child, the parent or legal guardian, and, if applicable, the adult accompanying the child; and
• Be signed by the parent or legal guardian in front of a Consulate or Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic.

The U.S. Embassy recommends that minors (under 18 years of age) traveling alone, without one parent, or with anyone other than the parent(s) who are not residents of the Dominican Republic, have a notarized document incorporating the following:

• Current Date
• Child’s full name and date of birth
• The names of the parent, legal guardian, adult accompanying the minor, or if the child is traveling as an unaccompanied minor
• Travel Destination
• Where the child is staying
• Duration of stay
• Purpose of travel
• The letter should be signed by the non-traveling parent(s) or legal guardian(s) and it should include the address and phone number of the non-traveling parent(s). The letter can be notarized by any Notary.

The specific guidelines on the Dominican regulations governing the travel of children in the Dominican Republic may be found in Spanish at http://www.migracion.gov.do or click here.

Viajando entre los EE.UU. y la República Dominicana

Los menores sin acompañar y otros clientes que requieran servicios especiales deberán ser recogidos luego de ser despachados por Aduanas. Esto se debe a los procedimientos locales de aeropuerto los cuales no permiten la expedición de pases de puerta de embarque en JFK.

Se requieren pasaportes.

Se aplican requisitos estrictos de salida a menores de 18 años de edad (de cualquier nacionalidad) que residan en la República Dominicana. Aquellos niños que estén viajando solos, sin uno de los padres, o con cualquier otra persona a parte de el(los) padre(s), deberán presentar una autorización escrita del padre o guardián legal. Esta autorización escrita también será requerida para el viaje de regreso.

For minors 18 years of age and younger, traveling alone, a notarized parental letter of consent is recommended. In the case of organized group travel, the group leader must hold a letter of invitation by the organization the group will be visiting as well as how long the group will be staying.  

Passports are required.

Children 18 years of age and younger traveling alone or with someone other than a parent or legal guardian are required to hold a notarized parental letter of consent. This letter should be from the parent authorizing travel and should be accompanied with a copy of the parent's photo identification. In the case of organized group travel, a letter is not necessary; it is assumed that the chaperone has obtained prior permission.

Please contact the Embassy of the Saint Lucia for additional entry/exit requirements for children under the age of 17.

When traveling to the U.S it is highly recommended all children under the age of 14 traveling alone or with someone other than a parent or legal guardian hold a letter of authorization. This letter should be from the parent authorizing travel and should be accompanied with a copy of the parent's photo identification.

Passports are required.