Sending Parental Consent / Child Travel Authorization from Thailand to China — Complete 2026 Handbook
Last reviewed: 2026-06-18 · By NAATI Thailand Editorial Team · English edition
Parental consent letters bound for the People's Republic of China are some of the most scrutinised documents in cross-border family work because Chinese exit-entry authorities, schools, and courts are tightly aligned on form. China deposited its instrument of accession to the Hague Apostille Convention on 8 March 2023, with entry into force on 7 November 2023; combined with Thailand's accession taking effect 28 February 2027, Apostille will be the bilateral certification mechanism from that date. This guide explains what the Notary Public Office (公证处), the Public Security Bureau (公安局), and Chinese schools expect.
Legal basis in China
The Notarisation Law of the PRC (中华人民共和国公证法) governs domestic Chinese notarial recognition of foreign documents. The Civil Code of the PRC, Part Four (Marriage and Family), supplies the substantive law on parental consent. The 1961 Hague Convention now applies bilaterally between Thailand and China — Apostilled Thai consents are recognised without further legalisation. Exit-entry administration follows the Exit and Entry Administration Law of the PRC (2012) as amended.
Receiving authorities and acceptance rules
(1) Notary Public Offices (公证处) accept Apostilled Thai consents for re-notarisation into Chinese-style notarial certificates used in property transfers, inheritance, and adoption. (2) Public Security Bureaus accept Apostilled consents for minor-child travel and household-registration (hukou) updates. (3) Chinese schools (international and bilingual) accept Apostilled consents for guardianship and emergency-contact filings. (4) All Chinese receiving authorities require a certified Chinese translation; we use translators registered with provincial Notary Public Offices or accredited by the Translators Association of China (TAC).
End-to-end workflow handled by NAATI Thailand
Day 0: confirm the receiving authority and city; draft the consent in English with a Chinese parallel translation, including the child's full name in pinyin and Chinese characters where applicable. Day 1: both parents sign before a Thai notarial-services attorney with passports and the child's birth certificate. Days 2–4: MFA Apostille. Days 5–7: TAC-certified Chinese translation. Days 8–10: courier delivery to the receiving Notary Public Office, PSB, or school.
Common pitfalls and how we screen for them
Recurring issues: (1) Only one parent signs — Chinese authorities almost always require both parents' consent unless sole custody is documented. (2) Child's name in pinyin only without Chinese characters — bilingual receivers (schools, PSBs) prefer characters. (3) Translations produced outside China that lack TAC certification — many Notary Public Offices reject. (4) Missing the parents' household-registration numbers when both parents are Chinese nationals. (5) Apostille issued for an outdated version of the consent letter; we always Apostille the final signed version, not a draft.
Cost and turnaround
Thai notary fee quoted after document review (both parents); MFA Apostille at the official government fee (THB 400 normal / THB 800 express per stamp); TAC-certified translation price on request; SF Express or DHL to China price on request. Total price on request. Timing depends on document type and the receiving authority; staff estimate after reviewing the documents — not a guarantee.
Anonymised case studies
Minor-child travel from Bangkok to Shanghai
Illustrative scenario: A Thai father signed a consent for his 8-year-old to travel with the mother. We drafted with the child's English and Chinese names and shipped to Shanghai PSB; the exit-entry authority accepted on first review.
Property transfer in Guangzhou
Illustrative scenario: Two Thai-Chinese parents transferred a property to their adult child. We drafted the parental consent for the underlying transaction and the Guangzhou Notary Public Office accepted at the re-notarisation desk.
International school enrolment in Beijing
Illustrative scenario: Parents needed a guardianship consent for a Beijing-based bilingual school. We drafted with TAC translation and the school's admissions office accepted without supplementary documents.
In-depth FAQ
Editorial conclusion
China-bound parental consents succeed when both parents sign on the same day, the child's name appears in both pinyin and characters, and the translation carries TAC certification. NAATI Thailand coordinates both parents, the Chinese translation, and the Apostille on a single workflow.
ความน่าเชื่อถือ: สถานะนักแปล NAATI ตรวจสอบได้จากฐานข้อมูลทางการของ NAATI Australia (naati.com.au)
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