Minor children (under age 18)

If an application for a CAQ for studies is for a minor child, it must be accompanied by the required documents, depending on the child’s country of residence at the time of the application, and all of the additional documents listed below, depending on the child’s situation.

Minor children accompanied by their parents
Minor children accompanied by one parent
Minor children not accompanied by their parents
Minor children who are emancipated or almost 18

Minor children accompanied by their parents

If minor children file their application from abroad and will be accompanied to Québec by their parents, one of whom is a temporary worker or a foreign student:

• You do not have to enclose a letter of acceptance from a primary or secondary educational institution. You do have to enclose a letter of acceptance from any other type of institution.

You must include one of the following documents:

• a photocopy of the father or mother’s work permit;
• a photocopy of the letter of introduction that accompanied the work permit issued by a Canadian visa office outside Canada;
• a photocopy of the work contract specifying the duration of the contract;
• a photocopy of the letter of acceptance of the father or mother as a full-time student in a Québec educational institution;
• a photocopy of the father or mother’s study permit.

This document makes it possible to ensure that the validity period of the child’s CAQ corresponds to the duration of the parents’ stay in Québec.

IMPORTANT If the parents of minor children have visitor’s status in Canada, the CAQ is limited to six months or the duration indicated on the visitor record. For a CAQ to be granted for a longer period, the parents must enclose with the CAQ application the documents required of minor children who are not accompanied by their parents. This limited duration does not apply if one of the parents is a visitor and the other is a permanent resident or Canadian citizen.

Minor children accompanied by one parent

If minor children are accompanied to Québec by one parent, you must include the following documents:

• a photocopy of their birth certificate bearing the parents’ names;
• a photocopy of an identity document bearing the name and signature of the non-accompanying parent (passport, national ID card);
• the original copy of the Declaration of consent (PDF, 70 Kb), signed by the non-accompanying parent, authorizing the child to reside in Québec with the other parent.

If you are unable to supply these last two documents, you must enclose the following document:

• a photocopy of an official document declaring that the accompanying parent possesses sole guardianship – (death certificate of the other parent, declaration of disappearance, divorce judgment granting sole custody to the accompanying parent).

IMPORTANT A divorce judgment that grants visiting rights, even limited rights, to the other parent does not exempt you from presenting the Declaration of consent.

Minor children not accompanied by their parents

For minor children who come to study in Québec and are not accompanied by their parents, the application for a CAQ for studies must also include:

• a photocopy of the children’s birth certificate bearing the parents’ names;
• a photocopy of an identity document for each parent bearing their signature (passport, national ID card);
• the original copy of the Declaration of parental authority (PDF, 72 Kb), signed by both parents;
• the original of the Declaration of guardianship for a minor child (PDF, 70 Kb), signed by the person who has guardianship of the child in Québec;
• a photocopy of a document proving that this person is a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident (birth certificate, citizenship card, permanent resident card).

If guardianship of the child by a person residing in Québec encompasses financial custody, the following documents must also be included:

• the original or a copy of the Declaration of financial support (PDF, 48 Kb) signed by the person residing in Québec who undertakes to assume all costs related to the child’s stay in Québec.
• the documents demonstrating the financial capacity of the guardian (employment letter indicating this person’s salary, pay slips, income tax return, bank letter (PDF, 53 Kb) indicating account balance, etc.)

Minor children who are emancipated or almost 18

• If you are under 18 years of age and an emancipation judgment was rendered in your favour, enclose with your application the documents required of adult students and a copy of the emancipation judgment.

• If you are under 18 years of age on the date of your application for a CAQ for studies but you will turn 18 at least one month before the start date of your study program, only enclose with your application the documents required of adult students.
• If you turn 18 less than one month before the start date of your study program but you will be 18 years of age when you leave for Québec, enclose with your application proof of your departure date (a photocopy of you plane ticket) in order to be considered an adult student.
• If you are coming to Québec without your parents and you will turn 18 years of age after your arrival (even within a few days), you must enclose with your application the documents required of an adult student as well as of minor children not accompanied by their parents.