Travel of a child abroad with one parent

What documents do you need to get?

When a child travels to the country with one parent, several documents are required depending on the situation.

Depending on the age of the traveling child:

• If he is not yet 14 years old, we must obtain an international passport in all cases, since as a child he does not yet have an identity card;

• If the traveling child has reached the age of 14 and has an identity card, an international passport is only required for travel outside the EU.

In addition to an identity card and/or an international passport, in order for a child to travel abroad with only one parent when two parents are alive, a Declaration of Consent / Power of Attorney from the non-traveling parent is also required.

This Declaration of Consent or Power of Attorney for Child Travel Abroad is signed by the non-traveling parent in front of a notary who certifies the signature

When the parent does not wish to voluntarily sign such a declaration for the child, in such a case the law has made it possible to file an application with the District Court at adress of the child for the issuance of a court decision with permission for the child to travel abroad. The court, depending on the circumstances, allows the child to travel or not. This procedure takes several months and delays the journey, but is sometimes the only way to make it happen.

In which cases do you not need to submit a Declaration of Consent or a Power of Attorney, but other documents?

• If only one accompanying parent is entered in the Birth Certificate of the traveling child, it is necessary to present the same to the border authorities in order to allow the child to travel;

• If one parent of the traveling child has died, it is necessary to present a copy and original for verification of the person's Death Certificate;

• If one parent of the traveling child is deprived of parental rights, which is a completely judicial procedure, it is necessary to present a copy and an original for verification of a Court decision that has entered into legal force.

Pleasant trip!