A child travelling abroad with one parent, a relative, a family friend or a school may need a consent letter and supporting documents. Check who has parental responsibility, any court orders and the destination’s rules before booking.
This guide provides a document checklist and sample travel-consent wording. It focuses on families in England and Wales. Family law differs across the UK, so obtain advice appropriate to your jurisdiction and any existing court order. A letter cannot replace permission that is legally required.
For a third-party document builder, LawDistrict provides a child travel consent template. Check its terms and suitability for your circumstances. It is not an official government form or a substitute for individual legal advice.
Overview
- GOV.UK’s starting rule is to obtain permission from everyone with parental responsibility or from a court before taking a child abroad. An important exception applies where a child arrangements order says the child must live with you: GOV.UK says you can take them abroad for 28 days without obtaining permission, unless another court order prevents it. Check the actual order before relying on this.
- Who has parental responsibility? Check the government guidance on parental responsibility. Do not assume that living with the child, separation or an absent parent settles who must consent.
- Countries have different requirements for children travelling with one parent or another adult. Check Foreign Office travel advice and the destination embassy for any prescribed form, translation or notarisation requirement.
- Airlines set their own rules for unaccompanied minors because ages, paperwork and fees vary. Check with your carrier before you book.
Documents to pack (checklist)
- The child’s valid passport and any visas or other documents required for their nationality and route. Check the rules for dual nationals, including the return journey.
- Permission letters where required, or the court order relied on, plus any destination-specific forms
- Copies of signatories’ photo ID if requested by the destination or travel provider
- Birth or adoption certificate and relevant court orders
- If a parent is deceased: death certificate
- Travel insurance and, where eligible and valid for the destination, the child’s own GHIC or EHIC. A GHIC is free through the NHS and covers necessary state healthcare in the EEA and certain other countries. Switzerland has additional eligibility conditions. Check the NHS coverage and eligibility guidance. The card does not replace travel insurance.
- Medical details: allergies/conditions, regular medicines and doses, GP contact
Passports & entry rules to watch
- Schengen short visits on a British citizen passport: the passport normally needs to have been issued less than 10 years before arrival and to expire at least three months after the planned departure from the Schengen area. These are separate tests. Check the official entry guidance and the rules for the actual destination and nationality.
- Check each child’s travel documents individually. If the photograph no longer clearly identifies them, seek guidance from HM Passport Office and your carrier before travelling rather than relying on extra paperwork to resolve it at the border.
- Some non-EU countries require 6-month validity, check Foreign Office travel advice for your destination.
Copy-paste template: child travel consent (UK)
Use this as a starting point only when consent is the appropriate basis for the trip. Adapt the signatories and enclosures to the actual legal arrangements and destination requirements. A school or airline may require its own form.
Child travel consent letter
Child: {full name}, {DOB}, {passport no.}, {nationality}, {home address}.
Trip: {all destinations}, from {depart date} to {return date}. Flights/trains: {refs}.
Accommodation: {addresses}.
Travelling with: {full name of adult/organisation}, {relationship/role}, {address}, {phone}, {email}.
Consent: I/We, {full names of all with parental responsibility}, confirm I/We have parental responsibility for {child’s name} and give permission for this trip as detailed above. I/We can be contacted on {phone/email} during these dates.
Emergency contact: If {child’s name} becomes unwell, please contact {parent or guardian’s name, telephone number and alternative contact}. Please seek appropriate professional medical help without delay in an emergency and provide the clinician with the child’s relevant medical information.
This travel letter does not authorise an accompanying adult to provide medical treatment or override a clinician’s consent requirements. The NHS explains that consent depends on the young person’s age and understanding and, where appropriate, parental responsibility. Overseas treatment is subject to local rules. Discuss any required medical-consent paperwork with the organiser, insurer and relevant healthcare professional before departure.
Signed:
{Name, signature, date}: {address, phone, email} (include ID documents only where required)
{Name, signature, date}: {address, phone, email} (include ID documents only where required)
Enclosures, as applicable: documents requested for this trip, such as a birth or adoption certificate, relevant court orders, evidence explaining different surnames and required identity documents. Keep personal and medical information secure.
If your destination requests it, have this letter witnessed or notarised.
Family arrangements that need individual checks
If a child is looked after by a local authority, speak to their social worker before making travel plans. For special guardianship, adoption, overseas orders or disputed parental responsibility, establish the relevant permission and documents with a family-law adviser. Carrying an order does not by itself show that a particular trip is authorised.
Where a parent has died, a death certificate may help explain the circumstances. An absent parent should not automatically be treated as having lost parental responsibility. If names differ, take evidence of the relationship and name change, such as a birth or adoption certificate and marriage certificate or deed poll.
Quick FAQs
Do I need a consent letter for domestic UK trips?
The overseas-consent guidance is not a universal paperwork rule for domestic journeys. Check any court restrictions and the school or operator’s identification and consent policy. A route through another country needs separate checks.
What if I can’t get the other parent’s consent?
Do not assume silence or an unanswered message is consent. If permission is required and cannot be obtained, seek advice about a court application before travelling. Check any existing order and whether an exception actually applies.
Does the letter have to be notarised?
There is no single format accepted everywhere. Check the destination’s official requirements, including whether a particular form, translation, witness or notarisation is needed. Your carrier may also have its own paperwork.
Can my child fly alone?
Airlines have different unaccompanied minor policies (age limits, routes, forms, fees). Check your carrier’s rules before booking.
Official links & resources (UK)
- GOV.UK: Get permission to take a child abroad: official guidance
- GOV.UK: Parental responsibility: who has it: gov.uk/parental-rights-responsibilities
- Foreign Office travel advice (FCDO): country entry rules and documents
- NHS: Apply for a GHIC
