Additional requirements for minors
Depending on your destination country, you may be required to provide passports or other travel documents for any minors travelling with you.
In some countries, travel consent from parents or guardians is required for minors travelling alone or in the company of only one parent or guardian. Consent may be required either when leaving or entering the country. Some countries only require consent for underage nationals (their own citizens) leaving the country, whereas others monitor minors of any nationality coming into the country. These regulations have been introduced to help prevent the smuggling of children.
Usually, a letter of authorization or travel consent is required in the cases outlined above. This letter must be signed by the child’s parents or guardians, and in some cases verified by a notary public or the local police. The letter should indicate the flight number and date of travel. A letter may be required when a minor travels alone or when a minor travels with only one parent or guardian.
To find out whether the authorization of minors will be required on a particular journey, contact your travel agency or the local authorities of the country you are departing from as well as the embassy of your destination country.
Examples of countries requiring the authorization of minors:
- Canada – authorization required for minors under 18 years arriving in or leaving the country
- France – authorization required for French nationals under 18 years leaving the country
- Italy – authorization required for Italian nationals under 14 years leaving the country
- Romania – authorization required for Romanian nationals under 18 years leaving the country
- Russia – authorization required for Russian nationals under 18 years leaving the country
