You want to travel abroad with a child under the age of 18. Avoid problems at passport control and make sure you have proof that you are the parent, have parental authority or have received permission.
What do you need to know
Child abductions make border controls strict, especially in the following situations:
- When children travel alone
- When children travel with 1 parent. Especially if the parent has a different last name than the child
- When children travel with persons other than the parent(s)
To save time and hassle, we recommend the following:
- If your child is traveling alone, give permission
- If you are traveling alone with your child, make sure that you can prove that you are the parent and that you have the consent of the other parent
- If your partner has passed away, bring the death certificate with you
- If your child is traveling with someone other than the parent(s), please provide a statement of consent signed by both parents
Minors must always have their own passport or identity card with them when traveling abroad.
What do you have to do
Take with you on a trip:
- Birth certificate, marriage certificate or extract from the basic registration of persons stating who the parents of the child are
- Consent of both parents for traveling abroad (see sample form from the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee)
- A copy of the other parent's passport
- If it applies to you: an extract from the custody register (to be requested from the court)
