Child Travel Consent UK: Permission to Take a Child Abroad
United Kingdomversion 2026-09
Taking a child out of the UK needs permission from everyone with parental responsibility. What the letter should contain, and how UK border checks work.
The UK is the one jurisdiction here where the source is written as a requirement rather than a recommendation: permission is needed from everyone with parental responsibility, or from a court, before a child is taken out of the country. This page sets out what GOV.UK states, the 28-day exception, and how UK border checks work. The form on this site prints a UK-labelled version of the letter.
The UK rule
GOV.UK states that you must get the permission of everyone with parental responsibility for a child, or from a court, before taking the child abroad. It notes that a mother automatically has parental responsibility for her child, and still needs the permission of anyone else who has it. A letter from the person with parental responsibility is usually enough to show that permission has been given.
The criminal side of the rule sits in the Child Abduction Act 1984. Section 1 makes it an offence for a person connected with a child under 16 to take or send the child out of the United Kingdom without the appropriate consent, and sets out who may give that consent. Section 1(4) contains exceptions, including where a child arrangements order is in force.
The 28-day exception
GOV.UK states that a child may be taken abroad for 28 days without permission where a child arrangements order says the child must live with you, unless a court order says otherwise. Where permission has not been given by the other people with parental responsibility, the same page states that an application to a court is needed.
What the letter should contain
- Contact details for the person giving permission.
- Details about the trip, including the date of departure.
- When and how the child is returning.
- Contact details of the people with parental responsibility who are staying in the UK.
- More information for longer trips, for example the education the child will receive while abroad.
GOV.UK also lists evidence worth carrying: a birth or adoption certificate showing the relationship, and a marriage or divorce certificate where surnames differ.
What UK border officers may ask
| Situation | What the guidance describes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Adult may appear not to be the child's parent | Officers may ask a few questions to establish the relationship with the child, for example where family names differ | S14 |
| Documents that help | Copies of a birth or adoption certificate showing the relationship; divorce or marriage certificates where surnames differ; a letter from the child's parent giving authority and contact details | S14 |
| Family arriving together | Guidance describes family members staying together at passport control; an adult travelling alone with children under 18 uses the eGates first | S14 |
| Child visiting the UK alone | Written consent from the parent or guardian, their full contact details, and proof of suitable accommodation | S13 |
| Child visiting with an adult | The guidance requires showing that the parent or guardian consents to the travel and the accommodation arrangements | S13 |
| Long stay with a non-relative | Where a child under 16, or under 18 with a disability, is to be looked after for more than 28 days by someone who is not a close relative, GOV.UK states the parent, guardian or school must tell the local authority | S13 |
Children arriving in the UK
GOV.UK's guidance for visitors under 18 covers both directions of travel. A child travelling to the UK without an adult needs written consent from a parent or guardian, their full contact details, and proof of somewhere suitable to live, including the name, date of birth and address of the person they will stay with and that person's written consent. Where the child travels with an adult, the guidance states that the parent or guardian's consent to the travel and the accommodation arrangements must be shown, and that a visitor visa application must identify the adult travelling with the child.
Frequently asked questions
Whose permission is needed to take a child out of the UK?
GOV.UK states that the permission of everyone with parental responsibility, or a court, is required before a child is taken abroad, and that a letter from the person with parental responsibility is usually enough to show it. A mother automatically has parental responsibility and still needs the permission of anyone else who has it.
What can be done if the other parent will not give permission?
Where permission has not been given by the other people with parental responsibility, GOV.UK states that an application to a court for permission is needed, and that the details of the trip must be given — the date of departure, how and when the child returns, and contact details of the people with parental responsibility staying in the UK. Longer trips need more information.
Does a UK permission letter need to be notarised?
GOV.UK does not state a notarisation requirement for the permission letter; it states that a letter from the person with parental responsibility is usually enough to show permission. Where a notary stamp is asked for, that requirement comes from the airline, cruise line or other country involved, which the notarisation page sets out, and the one-parent page covers what a letter names when just one parent travels.
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Jurisdiction: United States · Canada · United Kingdom — version 2026-09.
What government sources say about notarisation and witnesses (information only):
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection states that there is no regulation requiring a consent letter to be notarized, but that CBP highly advises it. Certain destination countries require a consent letter for children arriving or leaving without both parents, in some cases notarized.
- Global Affairs Canada states that a consent letter is not legally required in Canada, that any adult may witness the signing, and that it strongly recommends a notary public witness it. Original signed letters are best.
- For the United Kingdom, GOV.UK states you must get the permission of everyone with parental responsibility, or a court, before taking a child abroad, and that a letter from that person is usually enough to show permission.
- Cruise lines set their own rules and they differ. On 13 September 2026 the published pages of Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Disney Cruise Line and Norwegian did not all require the same document.
- Royal Caribbean: adults who are not the parent or legal guardian must present an original, notarized letter signed by the child's parent(s).
- Carnival: original signed letter strongly recommended when a parent or legal guardian is not sailing.
- Disney Cruise Line: the Minor Authorization Form is required for each child travelling without a parent or legal guardian.
- Norwegian: their Parent/Guardian Consent Form must be signed by both living parents/legal guardians, with a copy of government-issued ID attached.
Check the current published policy of the airline, cruise line or border agency you are dealing with.
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Sources
Sumber:
- S11 — https://www.gov.uk/permission-take-child-abroad — GOV.UK — checked 13 September 2026
- S12 — https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/37/section/1 — legislation.gov.uk (Child Abduction Act 1984, section 1) — checked 13 September 2026
- S13 — https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor/if-youre-under-18 — GOV.UK — checked 13 September 2026
- S14 — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/getting-through-the-uk-border-faster/faster-travel-through-the-uk-border — GOV.UK (updated 28 July 2026) — checked 13 September 2026