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Consent for a child to travel (Switzerland)

Switzerland · in English · for parents

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For parents in Switzerland whose child travels without them or with only one parent: the declaration by which the parents with parental authority consent to the trip and authorise a companion, giving the child, the travel document, destination, dates, purpose and the parents' phone numbers, as the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) recommends. Where parental authority is joint, both sign (Art. 296 and 301 of the Civil Code, CC). With room for certified signatures if the destination asks for it. Swiss authorities and courts work in their official language — German, French or Italian — so this English version is for dealings between private parties.

  • Last updated November 4, 2026
  • Document in English
Switzerland
Legal
English
Consent
Print & sign
2 pages

Published byDocMuse

When to use this document

  • Your child is flying from Switzerland to visit family abroad with an aunt or a friend.
  • You are travelling alone with your child and the other parent stays in Switzerland.
  • Your teenager is going on a school trip and the airline asks for a parent's consent.
  • You want a consent the destination can read in English, with room for certified signatures.

What you fill in

The details the document asks for.

  • Parent
  • Parent's address
  • Contact phone
  • Other parent
  • Other parent's address (joint parental authority)
  • Other parent's phone number during the trip
  • Parental authority: joint (both sign) or one parent alone
  • Child's name
  • Child's date of birth
  • Child's passport or ID card (series and number)
  • Destinations
  • Travelling from
  • Travelling until
  • Purpose of the trip (e.g. holiday with grandparents, school exchange)
  • The child travels alone, or with the companion named below
  • Companion
  • Companion's identity document
  • Urgent medical treatment: companion may consent, or no such authority
  • City
  • Date

Common questions

Is there an official Swiss form for a child travelling abroad without both parents?
No. Swiss law requires no consent and the Confederation has no form. The FDFA strongly recommends a declaration signed by the parents when a child travels alone, with one parent or with others, giving the parents' details and phone numbers, the date, destination, length and purpose of the trip; the Zurich cantonal police advise the same for flights, and a letter will do. Each country sets its own entry rules, and some ask for their own form or certified signatures, so check with the destination's embassy or consulate before leaving.
Do both separated parents have to sign when only one of them takes the child abroad?
Not always by law, but it is safest. The parent caring for the child may decide alone on everyday or urgent matters, or where the other cannot be reached with reasonable effort (Art. 301 para. 1bis CC), and third parties in good faith may presume each parent acts with the other's consent (Art. 304 para. 2 CC). Whether a trip abroad is everyday depends on the destination and length, and border authorities and some countries ask for the written consent of the parent who stays behind. Moving the child abroad is another matter: it needs the other parent's consent or a decision (Art. 301a para. 2 CC).
Will a border officer or an airline accept a travel consent written in English?
Swiss law sets no language for a private consent, and English is widely read at borders and by airlines. But each destination country and carrier decides what it accepts: some ask for a translation, certified signatures or their own form, which then replaces this declaration, so check their rules before you book. If you deal with a Swiss authority about the trip, use the German, French or Italian version. Swiss authorities and courts work in their official language — German, French or Italian — so this English version is for dealings between private parties.
Can the companion consent to urgent medical treatment for the child during the trip?
Only if you choose that option. The declaration lets you either allow the companion to consent to urgent treatment when no parent can be reached in time, or give nobody that power; your phone numbers stay on the document either way. Whether a hospital abroad relies on it is a matter for the destination's law, so a copy of the child's insurance card and the parents' numbers help. The declaration covers only the trip and dates stated and never changes where the child lives.

How you can sign this document

  • Print it and sign by hand. The signature lines in the document are left blank on purpose — sign on them in ink.
  • Sign it yourself with a qualified electronic signature. If you already hold a QES — Evrotrust, B-Trust, StampIT, ZealiD or any qualified provider on the EU Trusted List, on a card, a USB token, in a mobile app or in the cloud — our signing guide explains step by step how to sign this exact file without invalidating it. Step-by-step help, and a way to check it worked

DocMuse sells documents, not legal advice. Acceptance always depends on the recipient's rules and your local law.

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