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Letter of consent for a child to travel abroad (England and Wales)
England and Wales · in English · for parents
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For a parent or anyone else with parental responsibility who is not going on the trip: a signed letter consenting to the child travelling abroad with the other parent, grandparents, a school or a friend’s family. Taking a child under 16 out of the UK without the consent of everyone with parental responsibility, or the court’s permission, can be an offence (Child Abduction Act 1984, s 1). There is no official form. The letter names the child, the trip and the dates, and gives your telephone number so that border staff or an airline can check it. Give it to the adult travelling, with a copy of your passport or driving licence.
- Made for use in England and Wales
- Last updated October 28, 2026
- Document in English
Where a UK document reproduces the words of legislation or of a government publication — UK, Scottish or Northern Irish — it contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
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When to use this document
- Your child is going on holiday abroad with the other parent while you stay in England.
- The grandparents are taking your child to Spain and want a letter from you.
- You have a different surname from your child and worry about questions at the airport.
- Your teenager is travelling with a friend’s family from Wales and needs your written permission.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Parent
- Parent's address
- Town or city
- Parent's postcode
- Phone
- Date
- Child's name
- Your relationship to the child (e.g. mother, father, guardian)
- Child's date of birth
- Child's passport number
- Trip (country, resort, hotel)
- Travelling from
- Travelling until
- Accompanying adult (blank if the child travels alone)
- Itinerary: transport and accommodation
Common questions
- Is there an official travel consent form for children in England and Wales?
- No. GOV.UK explains free of charge when permission is needed, but there is no government form: a signed letter from each person with parental responsibility who is not travelling is the usual proof. Many families also carry the child’s birth certificate, and a marriage, divorce or change-of-name document, to show the link between the adult and a child with a different surname. Check the destination’s entry rules in GOV.UK’s foreign travel advice: some countries ask for more.
- When may a parent take a child abroad without the other parent’s consent?
- A person named in a child arrangements order as someone the child lives with may take the child out of the UK for less than one month without the others’ consent, unless a court order says otherwise (Children Act 1989, s 13(2)); GOV.UK’s guidance gives the period as 28 days. Otherwise everyone with parental responsibility must agree, or the court must give permission. If the other parent refuses, the family court can decide; a mediation information meeting usually comes first.
- Does the consent letter have to be signed in front of a solicitor?
- English law does not require it. A signed letter with a copy of your passport or driving licence is what border staff and airlines usually look for. Some destinations’ authorities want the signature certified by a solicitor or notary, or an apostille from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, for a fee. Each person with parental responsibility who is not travelling signs their own letter; post or hand the original to the adult travelling with the child.
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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