Travelling Abroad with Grandparents

Travelling abroad with grandparents can be a wonderful experience for children, whether it’s a family holiday, visiting relatives overseas, or spending school holidays together. However, when a child travels internationally without their parents, additional documentation may be required.

Border officials and airlines are increasingly strict about verifying that children have permission to travel. Without the correct paperwork, families may face delays at the airport, questioning by border officers, or even denied boarding.

In this guide, we explain what documents grandparents should carry when travelling with a child and when a Child Travel Consent Letter needs an apostille.

Why Border Officers ask for additional documents

International child protection laws are designed to prevent child abduction and trafficking. Because of this, many countries require evidence that:

• The adults travelling with the child have permission from the parents or legal guardians
• The child is not being taken abroad without parental consent
• The travelling adults have a legitimate relationship with the child

When grandparents are travelling alone with a child, immigration officers may ask for documentation confirming that the parents authorised the trip. Even if the relationship seems obvious, officials are trained to request proof.

Essential documents when a child travels with grandparents

Grandparents should carry several supporting documents to avoid problems at border control.

1. Child Travel Consent Letter

A Child Travel Consent Letter is a very important document. This letter is signed by the parents or legal guardians and confirms that they give permission for the child to travel with their grandparents. The parents or guardians must sign this document in the presence of a Solicitor or a Notary Public.

The letter should typically include:

• Child’s full name and date of birth
• Names of the parents or legal guardians
• Names of the grandparents travelling with the child
• Travel destination and dates
• Contact details for the parents
• Parents’ signatures

Many countries and airlines strongly recommend that this document is formally certified to ensure it is legally valid.

2. Copies of the parents’ passports

Border officials may request copies of the parents’ passports to verify:

• Identity of the parents who signed the consent letter
• Matching signatures
• Citizenship details
• Providing passport copies helps confirm the legitimacy of the consent document.

3. Child’s birth certificate

A birth certificate helps show the relationship between the child and the parents. It can also help demonstrate the link between the parents and the grandparents when surnames differ.

4. Court Orders (if applicable)

If the child’s parents are divorced or separated, additional documentation may be required, such as:

• Custody agreements
• Court orders granting travel permission
• Sole parental responsibility documentation
• This ensures the travelling arrangements comply with any legal custody arrangements.

When does a Child Travel Consent Letter need an apostille?

In some situations, a simple consent letter may not be enough. Foreign authorities may require the document to be legalised with an apostille to confirm its authenticity. An apostille is an official certificate issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) that verifies a document for international use.

A Child Travel Consent Letter may need an apostille in situations such as:

• Travel to Countries with Strict Documentation Requirements
• Some countries have stricter entry rules for children travelling without parents and may request an apostilled consent letter.
• Long-Term Stays Abroad

If a child is staying abroad for an extended period with grandparents, authorities may request additional verification.

Visa applications

Certain visa applications require supporting documents to be formally legalised.

Airline Policies

Some airlines may request notarised or apostilled travel consent documents before allowing a child to board.

Before a Child Travel Consent Letter can receive an apostille, it must first be properly certified.

Whether you are submitting:

• the original consent letter, or
• a photocopy of the consent letter

the document must be certified by a UK solicitor or a notary public.

The certification confirms that the document is genuine and suitable for apostille by the FCDO.

Without certification, the apostille office will not process the document.

Travel Tip: keep documents in hand luggage

Always keep important documents in hand luggage, not checked baggage.

Border officers or airline staff may ask to see the documents during:

• Airport check-in
• Departure immigration checks
• Arrival immigration checks

Having them easily accessible can help avoid delays.

Common questions about Child Travel Consent letters

Do all countries require a travel consent letter?
Not all countries require it, but many strongly recommend it, and some may ask for it at the border.

Can grandparents travel with a child without parental consent?
Technically yes in some situations, but travelling without a consent letter carries risk and may lead to delays or questioning.

Does the consent letter always need an apostille?
No. It depends on the destination country, airline requirements, and whether the document will be used for visa purposes.