Moving abroad with children: school, medical and travel paperwork checklist
Moving abroad with children is a big family decision. Alongside visas, housing and travel plans, parents need to organise documents for schools, healthcare, immigration, travel and local registration.
Requirements vary by country, but families are often asked for more paperwork than adults moving alone. Preparing early can help avoid delays with school places, medical care, visas and travel.
Children’s passports
Each child will need their own valid passport for international travel.
Check:
- passport expiry dates
- spelling of names
- spare passport photos
- visa page requirements
- digital copies of passport pages
If a child’s passport is close to expiry, renew it before starting visa or school applications.
Birth certificates
Birth certificates are often needed to prove age, identity and parent-child relationship.
You may need them for:
- visa applications
- school admissions
- healthcare registration
- local authority records
- travel consent checks
- family sponsorship
It is sensible to carry official copies, especially if children have a different surname from one parent.
Visa and residence documents
Children may need their own visa, residence permit or dependant status.
Prepare:
- child’s passport
- birth certificate
- parent passports
- visa application forms
- passport photos
- proof of accommodation
- parent employment or income documents
- health insurance
- school admission letter, if required
Check whether documents need to be legalised or translated before submission.
School records
Schools abroad may ask for academic and pastoral records before confirming a place.
Useful documents include:
- recent school reports
- transfer letter
- attendance records
- exam results
- curriculum summary
- teacher comments
- special educational needs documents, if relevant
Ask the UK school for these before leaving, as it can be harder to collect them later.
Medical and vaccination records
Medical records are important for healthcare and school registration.
Prepare:
- vaccination history
- GP summary
- allergy information
- prescription list
- specialist letters
- dental records
- health insurance documents
- emergency medical instructions
Some countries require specific vaccinations before school enrolment.
Parental responsibility and consent documents
If one parent is travelling or relocating with the child, extra documents may be needed.
Prepare:
- parental consent letter
- custody documents
- court orders, if relevant
- parental responsibility agreement
- other parent’s passport copy, if appropriate
- adoption documents, if relevant
A consent letter may need to be witnessed, notarised, translated or apostilled depending on the country.
Different surnames
If a child has a different surname from one parent, border officials, schools or visa offices may ask for evidence of the relationship.
Useful documents include:
- child’s birth certificate
- marriage certificate
- divorce documents
- deed poll or name change document
- adoption certificate
- parental consent letter
Keep these documents accessible when travelling.
Accommodation and proof of address
Schools, visa offices and healthcare providers may ask where the family will live.
Useful documents include:
- tenancy agreement
- property purchase document
- employer relocation letter
- hotel or temporary accommodation booking
- utility bill, once available
- local address registration
If you do not yet have a permanent address, ask what temporary evidence is accepted.
Insurance documents
Families should check insurance carefully before moving.
Prepare:
- travel insurance
- health insurance
- child medical cover
- policy schedule
- emergency contact details
- proof of payment
Check whether the policy covers children, long stays, pre-existing conditions and your destination country.
Do documents need an apostille?
Some child and family documents may need an apostille before being accepted abroad.
This may apply to:
- birth certificates
- consent letters
- court orders
- adoption documents
- school letters
- medical letters
- solicitor-certified copies
Check requirements with the visa office, school or local authority before arranging legalisation.
Do documents need translation?
If the destination country does not accept English documents, certified translation may be needed.
Commonly translated documents include:
- birth certificates
- school reports
- transfer letters
- vaccination records
- medical records
- consent letters
- court documents
Always check whether translations must be certified or completed by an approved translator.
Common mistakes parents make
Common issues include:
- children’s passports close to expiry
- missing birth certificates
- no consent letter when one parent travels alone
- incomplete vaccination records
- school reports requested too late
- not checking special educational needs support
- assuming English documents will be accepted
- leaving apostilles or translations too late
Final checklist before moving abroad with children
Before relocating, organise:
- children’s passports
- birth certificates
- visa or residence documents
- parent passports
- school reports
- transfer letters
- vaccination records
- medical records
- health insurance
- parental consent letters, if needed
- custody or court documents, if relevant
- proof of accommodation
- apostilles, where required
- certified translations, where required
Final thoughts
Moving abroad with children is much easier when paperwork is organised early. Schools, visa offices, healthcare providers and border officials may all need different documents.
Before leaving the UK, prepare passports, birth certificates, school records, medical documents and consent letters. Check whether any documents need certification, translation or an apostille before they are submitted overseas.