Child travel documents
Prepare documents when a child travels with different adults
When a child travels with one parent, relatives or another adult, check the documentation for that actual arrangement. Start early enough to obtain any permission or supporting records needed. A valid child’s passport and a flight ticket do not answer every question about who may take the child abroad.
Use official guidance for the departure and destination, and the operating airline’s own document instructions. Keep legal questions about permission separate from practical questions about booking and check-in. If a family arrangement is disputed or unclear, resolve that through appropriate professional advice before committing to travel.
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Check permission using the official route
GOV.UK’s taking-a-child-abroad page explains the general requirement to obtain permission from everyone with parental responsibility or from a court, and describes circumstances that may affect the position. Read the complete guidance for your situation instead of treating a generic consent letter as the answer in every case.
Identify who is travelling, who holds parental responsibility and the dates and destinations involved. Where an existing court order or other arrangement matters, use advice appropriate to that document rather than guessing from a short travel checklist. Do not assume that sharing a surname, holding the child’s passport or having made the booking establishes permission by itself.
Check the destination’s documentary requirements
Open the destination’s official entry guidance for children and consult its embassy or relevant authority if the instructions are unclear. Requirements can differ according to nationality, accompanying adult and family circumstances. Check transit arrangements too if they require entry to another country. Record the source and the exact documents it asks you to carry.
British Airways’ family document page provides airline guidance on child tickets and travel documents. Use the equivalent operating-airline instructions for the flight, including any forms or booking links it requires. The airline’s process and the destination’s permission or entry requirements should both be checked; completing one does not automatically complete the other.
Assemble a clear, consistent document pack
Where permission letters or relationship records are required or advised by the relevant authority, follow that authority’s instructions about content, originals, copies, translations or certification. Check names and dates against the passports and booking. Avoid paying for unnecessary services merely because an unofficial template claims they are always mandatory.
Keep the child’s passport, relevant permissions and supporting documents together in an organised folder. Make sure the travelling adult understands what each document establishes and where to find it. Keep contact details for the appropriate parent or guardian available. Share sensitive records only with those who need them to arrange or complete the journey.
For a trip involving several adults on different sectors, make a separate document check for each handover. The adult accompanying the outward flight may not be the person travelling home, and the paperwork should describe the real arrangement. Confirm who keeps the originals between those journeys so they are not accidentally taken away by an adult who leaves earlier.
Review changes before the journey starts
If the dates, accompanying adult, destination or passport changes, review whether the documentation needs updating. Do not cross out important details or alter an issued document informally without checking the proper process. Keep the latest agreed itinerary consistent with the paperwork you intend to present.
Before leaving home, let another responsible adult check the pack against the final travel plan. At check-in or border checks, answer questions clearly and provide the requested documents. Keep originals accessible through the journey rather than in checked baggage. A document folder can simplify presentation, but its value comes from carrying the correct, current records for the child’s real circumstances, not from the appearance of an official-looking bundle.
Your next steps
- Check permission for the actual family arrangement.
- Read destination and operating-airline document guidance.
- Prepare consistent originals and supporting records as directed.
- Review changes to dates, adults or travel documents.
Products and offer records
Relevant records in the Tailored Deals catalogue
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Sources and further help
Sources were consulted on 5 September 2026. Provider terms and services can change; check your exact booking, product or university service.
Keep planning
- Prepare baby food and milk for airport security
- Prepare children for the routine of an overnight flight
- Prepare mobility-aid details for airline approval and handling
- Plan an airport visit around your sensory needs