Minor Travel Consent Form

The purpose of this document is to enable parents or legal guardians of a minor child to formally express their consent to their child's domestic or international travel. It is very common for children under the age of 16 to travel unaccompanied by their parent or legal guardian, either by themselves, with a group or organisation or with another adult who is not their legal guardian. In these circumstances it is essential that the child's parent, who is legally responsible for them, to provide a written statement that they are aware of the travel and have consented thereto.

If a child has two legal guardians who share custody of the child, one parent travelling with the child in the other's absence requires that other parent's consent when travelling outside of Ireland. Of course, co-parents or co-guardians agree this orally but a formal statement of consent, witnessed by a third party is a means of attesting their agreement if there is a subsequent dispute between the parents.

This document allows one or two of the child's parents or legal guardians to state their consent to travel to a specified destination, on a particular date for a particular duration of time.

The adult consenting is identified through the provision of their full name and home address. The child is identified through their full name and passport number. If the child is under 12 years old, they must be accompanied by an adult (person over the age of 16). Their travelling companion is identified by including their full name, address and information regarding their passport. If the child is travelling with a group, there must be a designated supervisor who takes responsibility for the child, in which case it is their information which is included.

The document also provides space for the user to identify if the child has any special medical needs or allergies which are pertinent for their travel companion to be aware of. There is space to include information about the manner in which any medical issue should be handled and the requisite medication to which the child must have access.

How to Use this Document

The user should fill in this document, and be as accurate as possible with all information included. Passport numbers and address will be scrutinised if the child is travelling internationally. It is also important that the information included in this document corresponds to the child's travel companion's information and understanding of the travel itinerary. The document should be signed by the consenting parent(s), and this signature should be witnessed. Several copies of this document should be made and distributed to the child's travel companion, the child themselves and the parents should each keep a hard copy of the document for their personal records.

Applicable Law

A minor travel consent form indicates to authorities that a minor travelling alone or in the company of another adult has not been abducted. Authorities may refuse a child entry to a country if they are travelling without a parent or guardian, if they do not have proof of parental consent. Similarly, if a child is travelling domestically without a parent, this can give rise to suspicions. International child abduction is governed by the Hague Convention, of which Ireland is a signatory.

How to modify the template

You fill out a form. The document is created before your eyes as you respond to the questions.

At the end, you receive it in Word and PDF formats. You can modify it and reuse it.