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With what documents can a French minor travel abroad?
Verified 08 December 2021 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister), Ministry of the Interior
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The rules are different whether the child travels with one of the parents or not in the European Union (EU) or abroad.
With one of his parents
If the child lives in France and travels with one of his parents, he must present different documents depending on the country of destination.
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In Europe
If the child travels to a country of the European Union or the Schengen area, he must present an identity card valid.
Warning
since Brexit, the United Kingdom is no longer part of the European Union, or The European Economic Area (EEA).
In another country
Depending on the country's requirements, the child must present
- or a valid individual passport (which can be obtained for any minor, even a baby)
- a valid individual passport and a visa.
The family record book cannot be required even if the child and his or her parents have a different name.
To find out what documents are required by the country you are traveling to, you can consult travel advice on diplomatie.gouv.fr.
Before departure, it is strongly recommended to consult the embassy or consulate of the country of destination.
Who shall I contact
FYI
the same rules apply if the minor traveling is a baby.
Video - True or false: is the family booklet enough to travel abroad with minors?
SMS conversation between two friends:
*So the party at your place on Saturday is still good?
*Well no... My parents don't go to Greece anymore...
I'm disgusted my brothers didn't get their ID cards...
*But I believe they can travel just with their family booklet
Then
Is the family booklet sufficient to travel abroad with minors?
Answer: No!
Speech by expert: Sandrine, interior specialist at Service-Public.fr
Indeed, it is a received wisdom. A minor cannot travel only with the family record book. Like an adult, he or she must have either a valid national identity card or passport, both of which are valid. My advice, to make sure you have completed all the necessary formalities before your departure, I invite you to consult the sites of diplomatie.gouv.fr as well as the site of service-public.fr. Have a nice trip!
Key points:
- A minor cannot travel abroad with his family record book
- He must travel with an identity card (only in the EU) or a passport
- For all necessary formalities: diplomatie.gouv.fr and service-public.fr
Alone or with another person
A minor child who lives in France and travels within the European Union or abroad without one of his parents must have an authorization to leave the territory (AST) signed by his 2 parents. Without this authorization, he will not be able to leave French territory.
The rules depend on the nationality of the parent signing the AST.
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French parent
A child traveling abroad, not accompanied by a holder of parental authority, must have subsequent documents :
- Original of form cerfa no. 15646 signed by a parental authority
- Valid ID ID minor: identity card or passport + visa if necessary depending on the country of destination.
Consult travel advice on diplomatie.gouv.fr. - Copy of a proof of identity of the signatory parent (identity card,passport).
The proof of identity must be valid or expired for less than 5 years.
If the parent does not parental authority : business card, identity card or passport of the person with parental authority.
No other document (e.g. the family record book) may be required when the minor crosses the border, including if the minor and the parent signing the AST have a different name.
Please note
the child who leaves the city to go overseas must have an AST in case of a stopover abroad.
European foreigner parent (EU + EEA + Switzerland)
If the parent who establishes and signs the AST is European, a child traveling abroad not accompanied by a holder of parental authority, must have subsequent documents :
- Original of form cerfa no. 15646 signed by a parental authority
- Valid ID ID minor: identity card or passport + visa if necessary depending on the country of destination.
Consult travel advice on diplomatie.gouv.fr. - Copy of a valid proof of identity of the signatory parent (identity card, passport or residence permit).
If the parent does not parental authority : professional card or copy of a valid identity document of the person with parental authority.
No other document (e.g. family record book) may be required when the minor crosses the border, including if the minor and the parent signing the AST have a different name.
Please note
the child who leaves the city to go overseas must have an AST in case of a stopover abroad.
Foreigner parent of another nationality
If the parent who establishes and signs the AST is a foreigner, the child who travels unaccompanied by a holder of parental authority, shall be equipped with subsequent documents :
- Original of form cerfa no. 15646 signed by a parental authority
- Valid ID ID minor: identity card or passport + visa if necessary depending on the country of destination.
Consult travel advice on diplomatie.gouv.fr. - Copy of a valid proof of identity of the signatory parent : passport, residence permit, identity and travel document for refugees or stateless persons.
If the parent does not parental authority : professional card or copy of a valid identity document of the person with parental authority.
No other document (e.g. family record book) may be required when the minor crosses the border, including if the minor and the parent signing the AST have a different name.
Please note
the child who leaves the city to go overseas must have an AST in case of a stopover abroad.
Video - True or false: is the family booklet enough to travel abroad with minors?
SMS conversation between two friends:
*So the party at your place on Saturday is still good?
*Well no... My parents don't go to Greece anymore...
I'm disgusted my brothers didn't get their ID cards...
*But I believe they can travel just with their family booklet
Then
Is the family booklet sufficient to travel abroad with minors?
Answer: No!
Speech by expert: Sandrine, interior specialist at Service-Public.fr
Indeed, it is a received wisdom. A minor cannot travel only with the family record book. Like an adult, he or she must have either a valid national identity card or passport, both of which are valid. My advice, to make sure you have completed all the necessary formalities before your departure, I invite you to consult the sites of diplomatie.gouv.fr as well as the site of service-public.fr. Have a nice trip!
Key points:
- A minor cannot travel abroad with his family record book
- He must travel with an identity card (only in the EU) or a passport
- For all necessary formalities: diplomatie.gouv.fr and service-public.fr
- Regulation (EU) 2016/399 of 9 March 2016 on the Schengen Borders Code
- Civil Code: Article 371-6
- Decree No. 2016-1483 of 2 November 2016 on the authorization of departure from the territory of an unaccompanied minor
- Order of 13 December 2016 on the authorization to leave the territory of a minor not accompanied by a holder of parental authority
- Circular of 29 December 2016 on the conditions for leaving the territory of minors (PDF - 266.1 KB)
- Authorization to leave the territory (AST)Service-Public.fr
- Identity documents required to travel by airService-Public.fr
- Parental conflict on the departure of a minor childService-Public.fr
- Travel adviceMinistry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
- European Union countriesEuropean Commission
- Map of the Schengen areaAll of Europe