Travelling with children: documents, consent and what to do if one goes missing

When a consent letter is needed

• If the child travels alone, with an adult who isn’t their guardian or with only their father or mother, they may also need a document authorising the trip, signed by the parents, the other parent or whoever has custody.
• There is no EU rule: each country decides whether to require it. Check the rules of the country you leave and the one you go to, and also of any country you pass through, which may require it even if the others don’t.
• In Spain, a minor having a DNI (Spanish ID card) does not by itself allow them to leave the country: the authorisation of whoever holds parental authority or guardianship is also needed.
• If you’re flying, ask the airline beforehand: many require their own consent letter and have their own forms.

None of the official sources we have read gives the consent form for Spain or other countries, or where it is signed. Ask the embassy or consulate of the country you’re going to and your airline, because the rules change without notice.

If the other parent takes the child without permission

• If they take the child to another EU country without your consent or against a court decision, you can ask for the child’s return, with the help of the central authority. The courts of the country the child was taken to decide, and both you and the child have the right to be heard.
• A custody judgment can only be changed by the courts of the country that issued it: taking the child to another country doesn’t cancel it.

If a child goes missing

Tell the police and also call 116 000, the missing children hotline, which works in every EU country and guides the family. For any emergency, 112.