What a consent letter does
The consent letter is a signed declaration in which a parent or guardian who is staying behind allows a minor under 18 to travel without them. It names the child, the adult accompanying them, the destination and the dates of the trip. The letter shows airline staff and immigration officers that whoever holds legal responsibility for the child knows about the journey and agrees to it, which helps a great deal when the child and the accompanying adult have different surnames.
Trips where you are likely to be asked for one
The letter matters most when a child is not travelling with both parents together. These are the situations in which families in the UAE most often prepare one.
- Your child is flying with only one parent
- A grandparent, aunt, uncle or older sibling is taking the child abroad
- A nanny, driver, family friend or other non-relative is the companion
- The child is joining a school trip or sports tour supervised by teachers
- The child is flying alone, in which case the airline’s own unaccompanied minor forms will also apply
Is it compulsory?
Advice on this point varies, and there is no single rule that covers every departure from the UAE. Whether a letter is demanded usually depends on the immigration rules of the country your child is visiting, the carrier’s own policy and the border officers on the day, and certain countries take a firm line on minors who arrive with only one parent. Because these rules change, check the requirements of your destination and airline before you book, and treat the letter as a sensible precaution for any international trip your child takes without both parents.
What the letter should contain
A specific letter is far less likely to be questioned than an open-ended one, so name the country, the dates and the companion rather than giving general permission. For a child making more than one journey, check with the relevant authority whether one letter can cover them all rather than assuming it will.
- Your full name, passport or ID details and a contact number
- The child’s full name exactly as shown in the passport, plus passport number and date of birth
- Who the companion is: full name, passport details and how they are related to the child
- Destination, departure date and return date
- The reason for travel, for example tourism, visiting relatives or a school excursion
- Your explicit permission and the scope of responsibility handed to the companion
- How you can be reached while the child is away, and the signatures of both you and the companion
Documents to keep with the letter
Officials may want to see evidence that backs up what the letter says. Carry the original along with digital copies, and be aware that some authorities ask for certified or translated versions.
- The child’s valid passport
- Copies of each parent’s passport, or the guardian’s
- Emirates ID copies for parents who live in the UAE
- The child’s birth certificate, particularly if surnames differ
- Any custody or guardianship ruling
- Passport and visa details for the accompanying adult
Notarization, translation and attestation
Certain airlines and destinations are satisfied with a plain signed letter and a copy of your ID, while others expect a notary to verify your signature. Notarization is advisable when one parent travels while the other stays at home, when the companion is not a relative, when the parents are separated or when an authority asks for it, and you can use the Ministry of Justice’s electronic notary service or a licensed notary office anywhere in the UAE. If the letter will be shown abroad, it may also need a certified translation and legalization, first by the UAE foreign ministry and then by the destination’s embassy, since the UAE generally uses legalization rather than the apostille system.
Separated parents and parents living abroad
If you are separated or divorced, the custodial parent may have to present the custody ruling alongside the consent letter. When your former partner will not sign or cannot be contacted, a letter is not possible, and you may need to ask the competent court in your emirate for permission, so also check that no travel ban affects the child. A parent based abroad can usually sign in their country of residence and have the signature verified there, although attestation may then be needed before it is accepted.
- Spell every name exactly as it appears in the passports
- Match the dates in the letter to the tickets
- Start as soon as your flights are booked, as notarization and attestation take time
How we can help
We can prepare a consent letter that matches your child’s itinerary. Where your trip requires it, we can also help you arrange notarization, translation or attestation.