Do I need permission to travel a child abroad? This question is of concern to many families with minor children. There are many situations where there is an urgent need to travel outside the Russian Federation with young children: to visit relatives, on a vacation ticket, leaving for treatment or training.
Therefore, many are interested in what documents should be collected for a child to travel abroad, especially since the circumstances of families are different, and therefore distinctive from each other. What if a minor rides on his own? With one of the parents? Grandfather or grandmother?
Moreover, there are situations when there is a ban on a child traveling abroad. What are these circumstances? How to arrange or, on the contrary, lift the ban on a child traveling abroad? Read about all this in this article.
If we go with the whole family
Most often, a situation arises when both parents go with their child to relax abroad. What documents do I need to bring with me?
If you and your family travel with your child abroad to the sea or somewhere else, you must have a passport with you for adults and children from fourteen years old. In the case when a minor citizen of the Russian Federation is less than fourteen, he can cross the cordon on his birth certificate or on a foreign passport, in this case drawn up at will. The same rule applies to cases when parents travel abroad with a child up to a year old. However, again, after fourteen years, having a passport for a minor traveling outside the homeland is a prerequisite of the Russian Federation.
However, there are some nuances here. Firstly, a child crossing the border with his parents must certainly be inscribed on their passport, where his photograph must be indicated.
Secondly, such a minor citizen must have a document confirming his Russian citizenship. This can be the birth certificate itself (where the citizenship of the parents of the minor is indicated or a special mark on the document of the established form), and it can also be an insert to the birth certificate, which confirms Russian citizenship.
Traveling a child abroad with one parent
In this case, according to the current legislation of the Russian Federation, there is no need for the documented consent of the second parent. That is, if a mother travels abroad with a child, then you do not need to have permission to leave the child abroad from your father. Or vice versa.
On the other hand, one must be careful here. If the parents are divorced, then one of the parties may apply a ban on traveling abroad for the child. In this case, the baby will not be released from the Russian Federation. Below we will analyze these nuances in more detail.
And now let's repeat once again: if the mother goes abroad with her child, the father’s permission to leave is not necessary. This is what the legislation of our country says.
Departure of a child abroad without parents
The laws of our state allow a minor citizen to travel outside his homeland without parents or official guardians. These situations may apply to school trips of children with a teacher, to junior international sports competitions, to trips abroad for children, to an exchange program, and so on. What documents are needed for this?
The first is, of course, the passport of the minor and the person responsible for the trip (this may be a teacher, coach, relative and so on).
The second, according to the laws of the Russian Federation, is the permission of one of the parents to leave, issued by a notary. What needs to be indicated in the document?
First of all, the validity period of the permit must be indicated - the period in accordance with which the notarized document is considered valid. It can be several months or years.
It is also necessary to indicate the country or countries in the territory of which (which) the official paper will operate. State names must be spelled correctly in accordance with international standards. Names such as “CIS countries” or “EU states” are considered invalid.
However, in this case there may be some nuances.
Common difficulties when a child leaves without parents
First of all, it is worth saying that a child’s permission to travel abroad, issued according to Russian standards, may not be suitable for the laws of those countries where a minor travels.
For example, the embassies of Great Britain, the United States of America and Canada require that in such a document the signatures should be not one parent, but two. In other cases, representatives of the law of foreign states may require that other information be indicated in the permit. For example, the reason for the child's arrival in another country, as well as the duration of his stay in the territory of that state.
Therefore, before notarizing the permission to cross the border by a minor, it is necessary to consult with the foreign embassy what information to indicate in the document.
Moreover, you should know that the original of this official paper will need to be left at the embassy of a foreign state, so the minor must have several copies of the permit with him. Be careful: not copies, but originals!
Who is responsible for the child
Of course, if a minor citizen of the Russian Federation travels abroad with his parents or guardians, then they are responsible for him. If your child leaves the borders of the homeland with someone else, then now this person becomes responsible for him. That is what the federal law of our state says.
The concept and essence of the prohibition
First of all, you should know that any parent who does not agree with the travel of a minor can establish a ban on traveling abroad on a child. If the child does not have a father and mother, then this may be one of the guardians or trustees.
Most often, the need for an official ban arises when the spouses (parents of the minor) are divorced or are in a quarrel.
In some cases, representatives of guardianship or trusteeship councils who consider it inappropriate to leave a minor abroad of the Russian Federation may ask for a ban on a child traveling abroad.
You can apply for a ban on traveling abroad of a child at the Federal Migration Service of Russia, located at the place of official registration of the applicant.
What needs to be indicated in the document?
How to write a statement?
The document must be written by hand or printed. First of all, the document must indicate your data (full name, surname, date and place of birth, citizenship, registration address). Also, the application must contain information about the child: F. I. O., information about the date and place of birth, registration and citizenship.
It is noteworthy that the document does not need to indicate the reasons why the applicant considers it inappropriate to leave the child abroad. On the other hand, it is better to argue your request, since the case can be tried in court.
Documents confirming the applicant’s credentials must also be attached to this paper.This can be a notarized certificate of birth or adoption of a child, or the establishment of custody of him.
It is noteworthy that according to the laws of our state it is not necessary to inform the other party about the ban on the departure of a minor.
How to cancel the ban
This can be done quite easily, but the whole procedure will take place in a judicial proceeding. What to do if you do not agree with the ban on traveling abroad of your child or ward?
It is necessary to file a lawsuit as an appeal against the ban. However, here it is necessary to take into account such a factor: in Russian legislation there are no specific regulatory instructions in which case it is allowed, and in which it is forbidden to take the child out of his home country. Therefore, much will depend on the judge and his inner convictions.
On the other hand, objective factors affecting the outcome of a case can be taken into account.
What is considered in court
The most important and important aspect that is paid attention to when deciding whether to ban or permit the export of a minor is the desire of the child himself. That is, a minor citizen will be asked at a meeting whether he wants to or not to go on a trip abroad.
Another important factor when making a decision is the purpose of the trip - whether it will contribute to the physical, mental and emotional health of the minor.
During the meeting, the judge will definitely take into account other aspects:
- When will the trip take place (during the school holidays or while studying).
- What is the duration of the trip.
- Which country of destination (the conditions that are observed in the state at the time of the meeting will be taken into account). That is, if hostilities or terrorist attacks take place in the country, then it is unlikely that the child will be allowed to go there).
What you need to consider before the court
So, paying attention to all of the above, let’s summarize in which cases it is best to plan a trip with a minor child in order to obtain permission to leave the Russian Federation:
- If a minor is of school age, it is better not to arrange a pleasure trip for him during his studies.
- If the trip is carried out for the purpose of treatment in a foreign clinic, then it is necessary to provide supporting documents.
- Pay attention to the desire of the child himself - his opinion will be asked in the trial.
- Choose the country of destination safe for the child’s life so as not to endanger either his life or him.
- The duration and purpose of the trip should have a reasonable explanation. It is unlikely that a child will be allowed to leave with her mother, who is going to seek a life partner through marriage agencies in a foreign country.
A bit about health and safety
Regardless of whether the child is traveling abroad with his parents or not, it is advisable to purchase insurance for him. Sometimes it is included in tourism or junior programs, and sometimes it must be ordered separately.
What should I look for when purchasing travel insurance with a child?
First of all, pay attention to the reputation of not only the insurance company, but also the service department (or assistance), which is a direct organization that provides assistance to you or your baby. After all, it depends on her how soon assistance will be provided, what means and specialists will be involved, and so on.
Secondly, pay attention to the lack of a franchise that will limit costs. That is, if your expenses for medical care turned out to be more or less than a fixed amount, then they will not be fully covered by you.
Thirdly, it is very important that the insurance covers expenses for exacerbation of a chronic disease, allergic reactions, or sunburn. In most cases, insurance companies refuse to compensate for material damage caused by these circumstances. This is indicated in the policy, but ordinary citizens do not always notice such points.
What to consider when insuring a child
When making travel insurance abroad, you need to know that the more specific and detailed everything is painted, the better. Make sure that the policy includes a wide range of activities designed to help your child in accidents, sudden ailments, injuries and so on. This should also include the diagnosis of a minor (ultrasound, x-ray, blood tests), as well as emergency vaccination in the event of an animal bite.
It is also very important that the insurance includes expenses for dental services (acute tooth inflammation or trauma to the jaw) and transportation issues (doctor's visit to the patient, self-hospitalization by taxi and so on).
Do not forget to worry about your child in case of an emergency that happened to you (serious injury, urgent hospitalization), when the child may be left unattended. In such situations, the insurance company must make a commitment to deliver the child home and safe.
Some useful insurance tips
First of all, carefully save all medical documents (doctor's prescriptions, prescriptions, diagnoses, and so on), as well as checks and bills spent on treatment.
Always carry your insurance document with you. In general, it is best to have several copies of the policy in order to store them in a hotel, as well as leave one at home.
While still at home, prepare for unforeseen situations. You and your child should always have the necessary balance on the phone so that they can communicate with each other or with the insurance company. Moreover, going abroad, take more cash and cashless funds that will help you feel more confident in any situation, because the health of the child is the most important thing, and it is better not to save on it.
Summarizing the above
As you can see, the legislation of the Russian Federation provides that for the departure of a minor citizen it is necessary to take the necessary measures. First of all, add the child to your passport, as well as take care of the baby’s personal document (this can be his birth certificate and, if necessary, a foreign passport).
The state also regulates in which cases a minor can travel abroad independently, with relatives or other adults. Above, we examined what documents are required for this to be carried.
The legislation of the Russian Federation also takes into account the fact that parents can look differently at the departure of their child outside their home country. If spouses (or guardians) cannot find a common language in this matter, then the matter is decided in court, taking into account not only the opinion of adults, but also the desire of the child himself, as well as the expediency of the trip abroad (the duration for which it is made, country of destination).
Also in the article, information about the need for medical insurance for the child in case of his departure to a foreign country was analyzed in detail. Before you purchase a policy, you must carefully read the document: will there be monetary compensation in cases of exacerbation of chronic diseases, allergic reactions, or sunburn? Are dental services, travel expenses, baby diagnosis and the like included in the insurance?
And, of course, when concluding an insurance policy, it is necessary to take into account the reputation of the assistance company that directly provides assistance and provides medical care upon departure to a particular foreign country.
If you take into account all of the above aspects, then your trip with a child abroad will certainly be successful and will benefit not only you, but also your beloved child.