Divorced parents risk being turned away at the airport without these documents

As families make the most of the Easter holidays by jetting off abroad, a divorce lawyer is warning separated couples of the essential documents they’ll need to travel with if they expect a hassle-free trip with no unwanted disruptions.

Separated and divorced parents will need to get signed permission from anyone else with parental responsibility for the child, which in many cases is the other parent. Whilst not widely known, taking a child abroad without permission is classed as child abduction, a serious offence.

To help parents navigate taking their children abroad, especially if it is the first time after a divorce, Ann Owens, a consultant solicitor in the divorce law team at Richard Nelson LLP, has shared the six essential documents parents will need to take off without any hitches.

A consent letter from the non-travelling parent

For a child to be taken abroad, all people with parental responsibility will have to have agreed to the decision. While mothers automatically get parental responsibility at birth, a father will acquire parental responsibility upon marriage.

With that in mind, a consent letter from the non-travelling parent is critical. A signed letter provides proof that your ex-partner has agreed to you holidaying abroad should you ever be challenged while travelling.

The letter will need the other parent's contact details and details of your holiday, such as where you’ll be staying. If your child has a different surname from yours, the letter should also explain this.

A birth or adoption certificate

It may seem overboard to travel with a child’s passport and birth or adoption certificate, but it is a good idea to take these with you on holiday in addition to travel documents to prove your relationship to your child. You may be asked to provide proof of parental responsibility when leaving the UK and entering your holiday destination.

A divorce or marriage certificate

It is not uncommon for parents to have different surnames from their children, whether that be due to divorce or a new marriage.

In any case, if your last name differs from that of your child due to a divorce or new marriage, it’s wise to bring your divorce or marriage certificate along with you to stop any potential holdups at the airport.

A court order

If you have been unable to seek permission from your child's other parent to take them abroad, you may still be granted permission from a court.

Ann explained: “If you’re relying on a court order to take your child abroad, it’s imperative to allow as much time as possible for the case to be heard. While you can request an urgent court order, these can take more than a week to go through the courts.

“For those who have been successful in gaining permission this way then you must travel with a sealed copy of the Court Order with you.

“Border officials may ask for proof of your legal right to take the child abroad at the airport, and if you can’t provide it, you may be turned away at customs.”

Check a country's legal age of adulthood

While, like the UK, many countries have the legal age of adulthood starting at 18, some have it set as older or younger. It is important to check the age of adult responsibility in the location you are holidaying in.

For instance, you may also need documents for a 19-year-old child when travelling to some Canadian territories.

Your child’s passport

Having ensured you have all of the other required documents, it may be easy to overlook the most obvious one of them all - your child’s passport.

As well as carrying the passport, you must also ensure it’s valid for the specific country you're travelling to. In the majority of instances, your passport will need to be valid for at least three months after your intended return date, but for countries like Dubai, Thailand and Australia, it must be valid for at least six months from your date of entry into the country.