# Child Travel Consent Form in the UAE > Child travelling without both parents? What a UAE travel consent form includes, who signs it, and how we handle notarisation in Dubai. Source: https://notaryservicesdubai.com/child-travel-consent-in-the-uae/ Last updated: 27 September 2026 Publisher: Notary Services Dubai, Business Bay, Dubai (+971 54 380 1094) If your child is travelling without both parents, an airline or immigration officer can ask for a child travel consent form: a signed, notarised letter from the absent parent (or both parents) giving permission for the trip. This page explains when you need one, what it must say, who signs it, and how notarisation and attestation work. Quick answer ## Quick answer - A child travel consent form is needed whenever a minor travels without both legal parents present, whether that is with one parent, a relative, a group, or alone as an unaccompanied minor. - It must name the child, the travelling adult (if any), the travel dates and destination, and be signed by the parent or parents who are not travelling. - Airlines and immigration authorities generally expect the parent's signature to be notarised. - The UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention: there is no apostille for UAE use, only the attestation chain. - A broader child travel power of attorney is a different, wider document from a one-trip consent letter. See below for which one fits your trip. In this group ## Pages in this group - [Travel with grandparents](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/consent-to-travel-with-grandparents/) - [NOC for a child visa](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/no-objection-certificate-for-child-visa-uae/) - [NOC letter from a sponsor](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/noc-letter-from-sponsor/) Services ## What we cover under child travel and NOC Child travelling without both parents? What a UAE travel consent form includes, who signs it, and how we handle notarisation in Dubai. Guide ### [Travel with grandparents](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/consent-to-travel-with-grandparents/) What a consent letter for a child travelling with grandparents should say, who signs it, and how we handle notarisation in Dubai. Read more Child travel and NOC ### [NOC for a child visa](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/no-objection-certificate-for-child-visa-uae/) When a father's NOC is needed for a child visa in the UAE, what the letter says, and how we prepare notarisation and translation in Dubai. Read more More services ### [NOC letter from a sponsor](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/noc-letter-from-sponsor/) What a UAE NOC letter from a sponsor, employer or husband should say, sample formats, and how we prepare notarisation in Dubai. - [NOC from Dubai Court](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/how-to-get-noc-from-dubai-court-a-step-by-step-guide/) Read more A missing or incomplete letter is one of the most common reasons a family gets held up at check-in or at the border. Getting the wording and the signatures right, before you book, avoids that. ## When you need a child travel consent form You need a consent letter, or in some cases a power of attorney, whenever a child is not travelling with both parents: - **Travelling with one parent.** The parent staying behind signs a letter giving permission for the trip. - **Travelling with a relative or family friend** (grandparents, an aunt or uncle, an older sibling, a family friend). Both parents normally sign, unless one has sole custody. - **Travelling with a group** (a school trip, a sports team, a nanny or au pair). The organiser usually asks every parent for a signed and notarised letter before departure. - **Travelling alone as an unaccompanied minor.** Airlines run their own unaccompanied minor programme alongside, not instead of, the parental consent letter. If your child is travelling to Dubai to visit grandparents, our [grandparents travel consent guide](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/consent-to-travel-with-grandparents/) covers that situation specifically, including the visa side. For more on our [notary services in Dubai](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/), see our home page. ## Consent letter vs child travel power of attorney These are two different documents and people often ask for the wrong one. A **power of attorney for a travelling minor** is the right choice when a parent wants to give someone standing authority to act for the child beyond just boarding a flight. For most single trips, a consent letter is simpler and is what airlines and immigration expect to see. Our [special power of attorney in Dubai](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/special-power-of-attorney-dubai/) and [power of attorney in Dubai](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/power-of-attorney-in-dubai/) pages cover how a POA is drafted and notarised if that is what your situation needs. ## What the consent letter must include A consent letter that gets accepted without questions has: 1. **The child's details:** full name exactly as on their passport, date of birth, nationality, and passport number. 2. **The travelling adult's details** (if the child is travelling with someone): full name, relationship to the child, and passport or Emirates ID number. 3. **The absent parent's or parents' details:** full name, passport or Emirates ID number, and a phone number and email that authorities can use to verify consent. 4. **Travel dates and destination:** the outbound and return dates, and where the child is travelling to and from. 5. **A clear statement of consent:** naming the trip and confirming the parent agrees to it. 6. **Signature and date** , signed in front of a notary public. Sample layout: ``` CHILD TRAVEL CONSENT LETTERI, [parent's full name], holder of passport/Emirates ID number [number], am the parent/legal guardian of [child's full name], date of birth [date], passport number [number].I give my consent for my child to travel [with [adult's name], relationship to child [relationship]] from [departure point] to [destination] on [departure date], returning on [return date].[Adult's/child's] contact details while travelling: [phone/email]My contact details: [phone/email]Signed: _____________________ Date: __________[Parent's full name] ``` Keep the wording specific. Vague statements ("my child may travel with family members") are more likely to be questioned than a letter that names the trip, the dates and the people involved. ## Documents to prepare Before you draft the letter, gather: - The child's passport (and a copy) - The child's Emirates ID, if a resident - The child's birth certificate - The travelling adult's passport or Emirates ID, if there is one - The signing parent's or parents' passport or Emirates ID - Custody or guardianship papers, if the parents are separated or divorced and one parent is not signing If only one parent is signing because the other has sole custody, bring the custody order. If a parent is deceased, a death certificate is normally needed in place of that parent's signature. ## Who signs it Where only one parent travels, the parent staying behind signs the consent letter. If a parent cannot be present, their signed and notarised consent can sometimes be sent separately and attached, rather than requiring both parents in the same room at the same time. Where one parent has sole legal custody, that parent can usually sign alone, supported by the custody documentation. ## Notarisation and attestation Notarisation is what turns a plain letter into a document authorities are likely to accept. The parent signs the letter in front of a notary public, who checks their identity and applies the seal. This confirms that the signature is genuine and that it was made willingly. If the letter will be used outside the UAE, notarisation on its own is often not enough. There is no apostille route for a UAE-issued document, because the UAE is **not a party** to the Hague Apostille Convention. Instead, the letter typically needs MOFAIC attestation in the UAE, and depending on the destination, embassy or consulate attestation for that country as well. If the letter is not in the destination country's language, it may also need translation by a legal translator registered with the UAE Ministry of Justice. Our [documents attestation in Dubai](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/documents-attestation-in-dubai/) page explains the attestation chain in full. ## Airline unaccompanied minor forms are a separate matter If a child is flying alone, the airline's own unaccompanied minor form and service are separate from the notarised consent letter, and you generally need both. The airline form covers who is responsible for the child at each airport and during the flight; the consent letter is the parents' legal permission for the trip itself. Do not assume either document replaces the other, and check your airline's own requirements before you book, since these vary by carrier and by age. ## Children arriving in Dubai from other countries Families sending a child to the UAE alone or with one parent often ask what the departure country requires as well as what the UAE requires. Requirements on the sending side vary by country and by airline, and some countries (for example, requirements for children departing India) have their own documentation rules that sit alongside the UAE's. If your child is travelling from abroad, check both the departure country's requirements and what you need for entry into the UAE, and build in enough time to get documents notarised and attested on both ends. ## Common mistakes that cause delays - Names on the letter that do not match the passport exactly (a missing middle name, a different spelling) - Vague or missing travel dates - A signature that was not notarised - Only one parent's signature where both are required - No custody documentation when a parent is signing alone - Assuming an unnotarised printed letter will be accepted How we help ## How we help We prepare the consent letter, checking the wording against what authorities generally expect. We book your notary appointment and confirm what to bring. At the notary, the parent signs before a notary public, who checks ID and applies the seal. If the letter needs MOFAIC attestation or embassy attestation for use abroad, we take care of that step too, and we arrange a certified translation if the destination requires one. The fee depends on the document and whether attestation is needed. Turnaround also depends on whether attestation is required and which country's embassy is involved. FAQ ## Frequently asked questions ### Can a minor travel to the UAE without parents? Yes, but a minor travelling to the UAE without both parents usually needs a signed, notarised consent letter from the parent or parents who are not travelling. The exact document required depends on who the child is travelling with. ### What documents does a child need to travel without parents to Dubai? At minimum, the child's passport, and a notarised consent letter from the absent parent or parents. Depending on the situation, you may also need the child's birth certificate, custody papers, and the travelling adult's passport or Emirates ID. Airlines may separately require their own unaccompanied minor form. ### Does a child travel consent form need to be notarised? Notarisation is what makes the parent's signature verifiable, and it is generally what airlines and immigration authorities expect to see on a consent letter. ### How do I get a child travel consent form in the UAE? You draft the letter with the child's, adult's and parents' details and the travel dates, then the signing parent or parents sign it in front of a notary public in Dubai, who checks ID and applies the seal. We prepare the letter and book the notary appointment for you. ### Do I need a consent letter to travel alone with my child? If both legal parents are travelling together with the child, a consent letter is not usually needed. It becomes necessary once the child is travelling with only one parent, a relative, a group, or alone. ### Is a child travel consent form the same as a power of attorney? No. A consent letter covers permission for one specific trip. A child travel power of attorney is broader and can give the appointed person standing authority to act for the child, for example over medical decisions, for as long as the document specifies. ### Can a child under 16 travel without parents? Children of any age can travel without both parents present, provided the right consent documentation and, where relevant, airline unaccompanied minor arrangements are in place. Specific age thresholds for unaccompanied minor programmes are set by each airline. ### Where can I get a travel consent form for my child? We draft the letter, book your notary appointment in Dubai, and arrange MOFAIC and embassy attestation if the letter is for use abroad. Contact us by phone, WhatsApp or email to start. More answers, grouped by topic, are on our [questions and answers page](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/faq/). Reviews ## What clients say Read what people we have helped say about us on our Google profile, or read [about Notary Services Dubai](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/about-notary-services-in-dubai/). Keep reading ## Related services Guide ### [Travel with grandparents](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/consent-to-travel-with-grandparents/) What a consent letter for a child travelling with grandparents should say, who signs it, and how we handle notarisation in Dubai. Read more Child travel and NOC ### [NOC for a child visa](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/no-objection-certificate-for-child-visa-uae/) When a father's NOC is needed for a child visa in the UAE, what the letter says, and how we prepare notarisation and translation in Dubai. Read more Child travel and NOC ### [NOC letter from a sponsor](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/noc-letter-from-sponsor/) What a UAE NOC letter from a sponsor, employer or husband should say, sample formats, and how we prepare notarisation in Dubai. Read more More pages you may need - [Power of attorney](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/power-of-attorney-in-dubai/) - [Certified true copies](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/certified-true-copy-attestation-in-dubai/) - [Documents attestation](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/documents-attestation-in-dubai/) - [Affidavits and declarations](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/affidavit-in-dubai-how-to-get-affidavit-in-dubai/) - [Company documents](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/corporate-notary-services/) About this page Prepared by the Notary Services Dubai team in Business Bay, Dubai. Last reviewed . ### Official sources we checked (4) - Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022 on the regulation of the notary profession: [https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1563](https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1563) - Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013 concerning Notaries Public in the Emirate of Dubai (Dubai Legislation portal, dlp.dubai.gov.ae) - MOFAIC attestation service: [https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/services/attestation](https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/services/attestation) - HCCH Apostille Convention status table (UAE not a party): [https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=41](https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=41) Get started ## Contact us Call or WhatsApp +971 54 380 1094, or email support@notaryservicesdubai.com to get started. Our office is at Empire Heights Tower B, Marasi Drive, Business Bay, Dubai.