Education and Child Matters

I AM L.I.P

I am a Litigant In Person

Accompanied & Unaccompanied Domestic And International Travel

 

This write up is about children under 18 years of age travelling all over the UK and abroad (outside the UK) accompanied and unaccompanied by an adult who has parental responsibility for them.

In this write up a child under 18 years of age travelling alone is known as an unaccompanied minor. 

Please also note this webpage is a rough guideline for travel. Please check the websites for the relevant travel organisations and companies for confirmation and any changes. 

ACCOMPANIED TRAVEL WITHIN THE UK

As long as an individual has parental responsibility for a child you can take a child anywhere in the UK without the consent of the other individual(s) with parental responsibility.

LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR WHAT IS LEGAL PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY? 

ACCOMPANIED TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF THE UK

Under the child abduction act 1984 it is a crime for a person with parental responsibility for a child to take them outside of the UK without the consent of any other individual(s) with parental responsibility. There are exceptions to this:

  1. If the person with parental responsibility has a child arrangement ‘live with’ court order (they are the resident parent). If this is the case they can take the child out of the UK for 28 days without the consent of any other person with parental responsibility.
  2. There is a court order saying that the child can leave the UK with this person.

Please note that a person who has special guardianship for a child can take the child out of the UK for up to 90 days (3 months) without the consent of any other person with parental responsibility.

LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR SPECIAL GUARDIANSHIP  

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE FOR CHILD ABDUCTION ACT 1984

JUST AS A PRECAUTION AND FOR GUIDANCE  – If you are travelling internationally with your child as a single parent it is best to take proof of your parental responsibility (their birth certificate, any court order) and if possible a letter from the other parent giving consent with their name and contact details on the letter. 

UNACCOMPANIED TRAVEL WITHIN THE UK

For children aged between 5 years and 18 years the rules and regulations depend upon the travel company (train, domestic airline, bus, coach and underground) and what they will permit. 

Train

As a general rule most train operators will not allow a child under 12 years of age to travel unaccompanied by an adult.

If a child is over 12 years of age we suggest you take them to the station, ask if you can put them in the train and then have someone on the other end waiting for them. 

Domestic airline

A child under 5 years of age is not permitted to fly unaccompanied. Above this age it will depend upon the airline itself. Please check the website of the airline for information about what they will and will not allow and the rules and requirements. 

The airline will have special unaccompanied minor forms which you will need to complete.  You will have to write down the full details of the person who is sending the child or dropping off the child to the departure gate (the sender) and the full details of the person receiving the child at the other end (the receiver). Please keep a copy yourself and give your child a copy also.

Your child will need the following documentation with them:

  1. Their passport and return ticket if they have one.
  2. A copy of the passport of the individual who has parental responsibility for the child.
  3. A signed unaccompanied minor form/consent form from the airline, boat or train company and/or letter giving permission for the child to travel unaccompanied.
  4. Any health documentation that may be required.
  5. A means of paying for something if required.
  6. A means of communication between the child and yourself and the other individual who is receiving them on the other side. 

If your child is travelling alone and you are the sender you will need to check your child in, take them to the gate and hand the child over to a cabin crew employee of the airline. You must have your ID papers (passport and any other documentation required) when you drop your child. This must match with the details written in the ‘sender’ section of the airline documentation. The cabin crew employee will check the documentation. 

If you are the sender, we suggest you should wait until the flight has taken off before you leave the airport just in case there is an issue with your child.

The cabin crew employee will look after your child throughout the flight.

When the flight lands your child will be taken to the gate where an adult should be waiting to receive them. This adult must be the same one written down in the unaccompanied minor documentation as the receiver. This individual must also have their ID (passport and any other required documentation) on them. The cabin crew employee will check this documentation before handing the child over.  

Bus

Any child under 5 years of age cannot travel on a bus unaccompanied.

Children between 6 under 11 years of age can travel on the bus unaccompanied without a zip card. 

After 11 years of age, they will need a zip card to travel by themselves. 

Coach

Children under 14 years of age are not generally allowed to travel unaccompanied by an adult.

Above 14 years of age the child will be required to show proof of age and a letter from an individual with parental responsibility giving permission for the child to travel accompanied. The letter must have your contact details so you can be contacted if required.

Underground 

Any child under 5 years of age cannot travel on the underground unaccompanied.

Children between 6 under 11 years of age can travel on the underground unaccompanied without a zip card. 

After 11 years of age they will need a zip card to travel by themselves. 

UNACCOMPANIED TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF THE UK

There are many reasons why a child may travel unaccompanied by an adult. The airline, shipping company and the country themselves all have different rules and regulations regarding this specific issue.

The age of a child an airline, train or boat will allow to travel by themselves varies. Some will allow a child aged 12 years to travel unaccompanied but for most it is older. You will need to go on the website of the airline, the train or boat company and find out what they will allow, what forms will need to be completed and what the requirements are. 

A minor travelling alone on a flight is called a young flyer. A child under 5 years of age is not permitted to fly unaccompanied. 

Different countries, their airports, border forces, departures and arrivals all have different requirements for minor travellers. You will need to contact the relevant embassy for detailed information. 

If a child is travelling unaccompanied outside the UK they will need the following:

  1. Their passport, visa and return ticket if they have one.
  2. A copy of the passport of the individual who has parental responsibility for the child.
  3. A signed unaccompanied minor form/consent form from the airline, boat or train company and/or letter giving permission for the child to travel unaccompanied.
  4. Any health documentation that may be required.
  5. A means of paying for something if required.
  6. A means of communication between the child and yourself and the other individual who is receiving them on the other side. 

If your child is travelling alone and you are the sender you will need to check your child in, take them to the gate and hand the child over to a cabin crew employee of the airline. You must have your ID papers (passport and any other documentation required) when you drop your child. This must match with the details written in the ‘sender’ section of the airline documentation. The cabin crew employee will check the documentation. 

We suggest you should wait until the flight has taken off before you leave the airport just in case there is an issue with your child.

The cabin crew employee will look after your child throughout the flight.

When the flight lands your child will be taken to the gate where an adult should be waiting to receive them. This adult must be the same one written down in the unaccompanied minor documentation as the receiver. This individual must also have their ID (passport and any other required documentation) on them. The cabin crew employee will check this documentation before handing the child over.