When planning a child's trip abroad, parents often face not a lack of documents, but a lack of a clear understanding of the rules. This is especially true when the child is traveling without both parents or has already reached adolescence.
Therefore, the question of whether a power of attorney is required for a child to travel abroad in 2025 remains one of the most popular.
In fact, the answer depends not on one rule, but on the specific situation: who the child is traveling with, how old he or she is, and the purpose of the trip.
What is a power of attorney for a child to travel abroad?
A power of attorney (or notarized consent) is a document by which parents confirm that they do not object to their child leaving Ukraine accompanied by a specific person or under certain conditions.
In everyday life, it is often perceived as a formality, but at the border, this document is seen as confirmation that the child’s departure is legal and agreed upon with the parents.
Who issues such a power of attorney?
The power of attorney can be issued by one or both parents, depending on the circumstances. The document is certified by a notary, who verifies the applicant's identity and the accuracy of the information. The notary doesn't simply "stamp" the document; rather, he or she prepares it so that it will not raise questions during border checks.
In what cases is a power of attorney required?
Most often, the question of how to obtain permission for a child to travel abroad arises in the following situations:
- The child is traveling with one parent;
- The child is traveling with a grandparent or other relative;
- The accompanying person is a coach, teacher, or friend;
- The child is traveling for school, competition, or medical treatment.
In these cases, border guards pay attention not only to the presence of documents, but also to whether they logically explain the circumstances of the trip.
Is a power of attorney always necessary?
No. If a child is crossing the border with both parents, additional permission is usually not required. However, in all other cases, the question of power of attorney arises quite often.
This is why parents often learn about the need for additional documents just before the trip—or, worse, at the border itself.
Traveling abroad for children over 16: What's changing in practice?
A separate and very common misconception is that after reaching 16, a child can freely travel abroad without parental consent. In fact, a 16-year-old's travel abroad is subject to the rules for minors.
Even though a teenager has a passport and formally appears "adult" at age 16, they are still legally not adults. This means that:
- Border guards may check for parental consent;
- pay attention to the purpose of the trip and its duration;
- assess whether the documents correspond to the actual circumstances of the trip.
In practice, it's with 16- and 17-year-olds that the most controversial situations arise. Parents are often convinced that a power of attorney is no longer necessary, while border guards are guided by formal requirements and the specific circumstances of the departure.
Why Practice May Vary
It's important to keep in mind that even in 2025, inspection practices may vary depending on the checkpoint and the specific situation. What was accepted without issue in one case may be subject to much more thorough inspection in another.
This is why parents are increasingly trying to prepare documents in advance, rather than relying on general ideas about the rules.
If you need your child's travel documents completed correctly and without ambiguous wording, you can find more information on the notary service page provided by Nadezhda Korneenkova in Dnipro.
06.01.2026
