Travel documents
An underage child travelling alone requires a number of documents. The applicable rules vary according to the child's age, situation and destination.
French minors
Is your child travelling to a country requiring only the national identity papers?
If the child is travelling alone or accompanied by someone other than you, in addition to the national Identity papers, a travel permit to exit France is required.
Is your child travelling to a country requiring a passport?
If travelling alone, the child must have a personal passport, whatever the age of the child.
If travelling to a country requiring a visa, the child also requires a personal visa.
Children under age must have their own passport!
Underage children can no longer be included in their parents' passports. Children aged 0 to 17 years of age must therefore have their own passport to travel to countries requiring a passport.
Minors of another nationality
Underage foreign nationals (not French) travelling alone must have an individual passport, as well as a travel document.
On returning to France, these documents are required to:
- re-enter the country or the outside borders of the Schengen area;
- prove the child is entitled to stay in France.
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Minors between 4 and 12 years of age
Your unaccompanied child travels, sometimes at extra charge, as an UM* passenger. Inquire from your airline the conditions .
Reception and assistance for departure
Once check-in has been completed, your child is looked after by the airline. From this point, the airline has legal responsability of the child.
The child is given a "UM* pouch" containing 4 documents:
- the airline ticket
- the identity documents
- the parental authorization
- a filled-in identification sheet listing the name and address of the person designated person to pick up the child at the destination airport.
A steward or stewardess will escort the child until the flight boards.
During the flight
Your child will be looked after by the flight crew. If the journey involves a transfer on the same airline, your child will remain under the airline's supervision. In the event of a connecting flight on another airline, you must complete the appropriate procedures with this airline before departure.
On arrival
As a general rule, minors leave the plane last of all, escorted by a steward or stewardess.
Your child will be handed over off to the designated person once their identity has been checked.