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**ADVERTISEMENT | Article created in partnership with ROMTRANSLATE** # Vacation with your child abroad? Documents that can matter more than the plane ticket The tickets are in the phone. The hotel is booked. The luggage is almost closed. There remains the eternal negotiation about how many toys fit in a cabin trolley, and, theoretically, the vacation can begin. But there's one detail that could stop your departure before you reach your destination: **the child's documents**. The problem arises especially when the minor is not traveling with both parents. Does he go with just his mother or his father? Is he going with his grandparents? Is one of the parents already abroad? Is there a court decision issued in another country? Or is the teenager over 16 and going to leave alone? These are absolutely normal situations for today's families. But everyone can come with their own set of documents. And there is another trap: **Schengen does not mean that the rules for the travel of Romanian minors have disappeared**. Even though classic border control no longer exists at internal borders, the legal conditions regarding the exit of minors from Romania continue to apply, and authorities may conduct unsystematic checks. ## The first thing to pack: the child's document The birth certificate is important. But **it is not a travel document**. The minor must have their own valid document – passport or, where accepted, identity card. The Border Police explicitly states that the birth certificate cannot replace the travel document. It seems obvious. Until the day someone arrives at the airport convinced that they "have all the child's documents." ## Is only the mother leaving or only the father? This is where the declaration appears. In the usual situation in which a Romanian minor goes abroad with only one parent, the consent of the other parent is required, expressed through an authenticated declaration. The declaration can cover travel for a period of **maximum three years from the date of preparation**. And if the document is necessary for travel, its photo from WhatsApp or the PDF stored on the phone does not replace the document that must be presented in the form required by law. The Border Police drew attention to this again in 2026. There are, of course, exceptions: for example when the other parent is deceased, when one parent exercises parental authority alone, or when there is a relevant court decision. So, the good rule before a vacation is not "I went like this last year," but **check what applies to my situation now**. ## Is the child going on vacation with the grandparents? The fact that they are grandparents does not solve the documents. Grandparents are probably among the most trustworthy people you could leave your child with. For the law, however, they are a different adult than the parent or legal representative. In such a situation, the general rule assumes the existence of an authenticated declaration from both parents or the person who has the legal right to express their consent, and the document also mentions the details of the companion. Good news: the companion no longer has to carry around a physical copy of the criminal record certificate. The Border Police can electronically verify this information. Less paper. But not zero paper. ## Is one of the parents already abroad? Don't leave documents for the last few days. This is where things get a little more interesting. Let's assume that one of the parents is in Romania with the child, and the other lives or works temporarily in another country and needs to express their consent for the trip. The declaration can be authenticated at a diplomatic mission or a consular office of Romania. The document can also be drawn up before a competent foreign authority, but then it must be verified **what formalities are necessary for the document to be used in Romania**. Depending on the country in which the document was issued, a Hague apostille, legalization may be required, or there may be an international convention that eliminates these formalities. And here comes the part that many discover late: **the language of the document and the form in which it must be presented to the Romanian authorities**. Not every document issued abroad automatically has the same translation requirements. That is why it is useful to check before ordering translation, legalization or other formalities. According to the information provided for this article by **ROMTRANSLATE Constanța**, those who already have the document can send it in scanned or photographed format for an initial check of the type of translation that may be required. It's considerably more convenient to find out this from home than with your luggage by the door. ## Is the decision regarding the child issued abroad? Not all situations are the same. There are still families in which the other parent's statement is not even the main document. There may be, for example, a court decision regarding the exercise of parental authority. For judgments rendered in a member state of the European Union, there are European rules regarding their recognition. The Border Police specifies that, for use when crossing the border in the situations described by the institution, the document must be presented in the required form, including with regard to translation. For judgments originating from non-EU states, there may be other procedures, including recognition, apostille or legalization. In Romanian: **do not assume that a decision issued in another country can be taken out of the bag exactly as you received it and the problem is solved**. The check must be done beforehand. ## "But we are going to the EU." Da The destination country may also have its own rules. There is another common confusion: if you have met the conditions for leaving Romania, it means you are done with the checks. Not necessarily. At the European Union level **there is no single rule regarding additional documents for all minors traveling alone, with only one parent or another adult**. Each state can set its own requirements. Even countries you are only transiting through may have rules that are worth checking. And there's someone else in the equation: **the airline**. The official Your Europe platform recommends checking the carrier's conditions in advance, as some companies may request additional documents or their own forms for minors traveling without both parents. For example, if the parent and child have different last names, it may be useful to check whether the airline or destination authorities also require a document proving the family relationship. Don't make assumptions. An email or a check made in advance can save a much less pleasant conversation at the airport. ## He is over 16 years old. Can he go alone? **Yes, under certain conditions.** Minor Romanian citizens who have reached the age of 16 can travel unaccompanied abroad with the consent of both parents, expressed through an authenticated declaration. If the minor has his/her domicile or residence in the destination state, the law also provides for the situation in which he/she can travel without this declaration. The information was updated by the Border Police on August 31, 2026. But again: separate from the legislation regarding exiting Romania, the carrier's policy for minor passengers traveling alone must be checked. ## The 5-minute checklist that can save the beginning of your vacation Before you close the trolley, check: - the child's travel document and its validity period; - whether your situation requires the declaration of the other parent or both parents; - whether the document must be presented in original; - whether the data of the person accompanying the child is correct; - whether a document issued abroad requires an apostille, legalization, translation or other formalities; - whether there is a relevant court decision and in what form it can be used in Romania; - the rules of the destination country and any transit countries; - the airline's conditions for minors. And, very importantly, check a few days before, not on the morning of the flight. ## The vacation should start with "boarding", not with "we're missing a document" Preparing documents will never win the competition with choosing a hotel, searching for restaurants, or negotiating with your child about how much time they're allowed on their tablet on the plane. But it's one of those boring things that can suddenly become extremely important. If you have a declaration, a court decision or another document issued abroad and you do not know in what form it should be used in Romania, **ROMTRANSLATE Constanța** recommends checking the document before translating it, to determine what type of service is required and what the completion deadline is. Because the last surprise you want on a vacation with kids is at the boarding gate. **Official sources consulted:** Romanian Border Police – travel conditions for minor Romanian citizens and rules regarding declarations of consent; Legislative Portal – Law no. 248/2005; European Commission – Your Europe, documents required for minors travelling to the EU. Information regarding travel conditions may change, so it should be checked again before the actual date of departure.

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