mum Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 One of mine is going to Europe for a program, and then doing some travelling. After seeing another thread asking what a minor needed to travel to Canada (a lot of responses said letter of permission from both parents), it made me wonder if there was something I didn't know. Does anyone have any experience with minors travelling unaccompanied in Europe? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 I think it depends on how old the minor is. Ds traveled alone at 17 without any problems. He did have the info and a note from me just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 Since European minors travel unaccompanied all the time, I can't imagine that he'd need anything besides his passport and money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 When I was staying in France as a teenager (13), I needed a letter from my parents so that my exchange parents could take me into Spain - I didn't have it and we were turned back at the border. How old is the child concerned? L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 I think that in Europe, 16 and 17 year olds are pretty much looked upon as adults. I have friends whose kids are traveling around Europe at that age and aside from passports, money, and backpack, haven't needed anything else. However, younger than that and probably the student would not be able to consent for medical care and might have some trouble crossing borders and especially since he or she is not an EU citizen. So I think I'd contact the American Embassy in each country the student will enter and find out what they recommend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 A minor, as in under 18, aor a minor as in they have the children's passport? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum Posted May 26, 2014 Author Share Posted May 26, 2014 thanks for bits to think about. It's a 17 year old, but does have an EU country passport, so should be good to go, right? I have dim memories of lots of young people travelling alone in Europe, but I didn't know if that was still true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 A 17-year-old with an EU passport (or even without one) should be just fine traveling alone in Europe. You might want to look into getting him a student travel-abroad card; they often give you major discounts on things like transportation and museums: http://www.isic.org/ That's one of the main ones, but there are others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 Our kids have a passport pouch. The actual passport with visas goes in one pocket. In the other pocket are copies of birth certificates, insurance info and contact info for both the child and each parent. In one case I wrote a letter giving my child express permission to be traveling with a named non related adult. These other documents were all notarized copies. Y'all may think this is overkill, but, our experience, the additional paperwork is enough to give me greater peace of mind as a parent. Of course you warn your kid not to lose any of it, but they really need to take the utmost care to not lose their passports, anyway. OP, you might want to check the State Department website for the individual countries your child will pass through. Their rules regarding unaccompanied minors may vary (and maybe even the age at which each considers someone still a "minor"). OP - just realized your country of origin may not be the USA; my post refers to our specific circumstances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 and might have some trouble crossing borders and especially since he or she is not an EU citizen. If the person is traveling between Schengen states, there are no border controls and nobody would know whether he is or is not an EU citizen. Now, traveling outside the Schengen area would be different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 When I was staying in France as a teenager (13), I needed a letter from my parents so that my exchange parents could take me into Spain - I didn't have it and we were turned back at the border. But that was back when there were still border controls, right? Before Schengen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 But that was back when there were still border controls, right? Before Schengen. But AFTER a worldwide increased awareness of human trafficking. So, though maybe not expressly required, a letter wouldn't hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 But AFTER a worldwide increased awareness of human trafficking. So, though maybe not expressly required, a letter wouldn't hurt. Of course it would not hurt - but my point is that there is nobody there at a Schengen border to check anything. It's like traveling between states in the US - there are no checkpoints either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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