Documents
Power of attorney for a traveling minor, and the travel consent letter for a minor in the UAE
A power of attorney for a traveling minor lets a parent give another adult, such as a grandparent, an aunt or a family friend, the authority to travel with the child and act for the child on the trip. A travel consent letter is the simpler version: the parent who stays behind states that they agree to the trip. Both are signed before a notary so the airline and the border can trust the signature.
We draft both, and our in-house notary public notarises them in person at Business Bay, online, or at home. Service is available 24/7. Send the travel dates and where each parent is on WhatsApp +971 52 947 5935.
Side by side
Consent letter, affidavit or POA
| Document | What it does | When it fits | Usual notary act |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel consent letter for a minor | The non-travelling parent states they agree to the trip | Child travels with the other parent | Signature authentication |
| Affidavit of parental consent | The same statement, sworn | The airline or destination asks for a sworn statement | Affidavit |
| Power of attorney for a traveling minor | Gives the travelling adult named powers | Child travels with a grandparent, relative, another family or a school | Special POA |
"NOC" and "consent letter" describe the same kind of letter. Many UAE offices say NOC; many airlines and borders say consent letter. There is no single government form for a child travel consent form in the UAE, so the letter is drafted for the trip. It is also called a child travel consent letter or a notarized consent letter from the non-traveling parent.
A child travelling with another family
An adult in charge of someone else's child may need to authorise a doctor, deal with a police station after a lost passport, or sign a hotel form. A consent letter does not give those powers. A POA does, if each is written in. Under Article 870 of the Civil Transactions Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025), any act beyond management needs a special agency naming the act. So we list each one: travel, medical consent, dealing with police, embassy and airline, and the dates the POA covers.
Documents
Also in Documents
Checklist
What the document must say
What the document must say
- Each parent's full name, passport number and, for residents, Emirates ID number.
- The child's full name, date of birth and passport number.
- The travelling adult's full name, passport number and relationship to the child.
- Destination countries, dates and flight details if known.
- The permission, or for a POA, each power on its own line.
- A contact number for the parent who stays behind.
Signing in Dubai or from abroad
In Dubai.
The parent signs before our in-house notary public at Business Bay, online, or at home with our home visit service, with their original passport and Emirates ID. We prepare the bilingual text.
From abroad.
The parent can sign before a UAE consul (Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022, Article 3), or before a local notary followed by attestation by that country's foreign ministry, the UAE embassy there and MOFAIC. The UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so an apostille alone is not enough.
Your options
When a parent is abroad, separated or refusing
A
Abroad and willing.
Use the consul or foreign notary route. Start early, because the attestation chain has several offices.
B
Separated or divorced.
Read the custody or divorce judgment first. It may say who can travel with the child. We draft the consent to match it.
C
Refusing.
A notary records a signature given freely and cannot record one that is refused. The remaining route is an application to the personal status court at Dubai Courts, usually through a lawyer who holds a special POA naming pleading. See the court case POA page.
D
Travel ban.
If a court has ordered that the child may not travel, no consent letter or POA overrides it. Only the court can lift it.
Watch for
Mistakes to avoid
- The passport number on the letter is from an old passport.
- The letter gives only "permission to travel" when the adult needs medical or legal powers.
- A letter signed abroad was never attested by the UAE embassy or MOFAIC.
- The parent signed at home and brought the letter to the notary already signed.
Fees
Cost
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Our service: child travel consent | From AED 1,200 |
| Our service: child travel POA | From AED 1,500 |
| Federal fee, signature authentication | AED 200 per party |
| Federal fee, affidavit | AED 300 |
| Federal fee, general or special POA | AED 100 per party |
All service prices are starting prices and are negotiable. Government fees are paid on top, at cost, exactly as the authority charges them. We confirm your final price before you pay.
How we help
How we help
We have an in-house notary public at our Business Bay office, and we offer in person, online and home visit notary public services. We ask who travels, where, for how long, and what the adult might have to do. From that we draft a consent letter, an affidavit or a child travel POA. If a parent refuses, we say so plainly and explain the court route. See the father's NOC for a child's visa, the power of attorney page and the personal documents page.
Questions
Questions about child travel documents
Does a child need a consent letter to leave the UAE with one parent?
It depends on the airline, the destination and the family's situation. A notarised consent from the other parent answers the question before anyone asks it.
What is the difference between a child travel POA and a consent letter?
A consent letter says the parent agrees. A child travel power of attorney gives the travelling adult named powers, such as medical consent.
Can the other parent sign the consent from their home country?
Yes, before a UAE consul or a local notary with the full attestation chain.
What if the other parent will not sign at all?
No notary can help. The route is an application to the personal status court, usually through a lawyer.
Contact
Send us your question
Tell us the document, who signs it and where it will be used. We reply with the route, the list of what to bring and your price.
Sources for this page
- Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013 concerning Notaries Public in the Emirate of Dubai, Article 27: https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2013/Law%20No.%20(4)%20of%202013%20Concerning%20Notaries%20Public%20in%20the%20Emirate%20of%20Dubai.html
- Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025, Civil Transactions Law, Article 870: https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/4011
- Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024 on notary fees, items 8, 9 and 12: https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/2491
- Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022, Article 3: https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1563
- MOFAIC attestation: https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/services/attestation
- HCCH Apostille Convention status table: https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=41