During martial law, children can leave Ukraine accompanied by third parties. However, the State Border Guard Service clarifies that some of the rules for leaving have changed. Find out what documents are required for minors to travel abroad

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The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS) has announced changes to the rules for children traveling abroad during martial law. More details about the changes are described below.

Thus, starting from May 23, 2023, there is no need to certify the authenticity of the signature on an application for permission to temporarily travel abroad for a child without using a special form of notarial documents.

At the same time, the certification of the authenticity of the signature on the application for permission to temporarily take a child abroad, made before May 23 without the use of special forms of notarial documents on white sheets of paper with the notary's details on them, remains valid.

It is worth noting that this refers to applications for permission to temporarily travel abroad for a child executed by notaries in accordance with the issues of notarization under martial law.

Please note that this does not apply to the condition of crossing the border during martial law, when children under the age of 16 accompanied by one of their parents, grandparents, adult brother, sister, stepmother, stepfather or other persons authorized by one of the parents in a written statement certified by the guardianship and custody authority may leave Ukraine without the notarized consent of the other parent.

What does this mean? Lawyer's explanation

According to lawyer Andriy Novak in a comment to "Life.pravda", all notarized applications executed on white paper issued after May 23, 2023, are not valid.  

He noted that these changes apply only to the notarization of a child's travel permit accompanied by third parties, the lawyer explains. The issuance of a permit for a child to travel abroad accompanied by third parties, certified by the guardianship and custody authority, remains unchanged. 

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How do children under 16 travel abroad?

The legislation clearly states that such children must be accompanied by a third party:

- mother or father in the presence of a child's birth certificate. We emphasize that during martial law, the notarized consent of the other parent is not required;

- other relatives - grandparents, stepmother, stepfather or adult brother or sister. In this case, a child's birth certificate and a document confirming kinship are also required;

- persons who are not related to the child. These citizens need to have a written statement from one of the parents (to be certified by the guardianship authority), the child's birth certificate and an adult identity document.

More information on the rules for children traveling abroad under martial law can be found here.

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