Why consent is needed at all
Taking a child across a border is in principle a decision for both parents, regardless of who exercises parental rights. That is why border authorities and carriers ask for a document.
This is not a formality invented to obstruct people. It protects against a child being taken abroad without the other parent knowing.
When the other parent refuses or stays silent
Consent can be replaced by the court. The court assesses whether the travel serves the child’s interests.
A distinction is drawn between a specific trip and a general permission to travel to a defined group of countries for a defined period. The second is more convenient and harder to obtain, because courts are cautious about open-ended permissions.
Realistically: expect to justify where, when, for how long and why, not simply that you want to travel.
If you plan to live in another country
That is a different and heavier question than a holiday. Changing the country where the child lives affects the other parent’s contact and is decided as that kind of question, not as travel.
If that is your situation, say so at the start. Applying for a holiday when the intention is relocation damages both credibility and outcome.
What you must not do
Do not take the child abroad without consent or a court decision. The consequences are serious, and there is an international procedure for return that works quickly.
A parent who has done this usually loses far more than the disputed trip, including in the dispute over parental rights.
Plan with time
The court procedure does not finish in a week. If the summer holiday is in July, this is not a conversation for June.
Related
What I will need
The child’s birth certificate. Any judgment or agreement on parental rights. Details of the planned travel. The correspondence in which you asked for consent, and the reply or the absence of one.
This page provides general information and does not constitute legal advice on any specific case. Rights and deadlines depend on the facts and the applicable law.