✈️ Can I take my child abroad without the other parent?

With conditions

Quick answer

Only with a notarised declaration from the other parent. When a child under 18 travels abroad without their parents or with only one of them, a declaration of consent from the absent parent must be produced at the border. The declaration may be in free text (the foreign ministry publishes templates), but the signature must be certified by a notary; the birth certificate is presented at certification to establish parenthood. Consent can be for a specific trip or open-ended — until the child turns 18. A parent who is abroad can have the declaration certified at a Bulgarian embassy or consulate. If the other parent refuses or cannot be found, consent is substituted by the court under art. 127a of the Family Code.

📋 The rules

A declaration of consent from the absent parent is required
The signature must be certified by a notary
Consent may cover one trip or run until age 18
Abroad, certification is done at an embassy or consulate
On refusal, the court decides under art. 127a Family Code

🔓 Exceptions

No declaration is needed when the child travels with both parents
A sole parent with exclusive parental rights presents the court judgment instead
Where a parent has died, an extract from the death certificate is presented

⚠️ Penalties & fines

There is no fine here — there is something worse: the border will not let the child out. A missing or improperly certified declaration means departure is refused, and the trip collapses on the spot, tickets and bookings lost. Travelling in breach of a court-ordered contact regime, or removing the child without consent, can amount to international child abduction under the Hague Convention and lead to the child's return, to criminal liability, and to a change in the exercise of parental rights. Check the declaration weeks ahead, not at the airport — notarial certification is not something you arrange in an hour.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

Do I need a declaration if I travel alone with my child?

Yes. Where the child travels with only one parent, a notarised declaration of consent from the other must be produced at the border. No declaration is required only when the child travels with both parents.

Can one declaration cover several trips?

Yes. Consent may be given for a specific trip or open-ended, until the child turns 18. An open-ended declaration saves a notarial appointment before every subsequent trip.

What if the other parent refuses?

Consent is then substituted by the court under art. 127a of the Family Code. You file an application, the court weighs the child's interest, and it may authorise the travel despite the refusal.

The parent is abroad — where do they certify it?

At the Bulgarian embassy or consulate where they live, where an authorised official performs the certification. Certification before a foreign notary requires additional legalisation.

What happens if I have no declaration at the border?

The child is not permitted to leave the country and the trip collapses on the spot, with tickets lost. Notarial certification cannot be arranged in an hour, so prepare it weeks ahead.

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