Title
Minors travelling alone are turned back at airports without parental travel consent Apostille Korea processed 3,197 parental travel consent documents last year, up from 50 in 2016.
- Related countries
- 필리핀, 베트남
Content
Apostille Korea said minors travelling abroad on their own must carry a parental travel consent document. Travellers who leave without it have been refused departure, or sent home after arriving overseas, the company said. The number of such documents it processed rose from 50 in 2016 to 3,197 last year.
- More countries now require parental travel consent for minors travelling alone, amid concern over crimes targeting children.
- Without the document, travellers have been refused departure or forced to return home after entry.
- The consent document also states the duty to recall the minor as soon as the travel period ends.
- Apostille Korea processed 50 such documents in 2016 and 3,197 last year.
Why the document is demanded
As crimes targeting children have risen worldwide, immigration authorities have tightened their checks on minors travelling alone. A parental travel consent document is the legal proof that a parent has agreed to the minor's trip abroad. It also records the duty to recall the minor as soon as the travel period expires. Apostille Korea said cases continue in which travellers were refused departure without the document, or were sent home after arriving. The company added that some travellers bound for the Philippines and Vietnam were held at the airport.
How much demand has grown
Apostille Korea processed 3,197 parental travel consent documents as of the end of last year. That is sixty times the 50 handled in 2016. Enquiries have risen alongside the concentration of minors' overseas travel during school holidays and long weekends. The company advised travellers to check what the destination country requires before departure. The document can be applied for through Apostille Korea.
Frequently asked questions
What is a parental travel consent document?
It is the legal proof that a parent consents to a minor's travel abroad. It also states the duty to recall the minor as soon as the travel period ends.
What happens without it?
Travellers have been refused departure or forced to return home after arriving overseas. Some were held at airports in the Philippines and Vietnam.
Where can it be obtained?
It can be applied for through Apostille Korea.
Source: 세계일보 · 2019-02-07