Travel tips: What are the rules around children travelling to Japan?

WITH MY PARTNER I'M TAKING MY 10-YEAR-OLD GRANDDAUGHTER TO JAPAN. I UNDERSTAND THERE CAN BE ISSUES TRAVELLING WITH YOUNG CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT YOUR OWN. DO WE NEED SPECIAL DOCUMENTATION? G. STEVENS, BALMAIN

In the case of travelling between Australia and Japan that's unlikely, but grandparents or anyone else intending to fly with children who are not their own are well advised to have a consent form.

According to a spokesperson for finder.com.au, "In terms of documentation, each country has their own requirements for children travelling without their legal guardian and some will require evidence of parental permission to travel. It's a good idea to take a signed permission letter just in case, and to look up the rules of the country you are travelling to beforehand to see if any other documents are required."

There are several child travel consent forms that you can download from the internet but it's simple enough to create your own. Ideally the form should be signed by both parents, especially if the parents are divorced. Having the consent form witnessed by a Justice of the Peace gives it rock solid credibility.

You also need to address the issue of travel insurance, and finder.com.au advises that in most cases grandchildren under 21 can be listed on a grandparent's travel insurance policy as a dependent.

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