Reviewed by ThaiLawOnline, a licensed Thai law firm practising in Thailand since 2006. Thai lawyer of record: Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., Thai Bar Licence 3149/2556.
Last updated on September 5, 2026
A travel consent letter (หนังสือยินยอมให้บุตรเดินทาง, also called a travel permit, parental consent letter or, after the district office form on which it is certified, a Por Kor 14) is a signed statement by a parent holding parental power that a minor child may travel abroad, with a named adult or alone. Its legal root is Section 1567(1) of the Civil and Commercial Code, which gives the right to decide the child’s residence to the holder of parental power; where that power is shared, both parents must agree before the child leaves Thailand. Airlines, immigration and embassies ask for it to guard against abduction.
Table of Contents
Where the requirement comes from
Parental power. Under Section 1566 a child is under the parental power of both parents, and under Section 1567 that power includes fixing the child’s residence and demanding the child’s return from anyone who keeps the child without right. Taking a child abroad is a residence decision, so a parent with joint parental power needs the other’s agreement, and a parent with none, typically an unmarried father who has not completed legitimation, needs the mother’s. No statute prescribes a form of consent; the requirement is enforced by whoever controls the border, the aircraft or the passport.
Who asks for it. Thai immigration may question an adult leaving with a child who has a different surname or no parent present. Airlines apply their own unaccompanied-minor and single-parent rules. Foreign embassies ask for the other parent’s certified consent before issuing a passport to a dual-national child, and the Thai passport office requires both parents or a certified consent for a child under 20.
How to obtain and use the letter
The consenting parent goes to the amphur or khet office with an identity card or passport, the house registration, the child’s birth certificate and, where relevant, the marriage or divorce certificate and any custody order. The registrar witnesses the signature and issues the certification on the Por Kor 14 form, in Thai. A parent abroad signs before a notary or at the Thai embassy instead. Where one parent holds sole parental power, the registered custody clause or court order replaces the other signature and should travel with the child.
For use outside Thailand the letter usually needs a certified translation and legalisation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A good letter names the child, passport number, the accompanying adult, the destination and the dates of travel and return, with the consenting parent’s contact details and a copy of their identity document. Open-ended consents are accepted less readily than dated ones.
When consent is refused or ignored
A parent who will not consent can be replaced by the court. The Juvenile and Family Court can authorise a specific trip, vary the custody arrangement, or grant sole parental power under Section 1566 where the refusal is unreasonable or the other parent cannot be found. Conversely a parent who fears removal can ask the court to bar the child’s departure.
Leaving with the child without consent, an agreement permitting it or a court order is treated seriously. Civilly the other parent can demand the child’s return under Section 1567 and seek a change of custody; criminally, taking a child under 15 from the parent without reasonable cause is an offence; and internationally the case may fall under the 1980 Hague Convention, which Thailand applies with countries that have accepted its accession.
Frequently asked questions
Does a child need a travel consent letter to leave Thailand with one parent?
There is no single law requiring it, but immigration officers, airlines and the destination country may ask for it, and the other parent’s consent is legally needed where parental power is shared. The safe practice is to carry a consent letter certified at the district office, or the custody order if one parent holds sole parental power.
Where do I get a Por Kor 14 travel consent in Thailand?
At the amphur or khet office where the consenting parent is registered, with an identity card or passport, house registration, the child’s birth certificate and any custody documents. The registrar witnesses the signature and issues the certification the same day. A parent outside Thailand signs before a notary or at a Thai embassy.
What if my ex refuses to sign the travel consent for our child?
Apply to the Juvenile and Family Court, which can authorise the specific trip or vary parental power if the refusal is unreasonable. Do not travel without consent: the other parent can demand the child’s return, seek custody, and in some cases start criminal or Hague Convention proceedings.
See also: parental powers, full (sole) custody, child custody, legalisation of documents, and the full guides to travel permits for children in Thailand and child abduction in Thailand.
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