Departure of a Minor from Georgia: Rules and Parental Consent
8 July 2025
Introduction
Any trip abroad by a minor without even one parent is a challenge and a cause for concern for the whole family. Is consent from the second parent required, in which country might it be requested, and how should it be drafted?
If a minor travels frequently, including without parents, the issue can be resolved thoroughly: a notarized parental consent can be prepared allowing the child to travel abroad alone or accompanied by one parent, listing the maximum number of countries and setting the maximum validity period—up to adulthood. The consent should be translated into English and apostilled for certainty. It is advisable to also include the child’s birth certificate and parents' passports, all translated into English and apostilled.
BUT let us clarify: from the legal standpoint, this is an excessive measure and justified only for frequent solo travel. What is required under Georgian law—read below.
If a minor travels frequently, including without parents, the issue can be resolved thoroughly: a notarized parental consent can be prepared allowing the child to travel abroad alone or accompanied by one parent, listing the maximum number of countries and setting the maximum validity period—up to adulthood. The consent should be translated into English and apostilled for certainty. It is advisable to also include the child’s birth certificate and parents' passports, all translated into English and apostilled.
BUT let us clarify: from the legal standpoint, this is an excessive measure and justified only for frequent solo travel. What is required under Georgian law—read below.
I. Departure of Minors Who Are Citizens of Georgia (Including Dual Citizens)
The rules for the departure of minor citizens are established by Article 8 of the Law of Georgia "On the Procedure for Leaving and Entering Georgia by Citizens of Georgia" (in effect since 1993):
1. Minors under 16 years old may leave Georgia with one parent. The consent of the second parent is not required (even if the child holds dual citizenship—one of which is Georgian—and travels with the parent who is not a Georgian citizen).
2. Departure of a minor under 16 years old without parents is allowed if accompanied by a capable adult—consent from one parent is required. Such consent must be notarized. Consent from one parent is sufficient.
3. Minors aged 16 to 18 years old (if not married) may travel without accompanying adults, but with mandatory notarized consent from one parent.
1. Minors under 16 years old may leave Georgia with one parent. The consent of the second parent is not required (even if the child holds dual citizenship—one of which is Georgian—and travels with the parent who is not a Georgian citizen).
2. Departure of a minor under 16 years old without parents is allowed if accompanied by a capable adult—consent from one parent is required. Such consent must be notarized. Consent from one parent is sufficient.
3. Minors aged 16 to 18 years old (if not married) may travel without accompanying adults, but with mandatory notarized consent from one parent.
II. Departure of Minors Who Are Foreign Citizens (NOT Georgian Citizens)
This is not directly regulated by Georgian legislation. Nevertheless, Georgia’s border police are obliged to follow international law when checking border crossings by foreign minors. Based on the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) and the Hague Convention on Child Abduction (1980), minors must travel accompanied by adults and with parental consent. Therefore, all the above-mentioned recommendations for Georgian minors are advisable for foreign minors as well.
III. Prohibition on Departure of a Minor from Georgia
How and Who Can Restrict the Departure of a Minor from Georgia
1. A ban on the departure of a minor can only be imposed by court order. The ban may be issued by a court upon request from one of the parents or even third parties (e.g., prosecutor or social protection service acting in the child’s interest).
2. A request to ban departure may be submitted as an interim (including preliminary) measure within a court case—for example, a custody dispute.
3. The court considers the request to prohibit a minor’s departure within 1 day, without summoning the parties.
4. Once the court issues the order, it immediately notifies the border police about the restriction.
! A court-ordered travel ban from Georgia may apply to both Georgian and foreign minors.
JUST Advisors has handled a case where a minor citizen of Israel, both of whose parents were foreigners, was prohibited from leaving Georgia. The restriction was imposed by a Georgian court upon request of the Israeli Prosecutor’s Office.
Can You Find Out About a Travel Ban Before Departure?
1. Discovering that a child is prohibited from leaving the country right at passport control is every parent’s nightmare. Unfortunately, it is NOT possible to find out in advance through the Border Police if such a ban has been imposed.
2. The only way to be aware of such measures is to monitor the court case in which such interim measures might be imposed. Typically, these are disputes between parents. A parent concerned about such measures can check their own court case at any time (judicial proceedings in Georgia are conducted electronically, and all case materials are accessible to the parties and their authorized representatives who know the case login and password). Even if the actual decision imposing the ban appears in the materials late, the motion to impose the ban will be visible immediately — which is already a red alert.
Can the Travel Ban Be Lifted?
Yes, it can. A parent may file a motion with the court requesting the revocation of the interim measures. If the court finds the arguments of the motion valid (e.g., the child is traveling for medical treatment, studies, or for a short period and a return ticket is provided), the ban may be lifted. However, each case is strictly individual.
1. A ban on the departure of a minor can only be imposed by court order. The ban may be issued by a court upon request from one of the parents or even third parties (e.g., prosecutor or social protection service acting in the child’s interest).
2. A request to ban departure may be submitted as an interim (including preliminary) measure within a court case—for example, a custody dispute.
3. The court considers the request to prohibit a minor’s departure within 1 day, without summoning the parties.
4. Once the court issues the order, it immediately notifies the border police about the restriction.
! A court-ordered travel ban from Georgia may apply to both Georgian and foreign minors.
JUST Advisors has handled a case where a minor citizen of Israel, both of whose parents were foreigners, was prohibited from leaving Georgia. The restriction was imposed by a Georgian court upon request of the Israeli Prosecutor’s Office.
Can You Find Out About a Travel Ban Before Departure?
1. Discovering that a child is prohibited from leaving the country right at passport control is every parent’s nightmare. Unfortunately, it is NOT possible to find out in advance through the Border Police if such a ban has been imposed.
2. The only way to be aware of such measures is to monitor the court case in which such interim measures might be imposed. Typically, these are disputes between parents. A parent concerned about such measures can check their own court case at any time (judicial proceedings in Georgia are conducted electronically, and all case materials are accessible to the parties and their authorized representatives who know the case login and password). Even if the actual decision imposing the ban appears in the materials late, the motion to impose the ban will be visible immediately — which is already a red alert.
Can the Travel Ban Be Lifted?
Yes, it can. A parent may file a motion with the court requesting the revocation of the interim measures. If the court finds the arguments of the motion valid (e.g., the child is traveling for medical treatment, studies, or for a short period and a return ticket is provided), the ban may be lifted. However, each case is strictly individual.
IV. What Else Should You Keep in Mind?
1. The rules described above apply only to departure from Georgia. If you are traveling through other countries, make sure to check their local laws, although in most countries the rules are similar to those in Georgia and must comply with international legal standards.
2. Consent for the departure of a minor Georgian citizen with an accompanying adult (not a parent) can be issued by a foreign parent.
3. The consent document can be issued in any country — the key is that it must have legal force in Georgia. To achieve this, it must be notarized and, if necessary, apostilled or undergo consular legalization.
4. For Georgian border police, the consent must be presented in the Georgian language, but in practice, texts in English — and sometimes in Russian — are accepted. However, we advise against taking risks: if traveling with a foreign-language consent — have it officially translated and notarized into Georgian.
5. If the consent is issued in Georgia by someone who does not speak Georgian, the document must be bilingual, and a translator must be involved by the notary in drafting the consent.
6. A parent may only issue consent in person — issuing such consent via a power of attorney is not allowed in Georgia.
7. Georgian citizens and residence permit holders cannot issue consent via Skype with a Georgian notary — this option is available only for powers of attorney.
8. Sometimes, a travel ban is imposed by another country, or the minor is wanted in connection with abduction proceedings. In such cases, they may be allowed to enter Georgia, but not allowed to leave until the foreign dispute is resolved.
9. Minors with multiple citizenships (including Georgian) must enter and leave Georgia using their Georgian passport. They can use their other passport to enter/exit a foreign country.
10. Airlines that allow minors to travel unaccompanied may have their own rules — always verify them in advance.
11. A minor traveler should also carry, besides their passport, documents confirming the status of the parents (those traveling with the child or those who issued the consent). If the name/surname of the child in the birth certificate and passport do not match, or if the parent’s name/surname in the birth certificate and the consent do not match, carry documents that prove the name change. All documents must be legally valid within Georgia (see paras. 3−4 above).
12.Sometimes, border control officers overreach and ask for the other parent’s consent, even when a child is traveling with one parent. Such requests are unfounded, and you may confidently refer to the relevant laws outlined above and request to speak with the shift supervisor — they are usually more experienced and resolve such situations quickly.
2. Consent for the departure of a minor Georgian citizen with an accompanying adult (not a parent) can be issued by a foreign parent.
3. The consent document can be issued in any country — the key is that it must have legal force in Georgia. To achieve this, it must be notarized and, if necessary, apostilled or undergo consular legalization.
4. For Georgian border police, the consent must be presented in the Georgian language, but in practice, texts in English — and sometimes in Russian — are accepted. However, we advise against taking risks: if traveling with a foreign-language consent — have it officially translated and notarized into Georgian.
5. If the consent is issued in Georgia by someone who does not speak Georgian, the document must be bilingual, and a translator must be involved by the notary in drafting the consent.
6. A parent may only issue consent in person — issuing such consent via a power of attorney is not allowed in Georgia.
7. Georgian citizens and residence permit holders cannot issue consent via Skype with a Georgian notary — this option is available only for powers of attorney.
8. Sometimes, a travel ban is imposed by another country, or the minor is wanted in connection with abduction proceedings. In such cases, they may be allowed to enter Georgia, but not allowed to leave until the foreign dispute is resolved.
9. Minors with multiple citizenships (including Georgian) must enter and leave Georgia using their Georgian passport. They can use their other passport to enter/exit a foreign country.
10. Airlines that allow minors to travel unaccompanied may have their own rules — always verify them in advance.
11. A minor traveler should also carry, besides their passport, documents confirming the status of the parents (those traveling with the child or those who issued the consent). If the name/surname of the child in the birth certificate and passport do not match, or if the parent’s name/surname in the birth certificate and the consent do not match, carry documents that prove the name change. All documents must be legally valid within Georgia (see paras. 3−4 above).
12.Sometimes, border control officers overreach and ask for the other parent’s consent, even when a child is traveling with one parent. Such requests are unfounded, and you may confidently refer to the relevant laws outlined above and request to speak with the shift supervisor — they are usually more experienced and resolve such situations quickly.
If anything remains unclear — write to JUST Advisors, we’ll help you find the answer!
And for adult foreign travelers, a reminder: when leaving Georgia, carry proof of ties to the country, just in case questions arise at the border. We wrote more about this in our article "Refusal of Entry to Georgia: How a Foreigner Without a Residence Permit Can Protect Themselves''.
And for adult foreign travelers, a reminder: when leaving Georgia, carry proof of ties to the country, just in case questions arise at the border. We wrote more about this in our article "Refusal of Entry to Georgia: How a Foreigner Without a Residence Permit Can Protect Themselves''.
Was it helpful? Share your opinion
Do you have a task or a question?
MARIA GUSEINOVA
Leading Manager of Commercial Department
Leading Manager of Commercial Department
