BOAT-COMPARATOR Guide
The Travel Authorization Document Not to Forget for a Minor
Grandparents, uncles, sailing instructors: whenever a minor travels abroad without both parents, a French exit authorization is mandatory. What to know before booking.
The same situation comes up every summer: grandparents or family friends book a boat abroad to take children on holiday, without thinking of a document that has actually been mandatory since 2017.
The rule, in one sentence
Since 15 January 2017, any French minor leaving French territory without a parent holding parental authority must carry an autorisation de sortie du territoire (AST) — an exit authorization signed by one parent, along with a copy of that parent's ID. This document is separate from the child's passport or ID card, and remains mandatory even for a simple trip within the European Union — so for reaching a rental port in Spain, Italy, Greece or Croatia.
Who it applies to, who it doesn't
It covers French minors living in France, as well as foreign minors who habitually live there. A child travelling with just one of their two parents, on the other hand, does not need an AST, even if the parents are separated or divorced — the rule specifically targets trips with no parent present at all: grandparents, aunts and uncles, sailing instructors, host families.
How to get one
The form (Cerfa 15646) can be filled in for free at home, with no trip to the town hall, and is signed by one parent. It's valid for no more than a year from the date it's signed: for a rental booked months in advance, it's better to sign it close to departure rather than too early.
The right move before booking
- Check who will actually accompany the child aboard and to the border, not just on the boat itself.
- Prepare the AST and the signing parent's ID copy well ahead of departure, not the night before.
- Bring the original, not just a photo on a phone, especially for a flight taken before boarding.
If the two parents genuinely disagree over a trip abroad, it isn't settled on the dock: it falls to the family court judge, who rules based on the child's best interests.
A rule with a real history behind it
This requirement wasn't born from administrative whim: it responds to a concern well documented by research on international parental child abduction, a phenomenon with lasting consequences for the children involved and for the parent left without news for years (Greif, American Journal of Family Therapy, 2009, see the study on Google Scholar). Just a form, then, but one answering a real issue.
Once that's sorted, Boat-Comparator lets you compare family-friendly offers, with or without a skipper, for a stress-free holiday — see also our guide to sailing with kids.
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