Important Rule: Thai Children Under 18 Must Use Birth Certificate When Traveling Abroad

Important rule: Thai children under 18 years old traveling abroad must present a "birth certificate." If not traveling with their father or mother, they must have a consent letter issued by a government agency.

On 4 Aug 2026 GMT+7, reporters noted that the outgoing immigration officers at Suvarnabhumi Airport publicized new rules for families taking Thai children under 18 out of the kingdom—that is, traveling abroad to any country.

From now on, besides passports or travel documents, parents or others must present documents to officials for smoother international travel as follows.

• The original birth certificate, a copy of the birth certificate, or an electronic photo of it.
• A consent letter from the father and/or mother issued by a government agency.

For those living in Bangkok, parents or guardians can apply for the consent letter for children under 18 at any of the 50 district offices.

Documents required to apply for a consent letter for a child to travel abroad.

• The birth certificate (of the child who will travel abroad).
• The ID card of the applicant (father or mother).
• Name change certificate (if any).

If the child travels with the father, a consent letter from the mother is required. If traveling with the mother, a consent letter from the father is needed. If traveling with someone else, separate consent letters from both mother and father are required.