Authorization to leave the territory (AST)
Verified 20 March 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
A minor of French nationality who comes to France (or a minor of foreign nationality who usually lives in France) and travels abroad must have an exit authorization (AST) if he does not travel with a person who has parental authority. We present you the information to know.
The authorization to leave the territory (AST) is mandatory as soon as a minor child leaves France without being accompanied of one of its parents or a other person with parental authority (guardian, curator).
Minors concerned | Minors not concerned |
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A child traveling only with his father or only with his mother has no need for AST, even if his parents are separated or divorced.
Please note
If the minor leaves the metropolis to go to a overseas department or region (Drom), it must have an AST in case of stopover abroad (outside France).
You must fill in a form :
Authorization to leave the territory (AST)
Once you have completed the entry, you will be able to download the completed form. You can also print the blank form and fill it out by hand.
Please note
No displacement is not required. It is not necessary to go to the town hall, the prefecture or the police station.
The duration of the AST is set by parent who signs it. It may correspond to the duration of a particular trip or have a longer duration (6 months for example).
However, the period of validity of the AST may not not to exceed 1 year.
The AST form must be presented to the border guard during the border control.
The AST must be signed by a single parent holding parental authority. It is not necessary for the 2 parents to sign the form.
Warning
If the minor is the subject of a Exit opposition (OST) or a exit ban (IST), he cannot leave French territory, even if he has an AST.
The OST prohibits any exit from the territory. In the case of STIs, exit is only possible if the STI is lifted. The lifting must be the subject of a declaration before a judicial police officer (OPJ) by one or other of the parents holding parental authority (rights and duties towards the child) or 2.
When parents are divorced or separated, the signature of the AST depends on who exercises parental authority:
- In the event ofjoint parental authority, the AST must be signed by one of the parents, without the need for the other parent to sign. However, it is recommended to obtain the agreement of the other parent to avoid any conflict.
- If one parent holds parental authority by court decision (exclusive parental authority), this parent is the only one able to sign the AST.
If the minor travels in the European Union or abroad alone or without one of his parents, the minor must have AST and a photocopy readable the valid identity card or passport of the person who signed the AST form.
The photocopy of the official document proving the identity of the signatory must include the following elements:
- His name and first names
- Date and place of birth
- His photograph
- His signature
- The dates of issue and validity of the document and the issuing authority.
Depending on the nationality of the person signing the AST, different types of identity documents are allowed:
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Person of French nationality
National identity card or passport valid or expired for less than 5 years
National of the European Union, the European Economic Area (Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein) or Switzerland
- Valid national identity card or passport issued by the State of origin
- Residence document issued by the French administration attesting to his right to stay on the territory (temporary residence card, residence card or specific permit for refugees and stateless persons valid)
Third-country national of the European Union
- Valid passport issued by the State of origin
- Residence document issued by the French administration attesting to his right to stay on the territory (temporary residence card, residence card or specific permit for refugees and stateless persons valid)
The minor must also have in his possession valid id in his name: identity card or passport + visa if necessary depending on the country of destination.
Please note
No other documents must be asked.
Example :
The family record book cannot be required when your child crosses the border, even if the child and the parent who signed the AST have a different name.
The AST form is legally sufficient, even if the parent who signed it does not have the same surname as the child. There is no requirement to present a family record book. However, as a precaution, it may be useful to have a copy to avoid any misunderstanding.
It is strongly recommended to consult the section Travel advice on the site diplomatie.gouv.fr:
In case of difficulty at the time of crossing the border (unjustified request for family booklet, rejection of AST, unrecognized signature,...), you can contact Border Police.
Who shall I contact
By email: dcpaf-cic@interieur.gouv.fr
In case of denied boarding by an airline, you can send a complaint to the airline.
If no response within 2 months, you can enter the Civil Aviation Branch (CAB).
Who shall I contact
By post
Civil Aviation Directorate General
50 Henry Farman Street
75720 Paris Cedex 15
By phone
01 58 09 43 21
Reminder
Airlines are not entitled to refuse boarding solely on the basis of a difference in name between the signing parent and the minor (or the non-presentation of a family record book), if the AST is correctly completed.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
Rules applicable to minors (Article 20 and Annex VII)
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Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs