Ministry answers queries on under-18s and travel to and from France

The Interior Ministry has provided some clarifications after we recently flagged up confusion among British families about rules for under-18s when travelling.

Read more: Residency and travel: Confusion over French rules for non-EU under-18s

A spokesman said the Douanes (customs) service will also issue a reminder of the rules to border control officers at Limoges, where several British families had reported issues.

He said that applications for DCEM travel documents for non-EU under-18s are now made online.

The information from online applications is presented in a paper format featuring a security barcode, rather than on a laminated card.

The new system is recognised across the Schengen area.

DCEM to avoid passport stamping

Passports of under-18s benefiting from the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement should not be stamped.

They are not obliged to have a DCEM, similarly to other children of nationalities that do not need visas for short-term visits to France.

However, as this can be complicated to prove if they are not with their parents, a DCEM can be useful to avoid passport stamping.

In any case, the stamping of passports of people with a continuing right to live in France has no legal effect.

The spokesman stressed that all unaccompanied children travelling abroad need a free autorisation de sortie du territoire form.

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