Unaccompanied minor travelling to Australia

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Hi, I hope someone can help or point me in the right direction.

My child is travelling to Australia by themself next week, and has an evisitor visa (EU passport). (Subclass 651)

I'm trying to find any firm information about whether they need any additional documentation such as a consent to travel, etc.

Does anyone know anything? Thanks :)

How old are they? Are they flying as an unaccompanied minor (i.e. registered as such with the airline)?

Sorry I should have provided more details.
They are 14 years old.
Flying by themself, not registered with the airline.

(It's late here and I'm going to bed, but will be grateful for any answers and I will respond in the morning.)

It shouldn't be an issue getting into Australia but more so leaving whichever country your child is departing from.

I'd check the requirements there for children travelling without both parents and make sure you get the relevant paperwork sorted out showing that both parents agree to the travel.

If this is the first time your child has travelled to Australia please be really firm with them about what they can and can't bring into the country - and if in doubt tick yes on the customs forms (for food especially). Its better to declare something thats ok to come in than not and get a hefty fine.

Bloody hell - it's not a trip I would fancy taking by myself and I'm a seasoned traveller.

Where is the flight stopping over ? have you checked the regulations for minors travelling alone with that country. I must admitted I'd be registering them with the airline.

Who are they flying with?

Why wouldn't you fly to Australia by yourself? It's not a trip to Mars, it's a pretty well trodden path these days!

Good grief

Because it's a long way and I like company !

I have flown to Australia so I know of what I speak.
I imagine for a 14 year old it could be daunting. I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking this.

It could be daunting but a good experience! He/she is prob too old for unaccompanied minor. I flew around the world every few months alone at this age and younger, totally doable. Make sure they have enough time to change planes wherever they layover. OP have you looked on here?

immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/check-twice-submit-once/visitor-visa#:~:text=If%20you%20are%20under%2018%20years%20old%20and%20you%20intend,complete%20and%20sign%20Form%201229.
If you are under 18 years old and you intend to travel without a parent or guardian and you will not be staying with a relative or travelling with an organised tour, you must include both of the forms below with your application:

• Form 1229 - Consent to grant an Australian visa to a child under the age of 18 years (276KB PDF). Your parent/s or legal guardian must complete and sign Form 1229. You must also provide a copy of the driver's licence or passport (or other form of identification with signature and photo) of whoever signed the form
• Form 1257 - Undertaking Declaration (211KB PDF). This has to be completed and signed by the person nominated by your parent/s or legal guardian/s to provide accommodation and be responsible for you during your stay in Australia.

Ps I googled alone minor entry to Australia and that link is the top hit

Ds flew alone to Oz when he was 14 and loved the whole experience.

I have flown to Australia alone and would love to have done it at 14. You sound needy.

@DPotter I imagine it depends on the 14yo. Mine would be fine with it (seasoned traveller who has flown alone a few times). I live in Nz and have made the trip alone to the UK many times, it really isn't a big deal!

Thanks everyone for the information, it's much appreciated.
Also a very good point about leaving the country.
Minor panic stations here but it should be OK.

They have not flown by themselves before, but they have travelled often with us and we have always included them - i.e. getting them to find the check in desk for us, finding the gate, etc. It's a bit nerve-inducing but I'm confident they will be fine with that aspect of things.

Well I've been called many things, but this is a first for 'needy'!

Not a hope would I allow my 14 year old fly unaccompanied don't care how needy it overprotective it makes me

I would have been ok with the logistics of it at that age but I suffered form travel sickness so there is not a chance I could have gone alone. Hopefully your child doesn’t get this OP! Might be worth sending them with some meds incase. Will they have a phone? I would register them with the airline if you can. Are they connecting planes or is it one way to Perth?

You do realize that's not what the OP asked, right? And that you have absolutely no idea of her circumstances?

@Addyourmessagehereandhere ex airline employee here and looked after many under 18's who have been stranded at Heathrow!

If there's disruption would they be ok dealing with that if weather or something meant they were significantly impacted? As they're under 18 we would look after my ex airline put them in a hotel with 2 staff members or sit in one of our lounges with 2 staff members overnight if all hotels were full but I don't know what other airlines would do!

Also if they don't arrive through the arrival doors (believe me I've seen it happen) there's nothing the airline can tell you not even if they got on the plane as they're not registered as an unaccompanied minor so we couldn't share that info!

My comment was in response to a comment from tygertyger. Threads can become conversions, ranging over wider areas than the narrow question initially asked by the OP

Hi all, just to update and in case anyone else with the same questions comes across this thread.

• My child made it there fine. There was a delay for the plane leaving from the UK which meant that the connection was lost. But it was rebooked and all went smoothly. (It was a change at Dubai.)
• No documents were asked on arrival at Australia, although we had got the Form1229 filled out and notarised, along with their birth certificate, our passports, and another generic letter stating we allow them to travel.
• I called Australian immigration and they were not very useful. They said that if the visa was granted then as far as they were concerned nothing more was needed, but they don't know what Customs might ask and Customs may or may not need a form, and they can't comment or provide any contact to be able to check with Customs.
• On arrival, my child was asked for the phone number of whoever was picking them up and the Immigration person called our relative to check/update them.
• The Check twice submit once page was useful (notwithstanding the above).
• Also very useful and shared with me in another thread was this copy of the Embarkation Card.
• Overall, all the information about unaccompanied minors seems to be for a child travelling with one parent and needing the approval of the other. But when the child is completely by themselves they seem to need less documentation somehow.