Child Travel Ban UAE applications concern a preventive court order that stops a minor from leaving the UAE. The order protects the other parent’s right to see the child and remain involved in their care.
No parent can impose this ban on their own. It does not start automatically when you apply.
It only exists once a court orders it.
Child Travel Ban UAE orders and the applicable custody system
The rules depend on the custody system that applies. Article 116 of Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2024 regulates travel under the Personal Status Law.
Articles 21 and 22 of Cabinet Resolution No. 122 of 2023 apply under the civil shared custody system.
The order is a temporary judicial measure. Either parent can apply to the court after divorce to stop travel for a temporary period.
The court decides based on the grounds raised, using its discretion.
Once the order is in place, one parent cannot travel with the child outside the UAE alone. This applies in both normal and joint custody.
Travel requires one of the following:
- The other parent’s written consent
- Consent from the legal guardian
- A specific judicial permission
Under Article 116, the court may permit travel totaling up to 60 days per year, counted from the first permission. It requires a guarantee it accepts to ensure the child returns.
The court can allow more in the cases explained below. This is not a general limit on all child travel, including travel with the required written consent.
Article 21 under the civil shared custody system does not set the same limit.
Who can request a child travel ban, and how do they apply
The father or the mother can apply in joint custody. For Muslims, the guardian can apply if the father has died.
The application goes to the personal status court or the civil family court. Which one depends on the law that applies.
It is filed as an urgent petition.
You need to attach several documents. These include IDs and birth documents.
Add any existing custody orders.
You also need evidence of your concerns about removal or non-return. Messages on social media or travel tickets are examples.
For related guidance, see relocating a child after divorce in the UAE.
The court decides based on its own assessment. Article 22 of Cabinet Resolution No. 122 of 2023 and Article 38 of Abu Dhabi Law No. 14 of 2021 cover temporary requests after divorce.
They are not a general rule that applies before divorce.
How can you lift or challenge a child travel ban
You can ask the court to lift or vary the restriction and allow travel. The court considers the request under the custody system that applies.
The court may allow extra time for the child’s interests, treatment, or a necessity it assesses. It hears the other parent or guardian first, unless attendance is impossible.
Under Article 116, the court also requires a guarantee it accepts to ensure the child returns after the permitted travel period.
For cases under the civil shared custody system, Articles 21 and 22 of Cabinet Resolution No. 122 of 2023 apply. You can ask the court for permission to travel and to lift or vary the ban.
The court may require sufficient guarantees of return by the set date. Article 21 does not impose the same 60-day limit.
The temporary ban request itself can be contested before the court. The court has full discretion to give the permission or lift the ban, based on the child’s best interests.
For related guidance, see travel abroad with a child in the UAE.
Need Advice on a Child Travel Restriction?
Discuss a travel ban application, an existing restriction, judicial travel permission, or return guarantees with Faris Raian.
How do you check the position before departure
Check the decision and the case data first. Confirm whether the ban is active or suspended.
Do this by reviewing the court that issued it or the relevant authorities. Check all restrictions on both the child and the traveling parent together.
Do not rely on the electronic inquiry for financial cases. It does not cover family court restrictions.
Each service only covers its own scope.
Check directly through the official smart apps of the Ministry of Interior (MOI). If the judgment was issued in Dubai, use the Dubai Digital app.
You can also visit the passports and immigration department or the family court enforcement section. Confirm the operational status and restrictions on both the child’s and the parent’s passports together.
Requesting permission when the other parent refuses consent
You can apply for judicial permission if the other parent refuses written consent. You can file an urgent application for travel permission.
Approval is not automatic because the trip is for tourism, lasts less than 60 days, or is supported by a guarantee. The court decides based on the circumstances and the child’s interests.
Article 116 governs the travel period where that law applies. Article 21 under the civil shared custody system does not set the same 60-day limit.
Travel by the father during the custody period
The father is the legal guardian and usually holds the child’s passport. During custody, he cannot take the child abroad without the mother’s written consent or a judge’s permission.
The child’s travel stops the mother from exercising her daily right to custody and care.
Exceeding the travel period permitted by the court
The consequences depend on the applicable law, the terms of the travel order, and the circumstances. Exceeding the permitted period does not automatically mean losing custody.
Where Article 115 applies, a custody claim must rely on a legal ground. Examples include failure to fulfill custody duties or relocation to a place where the child’s interests cannot be met.
The court assesses whether the ground is established.
For related guidance, see who gets custody of a child after divorce.
Official legal sources
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