Traveling in Corona time – Can I take my child with me?

In principle, a parent requires the consent of the other parent for a holiday trip abroad. In the absence of this consent, the judge may be requested substitute consent for a holiday if the other parent does not agree to the trip abroad and the parents are unable to resolve this together.

In the current Corona time, requests for substitute consent from the Court are lodged frequently, even in circumstances where the Government advice is negative (Code Orange).

Traveling to countries with a negative travel advice

In a recent judgment (not yet published), the District Court The Hague considered that in the event of a negative travel advice that applies to a country, the general rule is that there can be no substitute permission for a holiday to this destination. Not only can traveling to such a destination lead to undesirable situations, since health and / or travel insurers will generally not be inclined to reimburse any costs incurred, there is also a not inconceivable risk that the unstable situation on the destination escalates and a return to the Netherlands is limited by circumstances or will not be possible at all. The fact that children have a considerably lower chance of being infected with the Corona virus does not change this. Not without any importance is also the (certainly for children) undesirable consequence that the children may have to deal with a 14-day quarantine measure on arrival and on their return.