More and more parents express their confusion on the Facebook groups dedicated to travel, asking if the passport for children on the holidays outside the country is still needed, after Romania’s full accession to the Schengen area.
Beach in Greece. Photo: Shutterstock
On Facebook groups such as Forum Thassos or Forum Greece, questions about the necessary travel documents appear every day. Many users tell that they have not been stopped at the border, but more and more warns that the lack of a valid document remains risky.
“Now we returned and we did not have any control. They stopped us in Negru Voda, the Romanian side. It was not a actual control, because they stopped us and asked for documents only for the car and the driver … But you cannot go to risk”, says a user, according to Freedom.
“I was and I returned from Greece, today, with the 3 and a half-year-old girl. I had her passport with us, but nobody asked us about your own risk!”, Write another.
Although the controls on the Schengen internal borders have been eliminated, the Romanian law remains unchanged. Minors under 14 can only get out of the country with a passport. The birth certificate is not a travel document. Minors between 14 and 18 years old can also use the identity card, a document introduced in 2025 for children under 14 years.
Call more responsibility
Border police and I remind that the lack of controls does not mean the lack of obligation to have valid acts.
“Attention! At the internal borders of Romania, the border guards can carry out police activities/checks in the area of competence, in which they establish the legal identity and situation of the persons, for which the holding of a valid travel document is still necessary”, states the border police.
Therefore, the answer is yes, children still need a valid passport or identity card, according to age. The fact that sometimes travelers are not stopped at customs does not mean that they can travel without documents.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has launched a call for responsibility among tourists who want to spend their summer vacation.
“Summer Reminder: The beach is not a fashion podium! Remember when you go to the sea: It’s not a good time to wear all the jewelry in the drawer! Let him tan at home! The latest phone? Take care of the sand … and” Collectors “! Let’s have fun, not give “search” to the police for lost objects! “, He wrote on Facebook.
