The students will each need special parental authority in addition to any other travel documents. The new requirement is called the Autorisation de Sortir du Territoire or AST and came into effect on January 15. All French citizens under the age of majority and unaccompanied by an adult with parental authority must have a special permit to leave the country. The permit includes both authorization by the parents and copies of documents such as passports for parents who are not French nationals.
The document could be valid for up to one year and covers travel outside France for any purpose. The decree authorising the measure states that it is intended to fight terrorism and organized international crime.
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