Jump to content

Single parent traveling with minor child


Recommended Posts

We just got our sons passport renewed and both of us, my husband and I, had to be present to submit the application. I guess they figured that if the other parent didn’t want them to travel they wouldn’t give permission for the passport. I have also had friends that have had really bad experiences, because they were of a different ethnicity from their spouse. When they were traveling they were actually accused of abducted and their child. I think a note from the other parent couldn’t hurt. Better safe than sorry.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Traveling with a minor child was hit & miss for me.  When my spouse wasn't traveling I would carry a notarized letter.  Around 10% of the time I would be asked for it but mostly at land border crossings.

Later in life traveling with a friend and her child we appeared to be a typical family unit so no questions were asked.

Traveling with just her child as I did a few times sometimes the cruise lines mostly didn't care but one time we did get pulled into secondary at CBP upon our return.  They separated us and after a thorough 30 minute inquisition we were on our way.  I had all the right paperwork, our accounts of events matched and after a phone call with the mother who was not traveling we were released to fly home.  I'm okay with all that.  it was CBP doing their due diligence for all the right reasons.    

My advice is be prepared with all the documentation you can arm yourself with.   On one occasion it was like the Carnival didn't want us to sail.  They'd asked for something as if they thought they had me beat and when I produced it they were visibly dismayed.  After some whispers between agent and supervisor they'd ask for something else.  I had a notarized letter with consent to travel, a separate consent for taking the child off the ship for excursions in the ports of call listing them specifically with a waiver in case the ship changed itinerary and a limited medical power of attorney in case of a medical incident.  I also had copies of the divorce court order and child custody order that removed the dead beat dad from any and all legal rights with respect to the child.   On other occasions they didn't blink an eye but on that one occasion they were being extremely diligent.  In the end we sailed but only because I had done my homework and I was prepared.

As you research this you will get feedback to the effect "we had nothing and we had no issues".  Be cautious listening to anyone who downplays the potential for a disruption of your vacation.  I myself have experienced this easy vacation with a minor child but I have also experienced the polar opposite.  Be prepared every time.  If you are a one of the biological parents you path may be easier but then again you never know.  Even flight attendants on airlines are trained to look for possible signs of human trafficking, for all the right reasons.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, Planeprincess said:

I just saw this on another site and wanted to know if anyone has done this recently? 

Did you have a note from the other parent giving permission?

If other parent is deceased did you have to bring death certificate?

Did you just provide the child's passport?

In both cases of my brother and I (divorced parent) and my niece (loss of parent), we just brought all of the documents mentioned - just in case. 

When I was about 12 and I travelled out of the country for the first time with my mom, we had a bit of panic at the airport in maybe missing our flight when my mom didn't realized we needed that notarized letter saying it was okay to take us with her. Fortunately, my dad was able to fax the document directly to the airport and we made or flight but now we just err on the side of bringing all of the documentation with us. 

When we brought our niece and her mother with us on a cruise, we had her father's death certificate with us just in case that came up as well. 

Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, Planeprincess said:

I just saw this on another site and wanted to know if anyone has done this recently? 

Did you have a note from the other parent giving permission?

If other parent is deceased did you have to bring death certificate?

Did you just provide the child's passport?

 

 

I am assuming you have US passports. This can be different for other nationalities. I have relatives in Colombia for example, and they do need a notarized letter to travel internationally if only one parent is traveling.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...