Please Help!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cre]

I have already booked a cruise for me and my 16 year old.

I cannot get in contact with her father to have him sign a notarized letter

giving me permission to take her abroad. We were never married. He lives out of state and we have little to no contact with one another. What else

can I do? This is my daughter's 16th birthday gift ( the cruise ). She would

we crushed if she could not go. We have never gone to court over custody she's just always been with me.

PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[patseacruiser]

Do you have an attorney that could give you an affadavit? Outside of knowing a notary.... Seriously, try your attorney. Have you called Royal Caribbean yet to inquire?

[TBSCruiser]

Does she have a passport? If yes, it is doubtful they will even ask you. Does she have the same last name as you? If not, then follow Patsea's advice and talk to your lawyer.

[cb at sea]

I wouldn't worry about it....tell them he's dead....or you don't know who he is....or you haven't heard from the SOB since you told him you were going to have her....

[TBSCruiser]

I wouldn't worry about it....tell them he's dead....or you don't know who he is....or you haven't heard from the SOB since you told him you were going to have her....

 

 

Sorry this is the stupidest advice your have ever given...are you going to pay for their missed cruise when they are denied boarding?????

 

 

OP please don't listen to this one.

[miamiyogi]

I was checking this out earlier. Call the passport office. I am under the impression that 16 and 17 year olds can obtain a passport with implied parental consent. The passport form has two sections for parents to identify the minor child. It seems only one parent has to vouch for the identity of the minor.

 

Again I am doing my own interpretation and would like to know from a reliable source

[NorbertsNiece]

Single parents cruise all the time....

 

On the RCCL website it says :

 

Should the last names of the parent and minor child traveling with them differ, the parent is required to present the child's valid passport and visa (if required) and the child's birth certificate (original, a notarized copy or a certified copy). The name of the parent(s) and the child must be linked through legal documentation.

[Cre]

I don't have a personal attorney.

I called RCCL and they stated that as long as she has a valid passport and

her BC links us together as mother and daughter there should not be a problem. I have not applied for the passport yet ( we are applying next week when school gets out ). I called about the passport today and I was told that since she is 16 if 1 parent comes with her to fill out the paper work no notarized letter will be required from the other parent.

[TBSCruiser]

I don't have a personal attorney.

I called RCCL and they stated that as long as she has a valid passport and

her BC links us together as mother and daughter there should not be a problem. I have not applied for the passport yet ( we are applying next week when school gets out ). I called about the passport today and I was told that since she is 16 if 1 parent comes with her to fill out the paper work no notarized letter will be required from the other parent.

 

Definitely do it...best way and no letter needed. Are your last names the same?

[Cre]

We have different last names.

[TBSCruiser]

We have different last names.

 

 

Definitely get the passport but bring the bc also to show connection with you

[Cruise_Couple]

I admittedly have nothing to bring to this discussion in the way of actual knowledge but I would strongly suggest that you contact an attorney just to get an opinion on this. If there is a problem, perhaps the attorney can find a way out of it for you. Good luck and best wishes to your daughter on her special day!

[beddibi]

I took my niece on a cruise with RCCL a couple of years ago as a graduation gift, she was 17 at the time. It was just me & her. The only thing RCCL asked me for was her passport, I gladly showed it and no more questions were asked. I had a letter from her mother just in case anything happened but never had to show anything other than her passport.

[imsulin]

We have different last names.

 

I think this is your biggest problem. Are the last names on her BC also different? I think your best bet is to call an attorney. Good luck!

[PhoenixDawgCruising]

I wouldn't worry about it....tell them he's dead....or you don't know who he is....or you haven't heard from the SOB since you told him you were going to have her....

 

Few years back, I was checking in for my flight to Mexico at LAX, and the woman next to me, with her daughter, were denied boarding, as she was trying to tell the agent that she didn't have the notarized travel document from the girl's dad because he "was dead".

 

Agent asked for a certified death certificate. She didn't have it, and they didn't board the plane.

 

So probably not the best tip.

 

I am both a mom of a child from a past relationship, and an employee at a divorce law firm, and even though my older son has no contact with his bio dad, I went to court for sole custody, just so I wouldn't have any issues when we travel. I carry my certified custody papers whenever we travel out of the US, and I've never had a problem. Sometimes they ask for them, sometimes they don't, but better to be safe than to be left at the airpot/port!!:eek:

 

Without sole custody or the notarized travel document from parent #2, you can be denied boarding onto any plane or ship leaving the US.

 

All I did was serve bio dad with court papers, and when he didn't respond in 30 days, and didn't show up to court, I was granted sole custody by default.

[PhoenixDawgCruising]

Two more things I forgot:

 

1. My son and I also have different last names, and we get asked about this at airports and ports about 75% of the time.

 

2. As a strange aside, RCCL ALWAYS asks for my custody papers, while Carnival never has...hmmmmmm.

[xpcdoojk]

Good information PDC. I think you covered it perfectly.

 

jc

[MICHLEV1974]

I wouldn't worry about it....tell them he's dead....or you don't know who he is....or you haven't heard from the SOB since you told him you were going to have her....

 

 

I truly believe this is the best approach.

 

This is exactly what I did when they asked me about it, honestly. I am a single mom and my DS has a passport (he was 10 at the time). I said that if I knew where he was 10 years ago, I would have had him write the note and have it notarized. The clerk just laughed and gave us the sea pass. Enjoy your cruise and don't worry about it! I called and she said that they 'may' ask for it. They never have.

[Penguinpirate]

WOW, I didn't know that this could be an issue!! I have a different last name of my child (Never changed my name) but their BC have my name on it. I am planning on taking them on a cruise in Feb and only using their BC. Since my "real" name is on their BC, will I have a problem??

 

There is no way that their father would let them get a passport nor would he write a letter. (He is very spiteful!!)

 

Thanks for this question and for any more info I can get!

[rascalious]

We have taken our 15 year old grandson with us the last two years. His bio mom has been absent for years. My son got an affadavit saying the mom could not be reached and then proceeded to get him a passport with the affadavit and birth certificate and only his approval. (son only has joint custody - but court injunction for unpaid child-support). I think the age was 14 for a Passport (without both parents consent) when we booked our first cruise with GS. Before the cruise arrived, the law changed to 16 - necessitating an affadavit of bio moms absence.

Passport was approved - which was the major hurdle. Also necessary is a Consent for Minor Travel Abroad Form. We got one online. Son had it signed and notarized. Also, get a form for consent for medical treatment, signed and notarized. I am not a lawyer, but I did due diligence and had no problems. Hope this helps. (Oh, our grandson has the same last name.)

Again, since he now has a Passport, we have not had obstacles in travelling with GS abroad. Passports are not issued unless one has all the necessary affadavits, birth certificate, court documents of custody, etc.

[crusinmama06]

WOW, I didn't know that this could be an issue!! I have a different last name of my child (Never changed my name) but their BC have my name on it. I am planning on taking them on a cruise in Feb and only using their BC. Since my "real" name is on their BC, will I have a problem??

 

There is no way that their father would let them get a passport nor would he write a letter. (He is very spiteful!!)

 

Thanks for this question and for any more info I can get!

 

Then you do not have permission to take his children out of the country. Sorry, but that's why the rules are in place. Its to prevent parents from fleeing the country with children.

 

Some cruise lines say that even if you have the same last names of your children, if both parents are not traveling with the kids, then you still need a "Consent to Travel letter"

 

So when I travel with my kids and my husband stays home. I get a permission to travel letter signed/notarized. Yes, my kids have the same last names. Yes, we have passports. But I follow what the suggestions are. And the suggestion is to have "all documentation".

 

We recently had this conversation on the Family board and there were people who were detained and separated from the children for further questioning.

[Beowulfpk]

Your daughter is old enough to where I don't think you would get "stopped", but I would still get a notarized letter just in case you run into someone who is sticking to the rule book. Find a sympathetic notary amongst your friends to notarize a letter with his name on it. :)

[Penguinpirate]

Oh trust me, he doesn't care where I take them, he just won't sign ANYTHING!!! He hasn't even seen them in 7 years!!

 

I have contacted Royal Caribbean and my Travel Agent on this subject. Both said that as long as I can prove that I am the birth mother (my name on the birth certificate) there is no issue. Royal Caribbean also said that if it would make me feel better then I can bring my divorce papers showing that I have complete and full custody. He also said that even if I only had joint custody it proves that I have the right to have my children with me and I am not trying to flee with them.

 

NOW I feel better!!

[pattiea]

Oh trust me, he doesn't care where I take them, he just won't sign ANYTHING!!! He hasn't even seen them in 7 years!!

 

I have contacted Royal Caribbean and my Travel Agent on this subject. Both said that as long as I can prove that I am the birth mother (my name on the birth certificate) there is no issue. Royal Caribbean also said that if it would make me feel better then I can bring my divorce papers showing that I have complete and full custody. He also said that even if I only had joint custody it proves that I have the right to have my children with me and I am not trying to flee with them.

 

NOW I feel better!!

 

 

 

On the government site where all the passport info is there is a form titled: STATEMENT OF CONSENT OR SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: ISSUANCE OF A PASSPORT TO A MINOR UNDER AGE 16 - if you read it, the whole thing past part 4a it reads like something that could be helpful to you.

[imsulin]

Oh trust me, he doesn't care where I take them, he just won't sign ANYTHING!!! He hasn't even seen them in 7 years!!

 

I have contacted Royal Caribbean and my Travel Agent on this subject. Both said that as long as I can prove that I am the birth mother (my name on the birth certificate) there is no issue. Royal Caribbean also said that if it would make me feel better then I can bring my divorce papers showing that I have complete and full custody. He also said that even if I only had joint custody it proves that I have the right to have my children with me and I am not trying to flee with them.

 

NOW I feel better!!

 

Not so sure you've received correct legal information, but good luck anyway! Enjoy your cruise with your kids.