Am I being mislead by RCCL?

[Cre]

I called on 2 separate ocassions to ask if I needed a consent form from the father to cruise with my daughter. I was told each time that I only needed her birth certificate, and passport. The RCCL catalog was quoted.

I was told that I would have absolutely no problem with imigrations officials because their rules come from imigrations. I'm confused about why they would tell me that I do not need the form when so many others on this site have said the exact opposite. I'm only asking because I have no way of getting the form and I am concerned about my upcoming trip.

I don't know what to think?????????????????

[Carolin]

Do you and your daughter have the same last name? And do you share custody?

[Cre]

We have different last names. No custody agreement. Each time I explained this to the RCCL REP.

They said that as long as I had her passport and her birth certificate linked us together as mother and daughter there would be no problem at all. I wanted to make sure they were telling me the correct info that's why I called 2 times.

[Carolin]

If your not divorced, you should be fine with the birth certificate and passport. She's right. They do link you. If your divorced, I'd still see if you can get the form filled out. Basically, everyone just wants to make sure you don't have any problems. The more documentation you have the less likely you will run into issues.

[notentirelynormal]

Divorced or not, just because it is your child doesn't mean you have permission to travel with that child. That's how one parents takes a child away from another parent.

 

If you can't get the father to fill out the form, see a lawyer/judge and get a legal document. It will be cheaper then losing your money on the cruise and being denied.

 

Our last cruise with our grandson we were asked to produce a letter by not only the cruise line but at immigration entering Canada and then again at US immigration. Yes they asked and yes they read it.

[quincytoo]

We have different last names. No custody agreement. Each time I explained this to the RCCL REP.

They said that as long as I had her passport and her birth certificate linked us together as mother and daughter there would be no problem at all. I wanted to make sure they were telling me the correct info that's why I called 2 times.

My husband and I have differant last names ( I kept my last name), our son has Dh's last name. We have the bigger birth cert, with both of us on it listed as parents, that we bring on each and every trip....

 

I have an older daughter from a previous marriage and when she was a child/teen I made sure I got a noterized letter that allowed me to take her out of the country, I only had to use it twice but it was good that always had I had it with us when we travelled. Personally I always thought it a joke that I had to get consent from a man who didn't even raise her.......:mad:...but the law looks at these things differently.

 

I would get the proper documention, better be safe then sorry.

[celle]

I called on 2 separate ocassions to ask if I needed a consent form from the father to cruise with my daughter. I was told each time that I only needed her birth certificate, and passport. The RCCL catalog was quoted.

I was told that I would have absolutely no problem with imigrations officials because their rules come from imigrations. I'm confused about why they would tell me that I do not need the form when so many others on this site have said the exact opposite. I'm only asking because I have no way of getting the form and I am concerned about my upcoming trip.

I don't know what to think?????????????????

 

If you do a search on this board, I think you will find that the concensus of opinion is that you do need that notarised letter from your daughter's father, unless he is dead (in which case, take his death certificate) or you have sole custody (take Court papers).

[Onessa]

Is the father's name on the BC? If there is no father on the BC, no need for "permission". If the father is listed on the BC, then you may be asked for it.

 

I've said this before, but it is in everyone's best interest to get the custody stuff legally clarified sooner rather than later. What happens if the up-until-now absent father suddenly wants to "be a part of" his child's life? Could be good or you could be facing a legal battle for custody. If your child needs medical treatment and the absent father has joined some religious cult that believes in prayer over medical intervention, you could be facing some very painful and stressful times. If you win a fabulous trip to Europe, your child will need a passport -- for the passport application the custody will need to be formally worked through. If something happens to you -- even if your wishes are for someone else to take care of your child -- the child's father will have legal standing to disrupt those wishes even though he has not been involved with the child up to this point.

Is the fact that a parent that has not been involved in his/her child's life wreck havock on the child's life "right" or "wrong"? -- I don't know, I just know that you'll want to protect your child; and formally settling custody is the way to do it. If, when the absent parent comes to the realization that he wants to be part of his child's life, you'll have a good legal foundation -- you can then assess the situation and see what is best for your kid rather some court-appointed guardian ad-litem.

[CanadianTwosome]

Recently my daughter came with me on a brief border crossing to pick up some packages from our US post office box. It never occurred to me to take along any 'evidence' that I was free to take her with me. When we entered the US, one of the first things the guard asked me was if 'Dad' knew that my daughter was with me. I assured him that it was okay and that we were together and he was well aware that the two of us were making the trip, but I won't do it again. If he had wanted to deny me entry, he could have, and I would have been unable to argue.

 

I think it may depend on where you're going, though. We only had one stop on our shorty last month, and I initially got off the ship alone with our daughter, and all they wanted was my id and ship card; for my daughter all they wanted was the ship card because she was a minor. If you're an American leaving from and returning to American soil, and you're not visiting any countries that will require you to go through customs, it may not be an issue. If you can get a legal document stating that you are free to travel with your child, however, you should have it.

[Cre]

I have tried and can't even get a return call back concerning the letter.

Neither can my daughter. The trip is a 3 day cruise to the Bahamas.

My daughter is 16. I hate to say it but we'll have to take our chances

and just take along her BC and passport. I'm tired of trying. If we get turned away then so be it. She is old enough to cleary tell anyone that wants to know that I'm her mom and I am simply taking her on vacation and not trying to kipnap her. At this point if her father has not been concerned with custody I'm almost positive he won't be concerned now.

[frayedend]

My sister in-law is divorced and has gone on lots of cruises over the past years and never had a question about dad. But when she wanted to get him a passport she needed a letter or order or something that he had to sign.

[crusinmama06]

I am not saying you are being misled, I am just saying that the reps you talked to have probably never stepped foot on a cruise ship (not unusual for the call center reps) AND they aren't going from experience.

 

I grabbed this from the Royal Caribbean's site so that you can see the entire recommendation...they didn't read you the entire paragraph

 

Before leaving home

Please take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the required travel documents you will be asked to provide prior to boarding the ship. Caution: The requirements described below are required by government regulations and policies. They are subject to change without notice.

 

It is the sole responsibility of the guest to identify and obtain all required travel documents and have them available when necessary. These appropriate valid travel documents such as passports, visas, inoculation certificate and family legal documents are required for boarding and re-entry into the United States and other countries.

 

Guests who do not possess the proper documentation may be prevented from boarding their flight or ship or from entering a country and may be subject to fines. No refunds will be given to individuals who fail to bring proper documentation.

 

Passport Requirements

A valid passport is a requirement for air travel to / from Canada, Mexico the Caribbean and Bermuda.

 

Effective June 1, 2009 only a valid passport (unless otherwise noted below) or other WHTI compliant document will be accepted for entry or re-entry into the United States. For a list of all approved documents visit: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html#compliant_document

 

U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end at the same port in the U.S.) will be able to enter or depart the country with proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate and laminated government issued picture ID, denoting photo, name and date of birth. A U.S. citizen under the age of 16will be able to present either an original or a copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issues by DOS, or Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

[kitty9]

I have tried and can't even get a return call back concerning the letter.

Neither can my daughter. The trip is a 3 day cruise to the Bahamas.

My daughter is 16. I hate to say it but we'll have to take our chances

and just take along her BC and passport. I'm tired of trying. If we get turned away then so be it. She is old enough to cleary tell anyone that wants to know that I'm her mom and I am simply taking her on vacation and not trying to kipnap her. At this point if her father has not been concerned with custody I'm almost positive he won't be concerned now.

 

They won't care if your child's birth father has no interest, but if you are asked for this letter and you don't have it, you will be denied boarding the ship and you will not get a refund of your cruise fare. My cousin, who's a single parent, has been asked every time for the permission letter, and she was so happy I told her to get it.

[6rugrats]

They won't care if your child's birth father has no interest, but if you are asked for this letter and you don't have it, you will be denied boarding the ship and you will not get a refund of your cruise fare. My cousin, who's a single parent, has been asked every time for the permission letter, and she was so happy I told her to get it.

 

Totally agree with kitty9. Never count on what a customer service agent tells you; they are not immigration agents, and that's who cares about this letter.

 

If you are asked for this letter and don't have it, you will lose all your money and not be able to take this trip.

 

Carolin has given you totally incorrect information.

[Carolin]

I also mentioned that the more documentation you have, the less likely there is to have problems which includes having the form. I should have added that last part for clarification. Have a fantastic cruise.

[nolejagbuc]

We just sailed on the NCL Pearl with my sister and nephew. During check in the rep required the notarized letter since my sister and nephew have different last names. She had called twice and was told that she didn't need anything because she has sole custody. She was so happy that I told her to get it just in case. I also told her to bring her marriage license since that would have the same name as my nephews birth certificate. It would have been so disappointing to have them fly from Oregon for their first cruise and be denied. Best of luck to you and I hope you have a smooth sailing!

[newbiecruiser09]

I have tried and can't even get a return call back concerning the letter.

At this point if her father has not been concerned with custody I'm almost positive he won't be concerned now.

 

Can you send him a notarized letter (or something from your atty) requesting the letter? at least this way you have something to show that you have made attempts and he has not responded. I would definitely consult an atty to see what you can/need to do. I would hate for you to lose your $$$ and miss your cruise due to not having the correct documentation. Best of Luck!!

[quincytoo]

I have tried and can't even get a return call back concerning the letter.

Neither can my daughter. The trip is a 3 day cruise to the Bahamas.

My daughter is 16. I hate to say it but we'll have to take our chances

and just take along her BC and passport. I'm tired of trying. If we get turned away then so be it. She is old enough to cleary tell anyone that wants to know that I'm her mom and I am simply taking her on vacation and not trying to kipnap her. At this point if her father has not been concerned with custody I'm almost positive he won't be concerned now.

 

She is 16?? You might be alright then, 16 seemed to be the magic age where they stopped looking closely at our DD and DS and I could stop producing the letter and his large birth certificate. I think if they had questioned my DD at the age of 16 about her sperm-donor....oops "father", she would have snapped that she had no idea what he looks like.

[Willbcruisin]

I just cruised and we brought my daughters friend. I had a notorized letter from his parents. I had to specify that they gave me permission to take him on and off the ship, to sign waivers for activities and excursions, ect

I was asked for the document at ck in as our last names were different. They actually Thanked me for being prepared.

[Cre]

I don't know if this will help any of the single parents out there but I

did find useful imformation on the US Customs and Border Patrol Website

https://help.cbp.gov

Also the number is 1877 227 5511

[WineDown17]

To paraphrase a book I recently read- and it is sage advice:

 

Never take a border crossing lightly. Any border guard, on any given day, can deny you entry into a country..without having to have a reason.

 

So why take the risk of giving him one?

 

Always better safe than sorry.

 

I travel a lot- including international- and I have have had travel companions held up for pretty much no reason, and once denied entry (Canada)...

[crusinmama06]

I don't know if this will help any of the single parents out there but I

did find useful imformation on the US Customs and Border Patrol Website

https://help.cbp.gov

Also the number is 1877 227 5511

 

Here, I will save everyone the time of searching, at THAT link, this is the info....

 

If a child (under the age of 18) is traveling with only one parent or someone who is not a parent or legal guardian, what paperwork should the adult have to indicate permission or legal authority to have that child in their care?

 

Answer

Due to the increasing incidents of child abductions in disputed custody cases and as possible victims of child pornography, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that unless the child is accompanied by both parents, the adult have a note from the child's other parent (or, in the case of a child traveling with grandparents, uncles or aunts, sisters or brothers, or friends, a note signed by both parents) stating "I acknowledge that my wife/husband/etc. is traveling out of the country with my son/daughter. He/She/They has my permission to do so."

 

CBP also suggests that this note be notarized.

 

While CBP may not ask to see this documentation, if we do ask, and you do not have it, you may be detained until the circumstances of the child traveling without both parents can be fully assessed. If there is no second parent with legal claims to the child (deceased, sole custody, etc.) any other relevant paperwork, such as a court decision, birth certificate naming only one parent, death certificate, etc., would be useful.

 

Adults traveling with children should also be aware that, while the U.S. does not require this documentation, many other countries do; failure to produce notarized permission letters and/or birth certificates could result in travelers being refused entry (Canada has very strict requirements in this regard).

 

All U.S. or Canadian Citizen children 15 and younger should also have a copy of their birth certificate if traveling by land or sea. Teens between the ages of 16-18, if traveling as part of an adult-supervised school, religious, cultural or athletic group, are exempt from rules requiring a passport, although they will need to have a copy of their birth certificate, and the leader of the group should present a list of the children, etc. and sign a certification that they have received permission from a parent or guardian for all children in the group to go on the trip. If just traveling with friends or family, 16-18 year olds will need a passport - as will all other U.S. and Canadian citizens over the age of 15.

 

If traveling by air, an unexpired Passport is required for everyone, including infants.

 

Lawful permanent residents (LPRs), refugees, and asylees will continue to be able to use their Alien Registration Card (Form I-551), issued by DHS, or other valid evidence of permanent residence status or refugee or asylee status to apply for entry to the United States.

 

Additional Resources with the Department of State:

 

Individuals who have experienced or fear an occurrence of International Parental Child Abduction (IPCA) see: http://www.travel.state.gov/childabduction

 

If an abduction hasn't actually occurred yet, resources and tips for potential left behind parents can be found at http://travel.state.gov/family This page also contains information about the Children's Passport Issuance Alert program. This is where a parent can be notified if there is a pending U.S. Passport application for the children.

 

Prevention Officers are available to assist parents in preventing an abduction from actually occurring. This contact information can also be used for those who have actually experienced IPCA and need assistance in navigating the legal terrain of the Hague Abduction Treaty, etc. They will be assigned a case worker.

 

International Parental Child Abduction Division

 

Phone: 1-888-407-4747; 202-501-4444

Fax: 202-736-9132

E-mail: AbductionUSCA@state.gov; PreventAbduction@state.gov

Web Address: Travel.State.Gov/childabduction

 

Adopted children: If the child is an adopted U.S. citizen OR foreign-born but has been naturalized through USCIS or is a LPR -

 

Traveling by Sea or Land: The child must have a U.S. birth certificate OR a consular report of birth abroad or certification of birth, accompanied by the adoption decree with the adopting parents' names, a court order establishing custody, and/or a court order establishing guardianship.

 

Traveling by Air: The child must have a U.S. Passport to travel by air. Please visit the Department of State Web site to learn more about the procedure for applying for a minor's passport. travel.state.gov

 

For adopted children entering the U.S. for the first time, please visit the Intercountry Adoption Web site at the U.S. Department of State http://adoption.state.gov/ as well as the USCIS website USCIS.gov.

[crusinmama06]

So Cre, after discovering your own answer, do you think you were misled?

 

And to the others, here is the direct link to the US Customs and Border Patrol that I copy/pasted above...

https://help.cbp.gov/cgi-bin/customs.cfg/php/enduser/popup_adp.php?p_faqid=268&p_created=1043364937

[Cre]

By RCCL YES

Because if you call customer service they will give you the wrong info.

The best advice is to check the website that was posted or call Customs and Border Patrol directly. I still can't seem to get the letter from my daughters father so I am going to contact a Law Clinic in my city and seek their advice. Juvenille Court referred me to the Law Clinic. Since an attorney may be pricey I may go online to have an affidavit drawn up to atleast show that I did attempt to comply with the requirement. I am hoping that will help. The affidavit is a legal document and if anything I say in it is found to be un true I risk purgery. Hopefully that along with the bc, the passport, and speaking with my daughter will be enough. Thanks for posting that info for others to view. I'm not good at doing that sort of thing. I really appreciate all of you guys advice. I have been really stressed over this matter.

[QTMichele]

Just wanted to share my own experience. :)

 

I brought a signed and notarized "permission to travel" document on our Freedom cruise. My husband was not with our kids and me on this cruise. No one asked me for it, but I was glad I had it (an "insurance" policy of sorts that made me feel more comfortable). I was told by RCCI's reps that I would not need it, and their web site only mentions bringing the documents if you're not the parent (other cruise lines are more specific about this policy).

 

Also, my parents are legal guardians of my niece, who has a different last name. On their last cruise (last year on the Navigator), not only did my niece use my parents' last name (which she uses in social situations), but her birth certificate lists her "real" name. No one blinked an eye at check in and all were allowed boarding. (This was an oversight.)

 

On our Freedom cruise, my niece was listed under her own name and my parent's brought their guardianship papers. EVERYTHING was scrutinized (passports and guardianship papers).

 

As mentioned above, bring the papers if you can get them - or other legal documentation, if necessary. Will you be asked for them? Maybe, maybe not, but you will feel better having them.