Taking someone else's child...

[CruiseTricia]

Hi -

 

We are leaving on the Dream in less than two weeks. We are taking my daughter's 16 yr. old friend with us. Is there a form I need to have her parents sign giving us consent to take her out of the country?

 

Thanks!

[RoadTripFanatic]

Yes! You MUST carry a notarized affidavit signed by both parents stating you have permission to take their child out of the country. You will also want a note stating you can authorize medical care for their child too!

[cschultz]

Use the search feature, and type in something like minor travel consent, and then look at the posts that come up. There are some example letters that you can print.

They should be notarized so don't delay. As the previous poster suggested, you should

ask them to give you permission to make treatment decisions in case of emergency.

[LSEA]

We use this one - http://www.freewebs.com/docdiva/Minor%20Travel%20Consent.pdf. It has a section about medical treatment. You may not be asked for it at travel time, but you should have it along just in case.

[firefly333]

Dont forget if its not your child, a adult has to be in the same cabin... even though your daughter can book in a cabin close to you, her friend cannot. (makes no sense to me)

[lillian marie]

You are taking on a major responsibility. Make sure that you have a signed notarized statement from her parents giving you the right to seek medical attention for her if you need it and her medical insurance card and a notarized statement from her parents giving you the right to take her out of the US and back in.

[photojunkieEMT]

According to our PVP it does not need to be notarized and if the parents are on happy terms it only needs to be signed by one parent. We are taking my nephew with us on our cruise.

[cuyahoga11]

According to our PVP it does not need to be notarized and if the parents are on happy terms it only needs to be signed by one parent. We are taking my nephew with us on our cruise.

 

 

How does Carnival personel know if the parents are on happy terms?

[CruiseTricia]

Thank you so much! I printed the form and am sending it to her parents tomorrow!

[MoreMilesPlease]

According to our PVP it does not need to be notarized and if the parents are on happy terms it only needs to be signed by one parent. We are taking my nephew with us on our cruise.

 

You may find that the countries you are visiting require a more official document than what you have. The cruise physician may also be hesitant to provide non-emergent care without written parental permission. Hopefully your PVP will be able to help out if you run into any problems while on the cruise ship or in a foreign country. The one parent comment may be a misunderstanding of what is written below. If one parent is traveling then the absent parent should provide a letter giving permission. If neither parent is traveling then both parents need to give permission.

 

From Carnival: http://www.carnival.com/cms/faqs/default.aspx?faq=age+restrictions#q-235

 

All guests 16 years of age or older must provide an official photo I.D. When traveling with a minor and both parents/legal guardians are not cruising, we strongly recommend bringing an original signed letter from the absent parent/legal guardian authorizing the minor to travel with you. This will expedite processing by the Department of Homeland Security. Please note that a notarized letter to this effect is required if debarking with children in Mexico.

[Willbcruisin]

When we travel with my DD's friend we were advised to be specific.

 

Ex: Permission to travel to MIA, Cozumel, Belize, ect. To embark (ship name) and disembark. Seek medical treatment, ect.

 

Bring copies of the childs health card as well.

 

Have it notorized for Mexico, I have it notoraized no matter where we are going.

 

Some customs agents have been all over the letter and some have not.

 

Checking in on CCL they did review our document carefully and Thanked us for being prepared. They explained to us so many times people show up without this and they are denied boarding.

[trvlqueen]

Make sure you have it ready when entering the country, too ... we got stopped on our way BACK by customs and they asked "are all these your children?" I answered truthfully and they asked for the notarized letter, which was packed deep in one of the suitcases. Thankfully, after scolding me for not having it ready and asking the girl if she was "travelling of her own free will and did she wish to leave the ship and come back to the US" (seriously!) we went on through and out to the car. We laughed the whole way ... I would gladly have unpacked the letter if asked to do so, but the question they asked her ... I mean, come on! All of us wanted to shout "No! Put us back on board!"

 

Long story short - have the letter with you not just at embarkation, but at debarkation as well. We also carried it in port in case of emergency and had her insurance cards, travel insurance policy, and medical release signed by her parents just in case.

[photojunkieEMT]

How does Carnival personel know if the parents are on happy terms?

 

He said that if they are together and there will not be a chance that one could fight the other's signature then only one is needed. Trust me, my sister and brother-in-law have been married for 15.5 years. Not saying that the years mean much but I don't know of a happier married couple.

[skylock]

How does Carnival personel know if the parents are on happy terms?

 

 

How does Carnival, Homeland security, border control, Mexican government, whoever else you can think of, know the people who signed the papers are really the child's parents for that matter?

 

I personally would never take someone else's child out of the country. Period. Or allow anyone else to take mine.

[LSEA]

 

I personally would never take someone else's child out of the country. Period. Or allow anyone else to take mine.

 

Well if that is how you feel that is fine. Other people choose another way.

[Aknot]

How does Carnival, Homeland security, border control, Mexican government, whoever else you can think of, know the people who signed the papers are really the child's parents for that matter?

 

Doesnt matter. As long as it is a "legal" accepted document they have to take it on the faith of the person presenting it they are not committing perjury.

 

Now if the document itself appears to be fake or the person accepting the letter has questions about it they have every right to refuse it and or detain until it can be validated.

[merees17]

We have taken my daughters BFF on 2 cruises. We had the notarized letter both times. First cruise, no one asked anything. Last month, we had to show it to the person during check-in. They went over it with a fine tooth comb. We have both her parents notarize the letter.

 

I also take a copy of my divorce decree showing I have full custody of my daughter, just in case.

 

I think this mainly comes up after a non-custodial parent takes a child out of the country and doesn't return them.

[bankerbabe]

I personally would never take someone else's child out of the country. Period. Or allow anyone else to take mine.

 

We recently took our son's 14 year old best friend along on a land trip to Mexico. It was the trip of a lifetime for him, as his family wouldn't have been able to afford to take him. I'm so glad we took him. I'm sure they wouldn't have let him go with just anyone, though, and we have known the family for a long time. Plus my husband is the football coach, so he is very well known to the family.

 

Now to the OP's question, and for anyone else who might want to know of others' experience on this topic:

 

Our situation was a tad complicated by an ugly divorce and the fact that the mom had sole custody, and the fact that the kid didn't have a passport.

 

But, the mom was able to get him a passport with just her siguature by providing a copy of her divorce decree to the passport office. (Dad refused to sign anything, even though he had agreed to let his son go on the trip.)

 

We were able to have her sign an "Affidavit of Sole Custody", which was then notarized, along with a notarized letter giving us permission to travel with him out of the country and a statement authorizing us to seek emergency medical care without first contacting her. I also carried a certified copy of her divorce decree, just in case we were given any problems.

 

We also carried his medical insurance cards, travel insurance policy, and a basic medical history (confirming that he had no medical issues, no allergies, and no past surgeries).

 

And just to be safe, I never let the kid out of my sight.