Child cruising with one parent

[CrusingwithM6]

Hello cruisers! I'm cruising in February with some family members. My niece (12 years old) will be coming along with her mother, but not her father. Her parents are married, both have the same address, same last name, etc., but her dad will be staying at home since it's a girls-only trip.

 

Does my sister-in-law have to get some kind of letter signed by kiddo's father saying he gives permission for her to travel out of the country? If so, does anyone have any insight as to what type of letter? Notarized? Thanks for any help! I googled and searched but got varied results.

[RSLeesburg]

Hello cruisers! I'm cruising in February with some family members. My niece (12 years old) will be coming along with her mother, but not her father. Her parents are married, both have the same address, same last name, etc., but her dad will be staying at home since it's a girls-only trip.

 

Does my sister-in-law have to get some kind of letter signed by kiddo's father saying he gives permission for her to travel out of the country? If so, does anyone have any insight as to what type of letter? Notarized? Thanks for any help! I googled and searched but got varied results.

 

If you do a search on the family forum, there were a couple of example letters posted there.

[Lerin]

Yes she needs a signed letter and yes it needs to be notarized.

[njmomof2]

It is recommended to have a letter signed and notarized by the non traveling parent giving permission for the child to leave the country. I did it when I was still married to my boys' father (we did a couple of trips without him) and always do it now that we are divorced.

 

The only time I was ever asked was at the border to Canada. They asked to see the letter, even asked the boys in the back seat about their dad and where he was, why he wasn't with us, etc.

 

I don't think the cruise lines have ever asked me to date, but since my last name is different than theirs (changed back) I always get it as a precaution.

 

ETA: If you go to the family board, and search posts by cruisinmama, she has a excellent form of letter that she's posted several times.

Edited December 17, 2013 by njmomof2