Dad taking a child on cruise

[ATC cruiser]

Well, I'm not divorced, and in the US, it is not required for me to have my wife's permission to travel with my daughter. I agree with you about not knowing what kind of cruise the OP is going on, but as I said, I'll bet a hundred bucks it's a closed loop cruise in the US. If it is, they won't need a letter, or a passport. But, it's not a bad idea to have either.

[LMaxwell]

Reread the website. Nowhere does it say it's required to have a letter. How many people do you think do international travel everyday without a letter from the other parent. It would not hurt to have one, but it is not required.

 

"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."

 

Doesn't take a rocket surgeon to figure out what that means...

[waterbug123]

Your divorced, entirely different story than the OP.

 

You're missing the point. The cruise line check-in agent or the customs official has no idea whether or not you are divorced or your spouse simply couldn't get off work that week. So for all intents and purposes, the letter may be needed in either case.

 

A divorced parent can't leave the country with the child unless the other parent approves, not so if not divorced.

 

Wrong. You seem to be assuming that all divorce decrees explicitly state that neither can take the child out of the country without the other's permission but that's not the true. I certainly wouldn't advise doing it without permission, but it happens all the time.

[ATC cruiser]

If customs puts your name into their computer, they know everything about you. They may ask about why you are not traveling with your spouse, but unless they suspect something, they are not going to detain you for any length of time. I'm not saying don't get a letter, all I'm saying is it's not required.

Edited May 13, 2016 by ATC cruiser

[LMaxwell]

If customs puts your name into their computer, they know everything about you. They may ask about why you are not traveling with your spouse, but unless they suspect something, they are not going to detain you for any length of time. I'm not saying don't get a letter, all I'm saying is it's not required.

 

If I have a big fight with my spouse and decide I am running away and taking my child, customs knows that with their computer? I doubt it.

 

Maybe you should follow your own advice and read the actual link posted

 

"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."

 

Your advice in this thread is terrible and could lead to a ruined vacation for anyone that follows it.

 

It's not so hard to get a notarized letter in an amicable relationship...

[ATC cruiser]

I never gave advice, all I said is that it is not required to have a letter from my spouse to go on a closed loop cruise from the US with my own child. I did read the post, you should too. It says may be detained, doesn't say will be. Unless customs has reasonable suspicion, they are not detaining anyone. What I meant by customs knowing everything about you wasn't clear. I should of said if your involved in a custody battle with your spouse or former spouse, they know about it.

[LMaxwell]

I never gave advice, all I said is that it is not required to have a letter from my spouse to go on a closed loop cruise from the US with my own child. I did read the post, you should too. It says may be detained, doesn't say will be. Unless customs has reasonable suspicion, they are not detaining anyone. What I meant by customs knowing everything about you wasn't clear. I should of said if your involved in a custody battle with your spouse or former spouse, they know about it.

 

You'd still be wrong. Wrong. Simply wrong. Stop giving advice here. You are dead.wrong.end.of.story.

[traveler279]

Both the US and Canadian Web sites say notarized documentation signed by the absent parent is strongly recommended. That's not a requirement. But they go on to explain how things can get complicated if there is no document. And the issue isn't with leaving your home country so much as getting back in. And yes, Canada will require this of visitors.

 

Me? When I'm talking with CBC or CBSA I try to avoid discussions such as the fine difference between Strongly Recommend and Required.

 

Just for the heck of it, I randomly picked an Island, Antigua, and checked their rules. They don't "strongly recommend" having a form. They require it.

 

My suggestion (not legal advice) to the OP is get the form. Easier to have it and not need it.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[ATC cruiser]

And what traveler279 said above is all I've been saying. I never said don't get a letter.

[ThirstyCruiser]

What if one of the parents is deceased? They'll want a death certificate, really?

[ryano]

I would just get the letter.

 

 

My mom and I just took my 5 year old nephew on a cruise with both parents absent which is different but I still had a notarized letter just in case. I wasn't taking any chances. Was we asked for it? No. But I had it :). Coming back, Customs didn't even look at his BC at all. He checked our Passports good though.

Edited May 14, 2016 by ryano

[JVilleGal]

What if one of the parents is deceased? They'll want a death certificate, really?

 

 

Yes! The single/widowed mom or dad will need to prove. This is the case with my family.

[waterbug123]

If customs puts your name into their computer, they know everything about you. They may ask about why you are not traveling with your spouse,

 

ROFLMAO. That you think the federal government is so efficient that they will know if I'm divorced when they "put my name into their computer" is laughable.

 

What if one of the parents is deceased? They'll want a death certificate, really?

 

Yes, if they have any reason to question you and you say the other parent is deceased they may well ask for it. How do they know you aren't just saying that when really you are in the middle of a contentious divorce and are not supposed to have the child in your custody right now or be traveling internationally with him/her? This goes back to the comment made earlier about how it's supposedly different if you are divorced, as opposed to still married but your spouse just isn't coming on this particular trip with you and your child? You SAY you are happily married, but how does the check-in agent at the port KNOW that?

[grouchomarx]

I can't understand this topic. There are too many what ifs that it's not possible everyone could comply with the need for the other parent to provide written consent. What if you're a single parent, never married, not in touch with the other parent for years and don't even know where they live? What if other parent is in prison or living in a foreign country? What if you were raped and got pregnant, don't know the father of the child? What if you had a child through use of a sperm donor, anonymous? There isn't a way for all these cases to comply. So what, they can't take their kid on a cruise?

[LMaxwell]

I can't understand this topic. There are too many what ifs that it's not possible everyone could comply with the need for the other parent to provide written consent. What if you're a single parent, never married, not in touch with the other parent for years and don't even know where they live? What if other parent is in prison or living in a foreign country? What if you were raped and got pregnant, don't know the father of the child? What if you had a child through use of a sperm donor, anonymous? There isn't a way for all these cases to comply. So what, they can't take their kid on a cruise?

 

For any given case where you can get a letter you should, otherwise refer back to what CBP says.

 

"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."

 

So cover your bases where possible and when practical.

[JVilleGal]

I can't understand this topic. There are too many what ifs that it's not possible everyone could comply with the need for the other parent to provide written consent. What if you're a single parent, never married, not in touch with the other parent for years and don't even know where they live? What if other parent is in prison or living in a foreign country? What if you were raped and got pregnant, don't know the father of the child? What if you had a child through use of a sperm donor, anonymous? There isn't a way for all these cases to comply. So what, they can't take their kid on a cruise?

 

 

There are easy answers for all and these circumstances. In most cases in order to travel internationally it Involves going to court. A single mom that does not name a father on the Birth Cert needs to have the BC with her to prove no other signature is needed. A parent who has no knowledge of location of other parent or no access to said parent also must go to court to get Sole Custody and ability to permit travel without any other parent signatures. (This is what my daughter had to do).

All these things can and should be addressed in a legal manner and it's not up to the Cruiseline to interpret your unique situation. Get issues you addressed resolved legally.

 

And yes my sister has to provide a death certificate proving the children's father is not alive to sign anything.

[land lover]

The experience of others shouldn't matter. You never know when someone will decide to enforce the rules. I fly with my show cats. The rule is that I must have a current rabies and health certificate. I've been asked to produce them maybe 4-5 times in thirty years. Do I always have them? You bet.

 

 

I agree......

and whenever there is something related in the news suddenly everyone enforces.

[BrianSimpsonKY]

The rule is...if you leave a US port and return to a US port and each have the same last name.....no paperwork is necessary!!!

[JVilleGal]

The rule is...if you leave a US port and return to a US port and each have the same last name.....no paperwork is necessary!!!

 

 

Ahhh and where did you find that rule?

[Fouremco]

The rule is...if you leave a US port and return to a US port and each have the same last name.....no paperwork is necessary!!!

Depending, of course, on whether any of the countries you visit require paperwork. You can't simply think of US legislation when dealing with foreign countries.

[ATC cruiser]

ROFLMAO. That you think the federal government is so efficient that they will know if I'm divorced when they "put my name into their computer" is laughable.

 

The federal government has access to all public records. Someones divorce is public record. Law enforcement is one of the most efficient parts of the government. That's why they are able to provide Trusted Traveler Programs such as Global Entry, SENTRI, NEXUS, and FAST. All the computer systems are interlinked. They need to be able to confirm the answers they get from someone during questioning.

[LMaxwell]

ROFLMAO. That you think the federal government is so efficient that they will know if I'm divorced when they "put my name into their computer" is laughable.

 

The federal government has access to all public records. Someones divorce is public record. Law enforcement is one of the most efficient parts of the government. That's why they are able to provide Trusted Traveler Programs such as Global Entry, SENTRI, NEXUS, and FAST. All the computer systems are interlinked. They need to be able to confirm the answers they get from someone during questioning.

 

Efficient government? Jumbo shrimp?

 

If someone has a big fight with their spouse and decides they are running off with the kids the big brother govt won't know. It happens all the time. Don't be so naive to think otherwise.

[ATC cruiser]

My response was to someone who mentioned them not knowing about a divorce. Someone who has a fight with their spouse isn't going to take their kids on a cruise to St Thomas.

[LMaxwell]

My response was to someone who mentioned them not knowing about a divorce. Someone who has a fight with their spouse isn't going to take their kids on a cruise to St Thomas.

 

People do crazy things out of spite, revenge, to deceive, steal money, etc. You don't know why people would do anything. Neither do I. Nor does the government.

 

The bottom line is this: It is advisable to have a notarized letter from the absent parent in order to satisfy any questions CBP may have and minimize travel delays. If you have an amicable relationship this should prove to be no issue. And while it may not be legally required, if you don't have it you can be delayed long enough to miss the ship altogether.

[ATC cruiser]

I do have a question for our friends in Canada, and I'm not trying to be argumentative. Since the requirements in Canada are more restrictive, what happens if I live in northern Minnesota, and I want to go to Canada fishing for the day with my son. Do I need a letter from my wife saying that it's ok? Or if my whole family goes on a cruise to Alaska and only my daughter and I want to take the train excursion to Canada, what happens when we go thru customs at the border?

Edited May 15, 2016 by ATC cruiser