Paperwork for travelling alone with child

[IBoz]

I will be taking a cruise with my DD (age 9) next month, while DH and DS are camping with the scouts. Can anyone give me any examples of the letter I need from DH to take DD out of the country?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Ilean

[2Cruise4Ever]

Check the cruise line's web site. Most lines have a sample letter you can use.

[SelectSys]

Just make sure it is notarized as well. I don't the think the specific content is all that important just that one parent provides the other with permission to take the kid out of the county.

 

The funny thing about this is that I have had my kids travel outside the US to visit with friends and we didn't need anything at all. Also, I went on a trip with my son last summer and the immigration officer didn't ask for any special document. Good thing as I didn't have one as I wasn't really aware of the policy until we checked in for our flight and the agent indicated that we might be denied entry at our destination country.

[crusinmama06]

I just got finished doing mine for tomorrow, this is basically what it says

 

 

Authorization for Travel With Minor

 

To Whom It May Concern:

This letter concerns my child, (full name), a United States citizen and a minor born on (birthdate), who carries a United States passport with the number (passport number).

 

I affirm that I have legal custody of my child, and that there are no pending divorce or child custody proceedings that involve my child. I give my full authorization and consent for my child to travel outside of the United States with (name of adult traveling w/child), who is the (relationship to child) of my child. The purpose of the travel is (type of travel, ie. cruise vacation).

 

I have approved the following travel plans:

(detail of travel plans)

 

Furthermore, I hereby authorize (name of adult from above) to modify the travel plans specified above as he/she deems necessary.

 

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of (State of Residence) that the foregoing is true and correct.

Parent or Legal Guardian

Signature: ________________________ Date: _______________

Name

Address

 

Day phone:

Evening phone:

Cell Phone/Pager:

Email:

 

CERTIFICATE OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF NOTARY PUBLIC

 

State of __________

County of ____________

On ____________________, __________ before me, _____________________, a notary public in and for said state, personally appeared _________________________________, personally known to me (or proved on the basis of satisfactory evidence) to be the person whose name is subscribed to the within instrument, and acknowledged to me that she/he executed the same in her/his authorized capacity, and that by her/his signature on the instrument the person, or the entity upon behalf of which the person acted, executed the instrument.

WITNESS my hand and official seal.

__________________________________________________

Notary Public for the State of ________________________

[NOTARIAL SEAL] My commission expires: __________________________________________________

[IBoz]

Michelle,

 

Just what I was looking for. I was hoping you would reply, since you are the holder of all knowledge for crusing with kids!

 

Thanks!

 

Ilean

[MinnieGi]

Yes another thank you Michele! We leave on the 14th and I need one of these letters too! Your example letter is great!

[notentirelynormal]

On my last cruise with my grandson in May we had to show proof at the pier, when we entered Canada and again when we re-entered the US. Showed the notorized letter each time but still had additional back up, just in case.

[lumpkin8]

If the notarized letter was no good, what else could/did you provide?

[IBoz]

I don't know what else could be required, but we are taking the following for DD:

 

US Passport

Birth Certificate (shows both parents' names)

Notarized copy of DH's passport page and driver's license

The notarized authorization letter

 

I figure this lets me prove who she is, who her parents are, who her dad is, and a letter from him. I hope that will be enough!

[ambic]

Good letter Michelle, I have prepared a number of these letters for family members, and the issue that could come up is the phrasing, "I have full legal custody" this indicates to me that there was a divorce. If there is a divorce involved you should also bring along a true copy (certified copy) of the divorce decree indicating who has what custody. I could see an ultra-picky Border Agent having a problem if you do not have the divorce decree or court order.

 

If the parent of the child is deceased you must bring a certified copy of the deceased parent's death certificate (even if you are the other parent).

[ambic]

You should also include something to the effect that the person that the minor child is travelling with has permission to seek medical help and make medical decisions regarding the minor child if the parent (s) are not available.

[rebeccalouise]

Get a letter notorized just to be safe.

 

Canada does require permission from the other parent. I know this for sure.

[nothriver]

I'm also working on my notorized letter, I think Michelle posted something similar before and I used that as the start, but I simplified most areas. My kids have different fathers and each have different "issues" and I wanted the same form for both kids for simplicity.

 

I am taking the certified letters, passports and birth certificates that show both parents names. I have a photocopy of the page of my very thick divorce settlement stating we share joint legal custody of my daughter, but I am not lugging my divorce documents along on vacation. It seems to me the certified divorce decree is important to prove you had sole legal custody when you DON"T have a certified letter.

 

I did not include medical permission since my kids are on my insurance policy. I authorize medical treatments, I pay all the bills. No need to confuse the issue, imo.

 

As I'm going through these documents, I keep remembering the last time we were in Vancouver, back in the mid 90's we were visiting a friend in Seattle when my son was a baby, and went up to Vancouver just for the day. I didn't even think twice about driving up there, until we hit the boarder on the way home, and I realized I had NO documentation for my son of any kind. Fortunately, it was super crowded at the crossing, and they just waved us through without even speaking to us. Things sure have changed in the last 15 years!

[6rugrats]

True, you don't need a medical permission form from the other parent, as only one parent's permission is needed for treatment. And true also that you don't need to bring any divorce papers as long as you have the notarized permission to travel letter. You also don't need birth certificates if the child has a passport.

[nothriver]

True, you don't need a medical permission form from the other parent, as only one parent's permission is needed for treatment. And true also that you don't need to bring any divorce papers as long as you have the notarized permission to travel letter. You also don't need birth certificates if the child has a passport.

 

I'm on Celebrity and the ticket booklet states that for parents who's children have different last names, they should bring passports as well as legal birth certificates linking the name of the parent and the child. Seemed like a reasonable paper trail, imo, parents names are not listed in the passport. I'm bringing the birth certificates and praying I don't loose them. A lost passport with a birth certificate inside could lead to a lifetime of identity theft issues for my kids.

 

Whoever writes these rules doesn't think about the logistics of traveling with all this stuff, do they? I'm a single mom with only two hands, two kids, carry on luggage, a carseat and they think I need to carry a whole binder of paperwork which they expect me to have in my hand at all times. *rolls eyes*

[nothriver]

Question - if anyone sees this here:

 

I'm still working on my notarized letter. I'm at the end and not understanding the actual language for the notary. Looks like there are two types of notarizing, Acknowledgment and Jurat (Verification). I'm reading the info for Notaries here in Iowa and the Acknowledgment sample reads "this instrument was acknowledged before me" and the Jurat sample reads "signed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me". Pretty sure I need to go with the Jurat which supposedly means the signor takes a verbal oath stating the document is true. Right? Am I putting too much thought into this?

[6rugrats]

Question - if anyone sees this here:

 

I'm still working on my notarized letter. I'm at the end and not understanding the actual language for the notary. Looks like there are two types of notarizing, Acknowledgment and Jurat (Verification). I'm reading the info for Notaries here in Iowa and the Acknowledgment sample reads "this instrument was acknowledged before me" and the Jurat sample reads "signed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me". Pretty sure I need to go with the Jurat which supposedly means the signor takes a verbal oath stating the document is true. Right? Am I putting too much thought into this?

 

 

Yes. It merely has to be signed and witnessed by the notary, not sworn to.

[6rugrats]

I'm on Celebrity and the ticket booklet states that for parents who's children have different last names, they should bring passports as well as legal birth certificates linking the name of the parent and the child. Seemed like a reasonable paper trail, imo, parents names are not listed in the passport. I'm bringing the birth certificates and praying I don't loose them. A lost passport with a birth certificate inside could lead to a lifetime of identity theft issues for my kids.

 

Whoever writes these rules doesn't think about the logistics of traveling with all this stuff, do they? I'm a single mom with only two hands, two kids, carry on luggage, a carseat and they think I need to carry a whole binder of paperwork which they expect me to have in my hand at all times. *rolls eyes*

 

Yes, and then you will bring it all and never be asked for it!

[Kerry's Girls]

Yes - I think the point of hav the notary is just that to ensure that the identity of the signer (the other parent) was verified. Otherwise anyone could have signed it.

 

Question - if anyone sees this here:

 

I'm still working on my notarized letter. I'm at the end and not understanding the actual language for the notary. Looks like there are two types of notarizing, Acknowledgment and Jurat (Verification). I'm reading the info for Notaries here in Iowa and the Acknowledgment sample reads "this instrument was acknowledged before me" and the Jurat sample reads "signed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me". Pretty sure I need to go with the Jurat which supposedly means the signor takes a verbal oath stating the document is true. Right? Am I putting too much thought into this?

[nothriver]

Ok, thanks, I did put the signed and sworn to part in, for good measure. This is my final form, DS's dad is stopping by tomorrow to pick it up and have it notarized.

 

 

Authorization for Foreign Travel with Minor

 

 

To Whom It May Concern:

 

This letter concerns my child, ***traveling child***, a United States citizen and a minor.

 

I give my full authorization and consent for my child to travel outside of the United States with ***traveling parent***. The purpose of the travel is a cruise vacation.

 

I have approved the following travel plans:

***insert brief itinerary here***

 

Furthermore, I authorize ***traveling parent*** to modify the travel plans specified above as she deems necessary.

 

Signed: _______________________________ (***non traveling parent/guardian title)) Date: _______________

 

***non traveling parent name, address, phone(s)***

 

 

CERTIFICATE OF NOTARY PUBLIC

 

State of __________

 

County of ____________

 

This instrument was signed and sworn to before me

 

on this ____ day of __________, 20___, by ***non traveling parent name***.

 

Signature of Notary ______________________________________

 

My commission expires ____________________________________

 

(seal/stamp)