child traveling out of the country with only one parent -- special permission needed??

Depends on your destination. Mexico, for example, requires that he accompanying parent have notarized letter of permission form the non-accompanying parent. If not certain, check with your airline.

Why not just get a notarized letter and not worry about it further? It's not like it's a great hassle or expense. (Your bank usually has a notary on staff for free or a nominal fee.

Why not just get a notarized letter and not worry about it further? It's not like it's a great hassle or expense. (Your bank usually has a notary on staff for free or a nominal fee.)

Even though this is not uniformly enforced, not only might you need documentation to go into another country but also to come back into the United States.

The airline is the one usually asking for this type of documentation, not the immigration officials. DD was rather extensively questioned in Zurich airport when we were checking in for our return flight.

She was asked directly if her father knew where she was, when she had arrived in Switzerland, why she was traveling... it only relented when I asked the official if she wanted to see DD's Father's death certificate.

I did not know this... we will be traveling separately this summer so I will have to check into this.

I have traveled with my 16-year-old in and out of US and Europe and no questions but only to Morocco and Paris with the younger daughter both times leaving Switzerland so it never came up.

Thanks for posting dina... let us know what you learn.

gruezi

I used a form that I found on singleparenttravel.net when I took my 14 year old niece to Europe last year. We never had to show it but it was there if we needed it. Hope this helps.

This may be true. When I renew my children's US passports, my husband has to go with me to the US embassy or has to sign a notarized letter saying he is aware and agrees with the US passport renewal.

I travel alone with my boys a lot (both in the US and between the US and Europe and around the Middle East). I've been doing this for 7 years.

I carry a notarized letter from DH giving me "permission" to do this, however, I have never been questioned.

Most of the expat "moms" I know carry a similar letter but I only know of 1 who has ever been questioned (she didn't have a letter at the time). She was travelling with her 5 year old daughter back to Cairo from Egypt. They were help up for a while - with officials questioning the daughter about where her father was, where they were going, where they live, etc. They finally let her go with just barely enough time to make her flight. After that - she carried a letter, but she has never been asked again!

So - I think this is one of those "better safe than sorry" situations. I would have a letter with you.

thanks for all the responses. it sounds like i should be better safe than sorry.

i will call the airlines, though, as that is a great idea.

we are going to italy, through toronto, from california.

i'll report back if i find out anything new...

thanks again!!
dina

We also had to have both parents present or a notarized form to renew passports - in the US - for my under 14-year-old. I believe 14 was the cut-off point as my other daughter did not need my husband present or the notarized form and I think she was 15 at the time.

dina - in case someone hasn't mentioned it to you, you should also carry a letter by the non-accompanying spouse authorizing medical treatment. Again, just to be on the safe side.

My daughter got a notarized letter from her ex before taking her two boys (with us) to Europe last year. The letter also included something about okaying medical treatment.

No one ever asked to see this and we traveled to London and Paris and used planes, trains and the Eurostar.

But why not have it just in case?

By the way, here's something I don't understand: Last week my 14 year old grandson traveled to New York on a class trip. They flew and none of the kids had to show ID at the airport to board the plane. The teachers took these kids and no one batted an eye. Just found that curious.

MelJ - I don't think kids need to show IDs in the US if they are under 18. When I travel with my sons, I show my passport at the security checkpoint and that (along with the boarding passes) is all.

My kids have passports, but what kind of ID do kids without passports (or driver's licenses) have? (Note: I haven lived in the US for 7 years, and my kids were still in grade school when we left the US, so I REALLY don't know!! )

I know you're right, I just found it odd. They didn't need a notarized letter from parents, school ID or anything. The school bought all the tickets (parents paid, of course) and the teachers held the tickets. This means that they could buy a ticket for anyone and take any child (theoretically, of course. This was a great trip by great people. I'm just looking at the broad picture).

When traveling outside the US, they each showed their own passports at Control.

I guess it is funny that kids on a trip like that wouldn't have to show any ID, but most kids don't have one, it's true.

Kids can get one, though (at least where I live), just most don't have a need to. In my state, the DMV issues official IDs for anyone who doesn't have a license, and that includes minor children, if the parents want to get them one.

My wife and I once flew into Montreal on different airlines, each with a child. She and one son cruised straight through customs. My other son and I were retained for lengthy questioning, a short time later.

Don't know if there was a bias against dads, or if I just looked suspicious.

dina4: Most airlines don't ask for the letter but it is better to have it than not just in case. Very simple to just type it up, print it out and sign it in front of a notary. Any bank, attorney's office, car dealership, post office, etc. has a notary and they usually charge little or nothing.

As an attorney practicing domestic law I can tell you it is a nightmare when a child is taken out of the country in a custody dispute without the other parents knowledge. This happens more often than you would believe and it is a horror for the parent who does not have the children and can take weeks or months to get the child returned to the US. I have had to assist with this issue on several occasions from various countries and it is time consuming and heart breakeing for the parent. More airlines are becoming aware of this issue and will ask for the letter. I for one applaud the move as it can save a lot of money and emotional harm to both parents and children. Take Care J

I think that they will check on a whim. My family comoposition is rather unique so that might have triggered the interrogation to DD. DH flew into Switzerland separately and then three of us returned togethe, that might also be a trigger.

i think i'll just get a letter notarized and keep it in my purse.

thanks for all the responses.

I have travelled to Europe and Mexico with my daughter and have had a notarized letter from her father every time. As marigross pointed out, it's not always enforced, and there's no way to tell when it will be. We have taken two cruises to Mexico, and only one cruise line asked for the document; at no time in Europe was I asked for the document (England, France,and Italy). On both trips to Cabo San Lucas where we flew there and stayed in a resort, the ticket agent at the airport asked for the letter. I type the letter myself which basically says "I, John Doe, give Jane Doe my permission to take our minor daughter, Jill Doe, to Mexico/Europe/wherever for vacation purposes (give dates of travel). If there are any questions, I may be reached at (home, work, cell)." There is a place for dad and the notary to sign. As seems to be the general consensus of this post, it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. If you and your daughter are traveling separately from your son and your husband, your husband will also need one if your son is under 18.

In response to grcxx, and melj, the required age to have ID to pass security is 16 because most kids don't have government issued ID until they get a driver's license. My 13 year old is always asked her for ID because she looks older; when she tells the TSA agent she has none, the question is always "is there an adult traveling with you?" Curiosity got the best of me, so I asked an agent about this age group between 12-15 who are old enough to fly alone (not an unaccompanied minor) but have no ID or an adult~the response was "we let them through." Pretty bizarre, but this came from a TSA agent in Reno.

In Canada you absolutely must have a notarized "permission" form. This is in case of child custody issues or kidnapping. I have found that sometimes the customs official asks to see it, sometimes not. We can download a copy of the form from our government website or from the Canadian Motor Assoc website.

Thanks! We will be travelling through Toronto!

<<the required age to have ID to pass security is 16 because most kids don't have government issued ID until they get a driver's license.>>

My oldest is 16 and has a (well-used) passport......but he is "itching" to get a driver's license!!!! Just another reason I was avoiding moving back to the US! Oh well......

I have taken my oldest son when he was 14 to europe alone, and two years later hubby took our next son when he turned 14 to europe. We both had " the letter" but neither of us were even asked about it, nothing, not even a blink. I think they don't really care when the " child " in question is 6 ft tall and wears a size 12 or 13 shoe, LOL

This year I will take my 12 yr old daughter , it will be interesting to see if there is a difference.

I think for the 75 bucks it costs( here anyways) to have a letter notarized its easy enough to do, we have it combined with medical perimission, which BTW I think is not really that nessesary as no civilized country would deny important medical aid to a child based on whether the child parent had " permission " to allow it. In fact I am pretty sure most civilzed countries would step in and save a child and worry about " permission" forms later!

I also think that the younger a child is the more likely you will be questioned, plus there are certain countries that if you are travelling to them you are almost guaranteed to be questioned as some countries do not honor our cusdty orders, and in other countries fathers automatically get custody, so a man travelling alone with a child to those places will definately be grilled.

Do you need documentation for grandchild traveling with her aunt. Our son's daughter, 17 is traveling with our daughter, they will be meeting us in Paris. They travel from the US to Paris....I was glad to see this post, I really had not thought about this, we used to get letters when she was younger but have been lax the last couple of years with her age.

At 17, you are most likely NOT to have any problems. BUT - since she is traveling with someone other than her parents.....I'd stick with the better safe than sorry approach and get a letter.