Tiff

I know this is the US board but I just found this out and thought someone may find it useful. I posted it first as a question on the Carib board, but now have updated information. I am glad we found this out now, we leave for Curacao in three days.

Apparently, when you leave the country with your children from a previous marriage you not only need the obvious passport, but you also need an affidavit from the parent not traveling stating they have given authorization to take said child out of the country, etc. We were unaware of this, and we are also taking her two twin best friends with us, so we are getting a similar auth from their parents. My husband's fantastic hair stylist alerted us to this, what an angel. Would have been nice to have heard this from our travel related person, as she knew the step-daughter, and two friends thing, but I am not placing blame. I consider myself a very research driven and informed person, I wish I would have known this info.
Please don't bash me for posting this on the US board when I know it's a "traveling out of the US" statement, I just wanted to let all of you know, because I have now heard people have been denied access to fly in similar situations.
Yikes.
p.s. We did think to get a medical authorization from her friend's parents, just in case, so I guess we haven't completely lost it.

gojacks

Your husband has a "hair stylist"?

missjanna

If you're wondering why this is, it's used as a precaution to prevent a possible kidnapping.

Some airlines will also enforce this rule if a single parent is traveling with a child or children, they will ask for authorization from the parent who is not traveling, so it's not just for children from a previous marriage.

buckeyemom

Both the State Dept. and airline websites have this information posted. This is pretty much common knowledge.

Barbara

And it's been discussed here, and on the Europe board and probably others, many times.

Tiff

You know gojacks, you are exactly one of the reasons why a person hesitates to ever type anything on this board. Hair stylist, hair cutter, barber, whatever is politically correct these days.
Take it for what it is, I just tried to warn others of what could be a potentially disappointing experience for their kids when can't get on the plane for spring break.

joan

And while we're on the subject of outside US travel...as of this month (march 04) the Caribbean island of Barbados is now requiring PASSPORTS of US citizens, not the usual birth certificate. This could become a big headache for cruise ship passengers - can't think of any other Caribbean island which requires more than a raised-seal birth certificate...

Tiff

It just kills me, here you try to be helpful, and you think someone could relate, and maybe say, oh ya, that happened to me too---------and all you get is hair stylist puns, and two other to say: well that is common knowledge and discussed here quite often here.
Fordors, feel free to wipe this post clean, apparantly all the smarties here already know everything, and don't need my small, small mind to give them tips.
Ha. Good humor.

gojacks

Yyou don't know how good it makes me feelknowing that I am a reason to restrict postings. Thank you,Tiff, for making my day;-)

FainaAgain

Thank you Tiff, this may be helpful for some of us.

gojacks

Just having a little fun,tiff. Feel free to abuse the spelling typos on my previous post.

Johanna1

Good information Tiff. I work as a family law paralegal, and it's really scary how many child abductions take place each year. Most often, it is the non-custodial parent who tries to leave the country with the children, but not always. In countries that do not comply with the Hague Convention, it can be next to impossible for the custodial parent to get the child back in the U.S. Also, it's always a good idea to check with the embassy of the country you will be visiting to see if there are any additional requirements.

FainaAgain

Oh, and one more thing, your post reminded me of a saying: too bad the people who know how to run the country are busy cutting hair and driving taxicabs

HappyLC

I travel with my children and without my husband quite often, and always carry a letter (even to the countries that currently don't require it because rules change all the time.) I learned my lesson at the airport 15+ years ago when they wanted a letter for Mexico even though I wasn't even staying there (just changing planes). Canada is particularly strict. I was questioned by immigration officers as we were departing from an Alaskan cruise, even though we were on our way to airport to go home. Luckily, I had the letter. The age, by the way, is up until 18 years old.

It is also important when taking other people's children to have a medical care authorization. The clause saying the parents will be responsible is also important because the hospital might be afraid to treat for both liability and financial reasons. This is the form I used:

PARENTAL TRAVEL PERMISSION AND MEDICAL
AUTHORIZATION FORM


This is to certify that __________________________, our child, has permission to travel to ____________________ with (name or organization), from June 23, 2002 to July 10, 2002. We understand that airline, auto, train, and other means of travel may be necessary. We hereby give permission for any and all medical attention necessary to be administered to our child in the event of an accident, injury, sickness or the like, under the direction of (name or organization), until such time as we may be contacted. We also hereby agree to assume the responsibility for payment of any expense related to any treatment so provided.

Our address is: __________________________________

Our phone number is: _________________________



_________________________ ___________________________
parent signature parent signature




Subscribed and sworn to before me this _____ day of ______, 2002.


_________________________________
Notary Public

My commission expires ____________________.




This is the form we use for travel with my kids:

LETTER OF AGREEMENT


I, ___________, understand that my child(ren) will be traveling to Guatemala, Central America on June 15, 2003 with ___________, his mother and my wife. Their expected date of return is July 9, 2003.


Signed ________________________
___________, father

Address:

Telephone/Contact:



Subscribed and sworn to before me this _____ day of ______, 2003.


_______________________
Notary Public

My commission expires ____________________.