Parental Consent to Travel Form

I just thought that I would post this as an FYI.

I returned from a cruise with my in-laws a couple of weeks ago. Both of my sisters-in-law are divorced with minor children. Prior to the cruise, I researched requirements for children of divorced parents since I have never cruised with kids and it was a first cruise for my in-laws. According to Royal Caribbean, a travel consent form signed by the father is required. Several people posted that they don't bother bringing the form because the cruise line never asks for them. I'm a worrier so just in case, I found a generic form online, filled in the travel information, and had my sisters-in-law ask their exes to sign the form and have notarized.

It was a good thing my SILs had their forms. Both SILs were asked to provide a travel consent form when they checked in for RC's Navigator of the Seas June 7 sailing from Galveston. If they hadn't brought the form, they would have had to get their exes to fax a form to the pier or risk being denied boarding.

Apparently the cruise line does occasionally ask for the form.

Yes, they do ask for the permission form...and I'm glad they do! We had a family member (by marriage) take his kids out of the country and away from their mother (my SIL)....they were gone for 4 years...it' royally messed up the kids, and the mother was a major wreak.....

This sort of kidnapping goes on more than you think!

I'm glad that this form was asked for (because of the above reason) and that you had it. It irks me on CC when people casually say oh, you don't need this or you can fly in the same day of your cruise, or the many other ---- that people say for advise.

Do you have a link to the form you used? I need to have one ready to be signed and notarized ASAP. My son is traveling with my dad and stepmom to Canada, then boarding the Grand Princess in Vancouver on 7/4.

Here is a link to one from the US Passport Service: http://www.us-passport-service-guide.com/minor-travel-consent-form.html

For address, we put the cruise ship name and cabin number. For travel to, we listed the port stops.

thank you!

I just thought that I would post this as an FYI.

 

It was a good thing my SILs had their forms. Both SILs were asked to provide a travel consent form when they checked in for RC's Navigator of the Seas June 7 sailing from Galveston. If they hadn't brought the form, they would have had to get their exes to fax a form to the pier or risk being denied boarding.

 

Apparently the cruise line does occasionally ask for the form.

Yes! I didn't even know these were a thing, until I heard about them here on CC. I just did an Alaska cruise with my four kids while dad stayed home to pay for the cruise, and it's a good thing I had it. I was asked twice for the paper, once upon entering Vancouver, and the second time going back into the U.S. after a train trip into Canada from Skagway. My sister also brought her kids, no father, and she was questioned even more heavily than I was at immigration.

The cruise line itself never did ask for it from either of us, but if we do travel in the future without the kids' dad I know I will be bringing it along.

I was in the Canadian passport office yesterday and came across a pamphlet on this very subject. I was quite surprised to read that the Canadian government not only suggests this letter BUT they suggest you take even more. They say the passport, letter, divorce papers, custody papers, etc AND their birth certificate.

Does the Canadian pamphlet address when you're not divorced?

Does the Canadian pamphlet address when you're not divorced?

It says:

We advise that all children carry a valid Canadian passport when travelling abroad, even to enter the United States by land or water. All children, including infants and newborns, need their own passport. Make sure you and/or the child also carry supporting identification, such as a birth certificate or Certificate of Canadian Citizenship, divorce papers, custody court orders or a death certificate (if one or both parents are deceased). These documents will help prove your citizenship, residency and custodial rights when returning to Canada. Check with the destination country's additional documentation that may be required.