Child traveling with one parent documents?

Hi, I'm traveling with my daughter and my husband (her step father) on Allure in July. Every other time I've cruised with her I've had my ex-husband sign a notarized form about our travels. Never once have I been asked for this document. My ex husband has been MIA from my daughter's life this past year, he last texted her last July for her birthday, and that was the last contact. Has anyone ever been asked to produce this documentation? Do others actually do it? None of the people I've talked to ever had it cross their mind. My daughter does have a passport.

Thanks for any help, because I'm not certain we can get one signed this time around.

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I have cruised multiple times with my sons without any notarization form, etc. I think people recommend it as a safeguard, but my ex was completely absentee (couldn't get a passport for my son, etc.) so I had no choice. Didn't have any problems on NCL or RCCL.

I'm not positive, but, I'm pretty sure that since she has a passport, you won't need the notarized document. The one time that I needed to produce the notarized document, was on a Carnival Cruise before my son had a passport, and they wanted to be sure that he had permission to leave the country by both parents. My son's Dad had to sign for him to receive a passport, and I never needed a letter after he had a passport. If you booked through a travel agent, it may be a good idea to check with them -

I know it is mentioned on Royal Caribbean's site, which is why I have always had it and brought it along, but never once have I been asked to show it to them the 3 times I took her on RCCL.

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I always get a notarized letter from my ex and, if he ever doesn't sign, I'd get a court order that I can go. If your parenting plan gives you 100% sole custody, you can take that instead but if you guys have joint custody, you need his consent to take the kid out of the country. No way would I risk being denied boarding.

That said, on a closed loop cruise, I think the chances of being asked are low. I get asked for it EVERY time I go to Canada and I've been asked for it entering other countries too. Canada border control is all over divorced parents. I have not been asked for it on a closed loop cruise yet. People will tell you you don't need it, which is all well and good until someone asks for it and then it's too late.

Edited to add: my son has a passport. That isn't enough (according to Canada anyway!). I'm actually glad about that. I don't want my ex taking my kid out of the country without my authorization just because my kid has a passport.

We sailed with our DS and GS after our DIL passed away. DS had a copy of her death certificate but nobody ever asked.

My divorced daughter was asked for consent documentation when she took her 4 children on a cruise in February.

My divorced daughter was asked for consent documentation when she took her 4 children on a cruise in February.

Was your daughter's last name different than that of the children?

Was your daughter's last name different than that of the children?

No, she has not remarried and has the same last name as the kids.

I have never been asked by RCI when traveling with my daughter but when traveling on a cruise that included Canadian ports, I was asked getting back onto the ship by the Canadian officers. They asked for her passport, and asked her my full name and who I was to her, but did not ask me to produce a letter.

I thought it was odd, as I was getting back ON the ship, and she obviously had a sail and sign card. It wasn't like I picked up a little Canadian child and smuggled her aboard. ;)

That being said, due to custody issues I have had with my ex, I am totally OK with them asking.

We (extended family) recently (March) sailed on Harmony and with flights from LAX-FLL. Our DS and 3 year old GS, all of us with passports (mommy couldn't cruise too far along in her pregnancy). We had the notarized letter, copy of her passport, driver's license, GS birth certificate and everything we could think of that might be pertinent, all ready to show whomever may request it...absolutely no one did...but we were certainly ready.

We haven't ever been asked for documents on RCCL and we have cruised with my son when he was 11 on...he's 16 now. We get the letter from his bio dad just in case but haven't ever been asked for it

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We were asked for documentation in April on Adventure of the Seas. I had everything with me so was not an issue, but we were asked at check in and again when I went to register him for the children's program onboard.

I was asked just once (out of many times on a closed loop Caribbean Cruise) for the notarized letter, and was so glad I had it! Would have hated being denied boarding because I could not produce it. ALWAYS asked at the Canadian border, and my brother was denied passage because he did not have the proper documentation. So when I travel, I always make sure I can procure the proper documents, or choose a different vacation. I am simply unwilling to be caught unprepared, take the risk, and have to sacrifice the vacation because of something that I know is a real possibility. Traveled enough to know that there are enough unknowns; why tempt fate with something that you know really may happen?

This is purely for your and the kids protection and absolutely is up to officer discretion. From an officer that just retired after 30 years it is a gamble to go without it

I was asked just once (out of many times on a closed loop Caribbean Cruise) for the notarized letter, and was so glad I had it! Would have hated being denied boarding because I could not produce it. ALWAYS asked at the Canadian border, and my brother was denied passage because he did not have the proper documentation. So when I travel, I always make sure I can procure the proper documents, or choose a different vacation. I am simply unwilling to be caught unprepared, take the risk, and have to sacrifice the vacation because of something that I know is a real possibility. Traveled enough to know that there are enough unknowns; why tempt fate with something that you know really may happen?

As you see here, Get It, Bring It. Don't take a chance...

We sailed with our two GD's in April and were asked for the notarized letter. We had passports, birth certificates for both girls as well as our daughter's to prove parentage of us to her and the notarized letter included our full itinerary - flights, two nights in Orlando, dates visiting Universal Studios, cruise dates, islands visited and flight home. Lady that checked us in was not very nice. Asked us for the notarized letter, looked it over and said I'll have to check on this. Walked away and then came back, said she'd need to make a copy, told her I had one for her (we brought 3 notoarized copies just in case we needed them for any of the legs of the trip or lost a copy).

As noted above, its better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

We were asked for documentation in April on Adventure of the Seas. I had everything with me so was not an issue, but we were asked at check in and again when I went to register him for the children's program onboard.

I find this hard to believe that adventure ocean would ask you for legal documents when you are already on the ship? I've been on 15+ cruises with my child and have NEVER been asked for notarized letters, etc. I have legal sole custody paperwork and a passport and no one asks for any paperwork, ever. I've had female friends and family members as well as a boyfriend sign up to be able to pick up my child from kids camp and I've never had to prove a relationship? Weird.

It's all about potential kidnapping. Here in NJ, we had a very big case where couple was married, mom was taking the son to visit her family without the husband. She gets there, notifies him that she's divorcing him, keeping the boy, remarries and dies in childbirth. Father cannot get to his son, refused custody by foreign courts siding with the new stepfather.

Took years and years for him to regain custody of his son. We all know the risks of travelling without proper paperwork.

People erroneously think that because both parents agreed to the passport, that once you have it for your child, you no longer need the letter granting permission to travel. Things change between passport and travel times. We got our kids their passports; subsequently went through a divorce.

I prepare the letter with dates and modes of travel and have my ex sign and have notarized. My last name is my maiden name, boys have married name. I can't recall if I've been asked (was asked when travelling with kids not my own a few years ago and had those), but I always take it.

Older son is now 19, younger one turning 15. Only have it for the younger one now. And we were asked one year when driving over the Canadian border while still married, so I always get it.

If you cannot reach the ex and he's a no show, perhaps discussing with an attorney to see if you should apply for a court order allowing travel would be smart.

Yes a court order will work as well! We had to do that when my step-daughter was 16 because her bio mom called the cruise line and informed them we didn't have permission to take her out of the country. She would never sign the notarized letter. We had to go to court and have the judge give us permission to take her on a family vacation! It was annoying....but because she pitched a huge fit the cruise wouldn't have allowed us embarkation! She's 21 now and we do what we want!

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Do you have an open notoriety letter ie one that says that the can travel with you anytime or is it for a specific trip. We're having trouble getting my step daughters dad to help us renew her passport so an open letter would be ideal,

Hi, I'm traveling with my daughter and my husband (her step father) on Allure in July. Every other time I've cruised with her I've had my ex-husband sign a notarized form about our travels. Never once have I been asked for this document. My ex husband has been MIA from my daughter's life this past year, he last texted her last July for her birthday, and that was the last contact. Has anyone ever been asked to produce this documentation? Do others actually do it? None of the people I've talked to ever had it cross their mind. My daughter does have a passport.

 

Thanks for any help, because I'm not certain we can get one signed this time around.

 

 

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I'm in the same boat as you. Check your divorce decree. There SHOULD be something in the custody agreement about foreign travel. Like others have said it's best to have a letter. This summer I'm sonewhat in the same boat as you as far as travel docs go.

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Legally, for the cruise portion of the trip, only one parent is required to be with the child, and they won't ask for documentation (unless your last names are different, in which case you need to have documents that show you are the parent, but that is different from a letter). I have researched this thoroughly including calling some foreign embassy's & a couple of airlines to see if I get the same answer to questions about international travel with children. I also have a relative instruction regarding this subject from the lawyer who obtained my child custody paperwork for me (although that info is dated at this point). But I speak from experience as a single parent who travels once or twice a year internationally with my child.

If you are flying internationally, then yes, you will need it, even though they won't always ask for it (I've never been asked for it).

Also, technically if you are going to dock in Mexico, you should have it because the law says that a minor has to have a copy of that letter in their pocket at all times while in Mexico, and if you are stopped and asked for it and don't have it, it could cause you a lot of trouble. In reality though, I bet this is an extremely rare occurrence.

I have sole physical and legal custody of my daughter. I made sure I got this when she was really young and her dad wasn't in the picture consistently, because I knew it would be hard to enroll her in school, get her a passport and make medical and other decisions for her without his permission. I use that paperwork (it basically says I am not legally required to get permission for anything from the other parent) every time I renew her passport (and they definitely asked for it) and I take it with me when we fly internationally (but have not been asked for it yet). I do actually bring it on cruises in my documentation folder with all the copies of my reservations and payments, our passports and all that, but I don't expect to be asked for it and never have been, but it takes up such little space and I already have it, so I bring it.

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By way of context, our little family is myself, born / raised in the US, my wife - born / raised in Germany, and our soon to be 11 year old daughter, who was born in Guatemala and adopted by us, and is now a US citizen. I carry a US passport, wife carries a German passport with a US Green card, and daughter carries a US, Guatemalan and German passport.

Many times over the years, my wife and daughter have gone to Germany without me to visit family, and they have never been asked for the notarized letter (from either the airlines, German Immigration authorities, or US immigration authorities), not even once. That said, the possibility exists that they would need such a letter, so being the anal retentive OCD that I am, I always make sure they take it one with them. I make sure the letter states their itinerary, dates of travel, and that I also give my wife permission to make medical decisions on her own for our daughter if the need arises.

I'd rather they have it and not need it, rather than need it and not have it.

Michael