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Do you notarize the affidavit letter for travel with minor alone?


mkkao924
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I will take my 2 kids , 6 and 1, to travel with me, and I have the letter written and signed, but don’t know if I need to get it notarized. Based on CBP website it’s suggested but not required. Want to know how you guys did before?

 

Ps. My wife and I are not separated or anything, we just can’t travel together this time...

 

 

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When our son traveled (cruised) with his toddler and mommy couldn't go..he absolutely got it notarized and copies of every possible document .... No one asked but he was ready in case they did.

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I would get it notarized. I have travelled solo with my kids in and out of the country many times and have never been asked for anything, but it is always better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. My daughter and I are heading to the Baltic this summer without my husband and I have a specific Power of Attorney prepared and notarized by legal.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I think there is some mis-understanding, or lack of understanding of what a notary seal represents. The paper being notarized should be signed in the presence of the notary who has verified that the person signing is the person supposed to be signing/named in the document. Otherwise, there is no way to prove that the person named is really the person who signed. Without the requirement for notarization, a single parent could have the neighbor sign the estranged parent's name and no one could prove that it was not genuine. EM

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  • 4 weeks later...

We absolutely insisted the parents of my Grandson's friend have a letter notarized. We used the example found on cruise critic so that any emergency was covered. We had friends of my Grandson traveling with us often on cruises and took a notarized letter on each cruise.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I’m jumping in late to the party, but I have been asked both at embarkation and also at customs for the letter.

 

In every cruise I’ve taken the cruise line has requested a notorized letter from my ex to take our daughter.

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  • 1 month later...
If the letter isn’t notarized, it’s worthless. It must be notarized.

Exactly. As noted in a prior post, without the notorization, there is no way of proving that the parents actually signed the document

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We always got it notarized, but for our recent cruise we ran out of time. I made a copy of letter with DH drivers license and he signed the letter--definitely not full proof, but I figured it would be better than just the letter w/out the id.

 

I've sailed 3 times with DD without DH (Caribbean only). We've never been asked for a letter, but I would recommend always having one.

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

So everyone get the notes notarized but haven't been asked for them? Do people get asked for anything when the port agents see kids only having one parent traveling with them? Just bring birth certificates as usual?

 

I ask because I'm traveling with my two kids on a cruise in March w/o my husband. We're not separated or anything, he just doesn't want to travel.

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So everyone get the notes notarized but haven't been asked for them? Do people get asked for anything when the port agents see kids only having one parent traveling with them? Just bring birth certificates as usual?

 

I ask because I'm traveling with my two kids on a cruise in March w/o my husband. We're not separated or anything, he just doesn't want to travel.

 

You may or may not be asked for them, but if you are asked, and you don't have them,, or they aren't notarized and it is required, you could be in jeopardy of missing the cruise. As long as the other parent is cooperative, get them notarized. It's not that hard; our bank does it for free, but it would be worth a small fee for peace of mind.

 

Our situation was different (grandparents cruising with grandkids) but we were asked both on boarding and on going through customs. We also needed them when signing up for things like the climbing wall and ice skating.

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So everyone get the notes notarized but haven't been asked for them? Do people get asked for anything when the port agents see kids only having one parent traveling with them? Just bring birth certificates as usual?

 

I ask because I'm traveling with my two kids on a cruise in March w/o my husband. We're not separated or anything, he just doesn't want to travel.

 

 

You just never know. Many times they will not ask, but what if you get that 'one' agent who is playing by the letter of the law. You could face missing the cruise if all your documents aren't just right. You cannot count on them not asking for the letter, and not requiring notarization.

 

People are asked for them, just not always. We were, but our situation was different--grandparents traveling with grandkids. We also had to show them at immigration on our return.

 

Getting the form notarized isn't that hard. Our bank does it for free, but a small fee would be worth it for peace of mind.

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Fact: Canadian ( male) returning to Canada with minor children, years ago. Key is...I was returning. CBP asked for notarial letter.

 

I was surprised. I was RETURNING to Canada. Married, then and now :)

 

You can get asked any time. Lesson learned.

 

Wasn't a bad outcome. Just awkward.

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So everyone get the notes notarized but haven't been asked for them? Do people get asked for anything when the port agents see kids only having one parent traveling with them? Just bring birth certificates as usual?

 

I ask because I'm traveling with my two kids on a cruise in March w/o my husband. We're not separated or anything, he just doesn't want to travel.

 

I travel alone with my kids and I have been asked. Not every time, but it has happened both when boarding and by immigration when re-entering the US. You never know which official is looking out for non-custodial kidnapping. Also, if you're on Princess, I believe the the kids must have passports (not just birth certificates) if you're the only traveling adult. I would never travel without all the possible required paperwork - travel insurance doesn't cover anything if the passenger didn't have the required documents. And I couldn't imagine dealing with my kids' disappointment of showing up for a cruise and not getting to go.

 

Best,

Mia

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I travel alone with my kids and I have been asked. Not every time' date=' but it has happened both when boarding and by immigration when re-entering the US. You never know which official is looking out for non-custodial kidnapping. Also, if you're on Princess, I believe the the kids must have passports (not just birth certificates) if you're the only traveling adult. I would never travel without all the possible required paperwork - travel insurance doesn't cover anything if the passenger didn't have the required documents. And I couldn't imagine dealing with my kids' disappointment of showing up for a cruise and not getting to go.

 

Best,

Mia[/quote']

 

Yikes! I didn't realize that about the passports. We've been using birth certificates so I'll have to double check with my TA about getting the kids' passports to sail on Princess.

 

I'll get a letter notarized beforehand at the bank. That's another thing I need to ask my TA about...specific wording that is required for the letter.

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Lots of factors enter into whether you will be asked for such documentation:

1) where you are traveling to/from. If an area has been ID'ed as a likely spot for illegal activities, there is heightened awareness.

2) gender of parties involved. My former boss was a single father with two daughters -- anytime they went anywhere the family was scrutinized. He carried a copy of his late wife's death certificate and a laminated copy of the obit. Sad, but he went through this for 12+ years - air travel, cruises, even a train trip! My DH often travelled 4.5 hours alone with my DD to see his parents, and once had a gas station attendant question my DD.

3) time of year, we did two of the "first of the season" AK cruises and both times (DD was 6 on one and 8 on the next) was asked extra questions -- the first time the officer explained aftward that there were some new procedures and since it was the first day they had no choice but go through all of them, the second time the Canadian guys asked if their trainee could ask her a few of the extended questions. Both those times we got explanations, but had done a first of the season cruise a years before (pre-kid), and had commented at the time that the at-the-dock process seemed to have been a bit more intense than in previous trips.

4) Suspicious actions - maybe you or someone traveling in your group did something or said something that raised suspicion. Perhaps someone misheard or misunderstood something you said and reported you. Innocuous actions or words can flag you.

5) Random - The officers are expected to do a certain number of specific types of "stops" in a given day or week, Sometimes you are the Xth traveler that came past his/her desk that day. Other times the system will randomly flag folks on their system.

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Yikes! I didn't realize that about the passports. We've been using birth certificates so I'll have to double check with my TA about getting the kids' passports to sail on Princess.

 

I'll get a letter notarized beforehand at the bank. That's another thing I need to ask my TA about...specific wording that is required for the letter.

 

In our case the cruise line (RCI) had a form to download, so we used that. You can also find examples by googling. I'd start by asking the cruise line, then go from there.

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