must permission for kids to travel be notarized?

My Carnival papers "suggest" having a letter from the children's parents giving them permission to travel with us, but it does not say it has to be notarized. It is proving inconvenient for my son and daughter-in-law to both be present for a notarization. Has anyone traveled with a letter that was not notarized, but was signed by both parents?

Thank you!

Debbie

My Carnival papers "suggest" having a letter from the children's parents giving them permission to travel with us, but it does not say it has to be notarized. It is proving inconvenient for my son and daughter-in-law to both be present for a notarization. Has anyone traveled with a letter that was not notarized, but was signed by both parents?

 

Thank you!

Debbie

They don't both have to be present at the same time for notarization. The notary is only certifying that the person before them is the person signing the document, nothing about what the document says. So, prepare a form with space for two notaries to sign, one below the son's signature, and one below the DIL's signature.

We travel with 2 letters, one from my husbands ex-wife and one from family services for our foster daughter. Neither of them have every been notarized, both have just been signed and witnessed. Never had a problem over 12 years of travelling like that.

They don't both have to be present at the same time for notarization. The notary is only certifying that the person before them is the person signing the document, nothing about what the document says. So, prepare a form with space for two notaries to sign, one below the son's signature, and one below the DIL's signature.

What he said.

Look, you spend a lot of money for the cruise. You spend a lot of money getting to and from the cruise. For the cost of a notary, is it really worth the risk? Oh, and the disappointment for missing your cruise, priceless.

We took our grandson on a cruise in December on Carnival. They have info about permission letters on their website. As I recall, for travel to the Bahamas or the Caribbean you just need a letter signed by both parents. If traveling to Mexico it needs to be notarized.

We went to the Bahamas and took a signed unnotorized permission letter with us. We were asked for the letter from immigration when we returned. They were happy with the unnotorized letter.

We took our grandson on a cruise in December on Carnival. They have info about permission letters on their website. As I recall, for travel to the Bahamas or the Caribbean you just need a letter signed by both parents. If traveling to Mexico it needs to be notarized.

 

We went to the Bahamas and took a signed unnotorized permission letter with us. We were asked for the letter from immigration when we returned. They were happy with the unnotorized letter.

That's what "could" work. Immigration officers have total control over you as you enter their country. You think police do. Ha! Not like these guys. They can make your life a living h*ll if they want to. Why chance it? Just get it notarized and be safe.

That's what "could" work. Immigration officers have total control over you as you enter their country. You think police do. Ha! Not like these guys. They can make your life a living h*ll if they want to. Why chance it? Just get it notarized and be safe.

I know that they can be horrible. This is probably good advice.

My Carnival papers "suggest" having a letter from the children's parents giving them permission to travel with us, but it does not say it has to be notarized. It is proving inconvenient for my son and daughter-in-law to both be present for a notarization. Has anyone traveled with a letter that was not notarized, but was signed by both parents?

 

Thank you!

Debbie

Since you are being kind enough to take your grandchildren on a cruise, it would be nice if their parents could somehow find a way to get their letters of permission notarised, whether or not it's convenient for them.

As others have said, it's not necessary for both parents to attend together. Two separate appointments would suffice.

Travelling from Canada on a recent road trip with my daughter, I had a hard time figuring out if a I had to have my letter notarized. Everyone I found on line said it was a "should have". Nowhere did I read "must have".

I ended up finding a template and had my hubby sign it, and we had his signature witnessed.

The border guard never asked for a letter. But I was comfortable turning around and coming home if we had issues.

Would I take the chance on missing a cruise because I didn't have the proper paper work in place? Not a chance!!!!

I've traveled as a single parent for years (My son and I have different last names). I always take a NOTORIZED letter from his father and my son's birth certificate, which shows that I am indeed his mother, and our passports.

Canada, Bermuda and Mexico- will require grandparents to have a "Notorized" letter of consent from BOTH of the parents, which should include the type of travel and the right to make medical decisions for said child.

I have been asked for this documentation in the Mexico, Canada, and Europe.

If a single parent intends to travel to any of these places by ship- certain cruise lines also require that the parent and child have passports (not just birth certificates)- unless the parent is traveling with another adult ( 21 or over). So make sure you know what you need up front- and not from this board. There was a case where Princess denied boarding to a single parent embarking from California to Hawaii. She didn't know, but that's their policy on certain itineraries.

Make sure it is notarized. The one cruise DD & I did without DH I travelled with a notarized letter from him. I was not asked for it, but I knew I had what was needed if asked.

On a side note...Recently all 3 of recently traveled to Europe together. At passport control in The Netherlands I approached with DD (DH waiting behind since sign was specific-- 1 person at a time, but I wasn't sending a 5 year old alone. The first question I was asked was "where is her father?" When I pointed to DH, she motioned for him to come up and started questioning him as to whether he is DD's father.

I've traveled on many trips some with notarized letters, some with just signed letters, some with nothing. My son and I have the same last name and we always travel with passports. Most of our trips included Mexico. I've never been asked for the letter. Not once. As a grandparent though I don't think I'd travel without it.

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I have been asked for the proof many times (my family usually travels internationally once a year). If I had to guess, 25% of the time. I would not want to risk having to tell my child that the vacation is cancelled and we're going home because I didn't have the proper paperwork (and travel insurance is void in that situation, so you're out the cost of your trip as well). I have been asked for it at the airport check-in counter, at airport immigration on landing, at check in for a cruise, at the Canadian and Mexican borders and at US immigration when returning from a cruise. None of the immigration officials care what a cruiseline website says. What matters is if you happen to get an immigration official who cares about non-custodial kidnapping. There are always lots of people on these threads who haven't been asked, but many of us have, so it depends how much risk someone cares to take. I'd spring for a travel notary to go to each of the parents and get it done.

All the best,

Mia

I've traveled on many trips some with notarized letters, some with just signed letters, some with nothing. My son and I have the same last name and we always travel with passports. Most of our trips included Mexico. I've never been asked for the letter. Not once. As a grandparent though I don't think I'd travel without it.

 

 

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Times have changed. Needing passports and letters is fairly new - as in the last two decades or so. When my kids were young we didn't need all that stuff. Heck, we didn't need passports at all for any of us. Once, while traveling from Canada to the US my DH was in one car with my kids and I was in another car with my younger (teenager) brother. He was given the third degree about traveling without the kid's mother. Where was she, did she know you were taking them across an international border, etc.

I have been asked several times. Getting on the ship, getting off the ship, entering the US from Canada (through Vancouver) and definitely driving from Washington state to BC. Coming back across that same border as well. My brother almost wasn't even allowed to fly from LAX to FLL because the airline had the itinerary that said he was going on a Caribbean cruise from FLL. He had to produce: his divorce papers, his custody papers, the kid's passport and permission to travel internationally from the Courts. We went through to the terminal and it took him, two, count two hours to get through the process. Remember he had the proper documentation. Pain in the butt for him and wonderful for all those that are violating the law and get caught.

It always amazing me when people say: Oh, you don't need this - or I doubt it will happen. Glad it worked for you but if the person asking gets stopped and end up being denied boarding are those same people going to reimburse the Poster for their expenses and then explain to the child they can't cruise because someone on CC told them it would be okay.

Now, I wouldn't take the chance. Kids being kidnapped from the other parent is much more prevalent. Human trafficking is up. It is just common sense to dot your "i"s and cross your "t"s. Times and laws have changed. So, again, why risk it?

Lol... First of all the last time I traveled without documentation was two weeks ago so not sure where the times have changed is coming from. Secondly I didn't advise anyone not to take the documentation. Third I actually stated if I was a grandparent I wouldn't travel without it.

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What he said.

 

Look, you spend a lot of money for the cruise. You spend a lot of money getting to and from the cruise. For the cost of a notary, is it really worth the risk? Oh, and the disappointment for missing your cruise, priceless.

Getting a document notarized is free at our credit union. Something to look into and keep in mind for anyone who comes across this later.

Your bank will have a notary...maybe not at your branch, but somewhere...and it's free!

AAA (the auto club) usually has a notary in its offices, free to members.

AAA (the auto club) usually has a notary in its offices, free to members.

I used to think that until we had a poster that was having trouble getting her and her DH together at one time to do it. AAA was recommended and she said that they didn't offer it in her area. So, I went on line to CA AAA and sure enough, it doesn't state that it is a service anymore.