Permission to take Child out of Country??

[audekat]

I am a Single mother and I am going to take my son (less that 2 YRO at time of Cruise) on a Cruise. I have a Passport for him.

 

My question is: Since the father is not involved what do I need to document that I have permission to take my son out of the country?

 

I have his Official Certified (with the Seal) Birth Certificate that lists only me, it says "unknown" for the father.

 

Will I need to take his Passport and the Birth Cert? Will just his Passport be suffcient? Do I need a court Document stating I have sole custody?

 

Thanks for any help!

Kat

[cullensmom]

That should be fine since he has a passport. I would take the birth certificate with you in case there are any questions (since it shows father as unknown). I took my son on a cruise in March and had the notarized permission to travel and no one asked for it in Progresso, Cozumel, the ship or customs.

 

Happy Cruising!

[LemurCat]

I am a Single mother and I am going to take my son (less that 2 YRO at time of Cruise) on a Cruise. I have a Passport for him.

 

My question is: Since the father is not involved what do I need to document that I have permission to take my son out of the country?

 

I have his Official Certified (with the Seal) Birth Certificate that lists only me, it says "unknown" for the father.

 

Will I need to take his Passport and the Birth Cert? Will just his Passport be suffcient? Do I need a court Document stating I have sole custody?

 

Thanks for any help!

Kat

 

Don't take this the wrong way.

 

Your son legally has no father as none is listed on his birth certificate.

 

You need no one's permission to take him out of the country.

[samantham929]

took my 9 year old out of the country last summer.. all we needed was a certified birth certificate... no questions from immigration going out or coming back in the country.. her father IS listed on BC but was not traveling with us.. (or will ever again!! :D)

[crzndeb]

In this day and age, there are many types of families...Carnival really doesn't care...the only time there could be an issue, if there was a father that was fighting it.

 

I was also a single mother and I listed "refused" under father's name on their BC's. Never had any issue taking them on any of our cruises.

[audekat]

Don't take this the wrong way.

 

Your son legally has no father as none is listed on his birth certificate.

 

You need no one's permission to take him out of the country.

 

:)Why would I take it the wrong way...I chose not to list him on the BC...I know who the father is, I just don't want him involved.

 

 

Thanks everyone for the answers. When we go I will bring both the Passport and the BC for him. I have two copies of the BC so one can travel with us.

[LemurCat]

took my 9 year old out of the country last summer.. all we needed was a certified birth certificate... no questions from immigration going out or coming back in the country.. her father IS listed on BC but was not traveling with us.. (or will ever again!! :D)

 

Many countries, including Mexico, have a legal requirement on their books for parents traveling singly and bringing a minor into their country having a notarized letter from the absent parent acknowledging that they are traveling out of the US and have the absent parent's permission. (This includes people who are married, but only one parent is present.) Some countries are much more stringent regarding enforcement than others. Mexico, for example, is very lax.

[TheJayCat]

Not trying to hijack your thread. But this did make me call Carnival. I have read somewhere on this board (I think) that if both parents are trvaling, that you must have written permission from the other parent to bring the child onboard.

 

When I talked to the Carnival agent I explained my situation:

My wife and I are going on the cruise. We are bringing our 19 year old with us. He is hers from a previous marrage. Will we need the written permission from his father?

 

She told me "No"

 

He is considered a minor until he turns 21. However since his mother will be traveling with us we will not need the letter.

 

The letter is only required if the person is under 21 and niether parent is traveling. Is this correct? Anyone else have any experience with this situation?

[LemurCat]

:)Why would I take it the wrong way...I chose not to list him on the BC...I know who the father is, I just don't want him involved.

 

Some people are extremely touchy about the parentage of their child. I was hoping to head off any nastiness at the pass. ;)

[papilliontraveler]

I assume you have sole custody and the father has none?

If that is correct, then you don't need his ok.

Because if he does have any custody rights at all, yes he does have a say so in the matter.

[audekat]

I assume you have sole custody and the father has none?

If that is correct, then you don't need his ok.

Because if he does have any custody rights at all, yes he does have a say so in the matter.

 

that is a correct assumption...I don't think he even knows about the little guy.

[audekat]

Some people are extremely touchy about the parentage of their child. I was hoping to head off any nastiness at the pass. ;)

 

I know, I have met people that get all indignant for me because I am a single mom...silly.

 

Luckly I have not encountered anyone who has been rude or mean about my choices for my family.

[smallworldtraveller]

for piece of mind ... I would bring everything you have to prove that you have sole custody.. If I travelled from Canada to the USA, you could count on the USA customs agent asking me for letter stating that I could take our son out of Canada to USA. In these days of tighter security rules, the Amber alerts etc etc. I can understand why they ask for these things. I would just be covering my back side just incase you get someone who wants to use thier authority to the max. Why take the chance, you are not take a file cabinet with you, only two more pieces of documentation. JMHO

[audekat]

for piece of mind ... I would bring everything you have to prove that you have sole custody.. If I travelled from Canada to the USA, you could count on the USA customs agent asking me for letter stating that I could take our son out of Canada to USA. In these days of tighter security rules, the Amber alerts etc etc. I can understand why they ask for these things. I would just be covering my back side just incase you get someone who wants to use thier authority to the max. Why take the chance, you are not take a file cabinet with you, only two more pieces of documentation. JMHO

 

All I have for my son is the Passport and BC. What other documents could I get?

[PapaJDub]

He is considered a minor until he turns 21. However since his mother will be traveling with us we will not need the letter.

 

The letter is only required if the person is under 21 and niether parent is traveling. Is this correct? Anyone else have any experience with this situation?

 

The age of majority in the United States is 18. Once you are 18 you are an adult and none of that applies. Carnival's only requirement for 18-20 year olds is that at least one person in the cabin must be over 25.

[TheJayCat]

So since we will all be sharing an ocean suite, we won't have any issues?

 

Thanks.

[TheJayCat]

The only thing that had me worried was reading this in faq's on Carnivals website.

 

All guests 16 years of age or older must provide an official photo I.D. When traveling with a minor and both parents/legal guardians are not cruising, we strongly recommend bringing an original signed letter from the absent parent/legal guardian authorizing the minor to travel with you. This will expedite processing by the Department of Homeland Security. Please note that a notarized letter to this effect is required if debarking with children in Mexico.

[crzndeb]

Audekat,

 

You don't need any other documents....the father is not listed on the BC, so it is a moot point.

 

Many women today choose to use sperm banks....there is no other documentation.

 

Don't worry and have a great cruise with your son.

[audekat]

Audekat,

 

You don't need any other documents....the father is not listed on the BC, so it is a moot point.

 

Many women today choose to use sperm banks....there is no other documentation.

 

Don't worry and have a great cruise with your son.

 

Thanks! I am already looking forward to the trip. We are going next Thanksgiving (2011) on the Freedom. He won't be old enough for Camp Carnival but My Dad and his GF are coming so they are going to babysit a little so I can go out for an evening or two.

[LemurCat]

Not trying to hijack your thread. But this did make me call Carnival. I have read somewhere on this board (I think) that if both parents are trvaling, that you must have written permission from the other parent to bring the child onboard.

 

When I talked to the Carnival agent I explained my situation:

My wife and I are going on the cruise. We are bringing our 19 year old with us. He is hers from a previous marrage. Will we need the written permission from his father?

 

She told me "No"

 

He is considered a minor until he turns 21. However since his mother will be traveling with us we will not need the letter.

 

The letter is only required if the person is under 21 and niether parent is traveling. Is this correct? Anyone else have any experience with this situation?

 

Incorrect. The age for when a child no longer needs a permission letter to enter any country signing the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction or dual-signers to apply for a passport is SIXTEEN (16).

[LemurCat]

The only thing that had me worried was reading this in faq's on Carnivals website.

 

All guests 16 years of age or older must provide an official photo I.D. When traveling with a minor and both parents/legal guardians are not cruising, we strongly recommend bringing an original signed letter from the absent parent/legal guardian authorizing the minor to travel with you. This will expedite processing by the Department of Homeland Security. Please note that a notarized letter to this effect is required if debarking with children in Mexico.

 

Except that legally, the child only has one parent.

 

Audekat, if you're nervous, just slip a copy of the birth cert in with the passport.

[audekat]

Except that legally, the child only has one parent.

 

Audekat, if you're nervous, just slip a copy of the birth cert in with the passport.

 

Yeah, I will take my extra BC with us. i am taking when we go to the BVI's this xmas also. it won't hurt to have it along. Paper doesn't take up much space. :D

[LemurCat]

Yeah, I will take my extra BC with us. i am taking when we go to the BVI's this xmas also. it won't hurt to have it along. Paper doesn't take up much space. :D

 

Exactly. Have a fantastic time.

[knitdiva]

Took my son on a cruise last year and was asked to show my notarized letter from DH coming back into Canada!!!:confused:

The custom agent at my local airport asked me where the father of the child was (I answered ''he's waiting for us in the parking lot''), then asked if I had a written permission to travel alone with the child (to which I answered yes). She had to ask me to show her the letter because I didn't even figure that she would want to see it when I'm coming back and a 20 minute drive from home!

If there is no dad listed, you don't need anything other than the passport and take the BC to be sure. Have a good trip!

[cruise_dad]

We just got back from the Mexican Riviera on the Carnival Splendor. We had three minors with us, two with different last names. We had notarized letters with us but were never asked to show them.