Disembarking in Cozumel for the day w/minor child

[mightykat]

I posted this on the Cozumel board, but I thought I'd ask here as well, since we're going to be on a Carnival ship:

 

Everything I've read states that I need a letter from my son's father allowing me to travel with him to Mexico - my problem is that my son's father is nowhere to be found. Without getting into the whole story, they've never met, he's obviously not a part of my son's life and I wouldn't know where to find him if I could.

 

With that being said, my son will be 16 at the time of our cruise. We do share the same last name, so that wouldn't raise a flag. What are the chances that I'm actually going to be asked to supply a letter to the Mexican government? Has anyone ever been in this situation before?

 

I've only been to Cozumel once and all I remember when trying to get back onto the ship was right when we got to the pier and we had to show our photo ID along with our S&S card and then again when we went through security on the ship itself.

 

Thanks for any advice ya'll might be able to give :)

[jmitch1965]

My daughter and wife (her stepmother) have been to Couzmel before, we had the letter but were never asked for it. I'm guessing here, but I think the letter would not come into play unless the Mexican authorities had a reason to suspect something shifty was going on. I'm having a hard time imagining what circumstances would prompt you to be asked for it.

[asb2164]

Tell them the father is dead.

[ju-ba]

We had the same situation with our 16 yr old grandson. Get a notarized statement attesting that the father is absent and then apply for his passport without any hassles.

[philfam5]

I was there in March with my daughter (12 at the time) and didn't have the letter. No problems what so ever.

[gijanemom]

We had the letter ready for my two step-children, have cruised more than once, and have NEVER been asked for anything of the sorts. My children's father is deceased and the only time we needed any type of proof was when we applied for passports! Best of luck!

[cathy_kearns]

Tell them the father is dead.

 

When traveling outside the US with my minor child I do carry her father's death certificate. I'm thinking if the father in question is not dead this wouldn't work.

[caribsun]

Sole custody documents will work.

[Scooby450]

To me it's like a motorcycle helmet: I would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. We are iiin the same situation. Dead beat Dad back east has not had any communication with his fabulous son for seven years. Mom filled out a form regarding this when we applied for his passport. I googled travel forms for children online and found free forms for consent (medical), consent from one parent to allow child to travel with other parent, and a sole guardian affidavit. I am not sure it is a legal form but it is something and easy to do as it only needs two witnesses to sign it.

[Havingfun2010]

The only thing I was ever asked for was the ship's card. Although my wife is with me, she is disabled, so often times, and I did this in Mexico, I was on and off the ship, with the boys, and never questioned, or looked at. How would they even know, the father wasn't sleeping on the ship?

[5waldos]

Took my underaged son with me and had no problems- and since he is adopted he looks nothing at all like me. We are polar opposites in just about every visible way. Nobody questioned a thing.

 

The reason for the paperwork is primarily to prevent parents from kidnapping their children. By the time a kid is 16 they are less concerned since a kid that age has a greater ability to speak out for themselves. They are generally much more concerned about younger children who might not understand what is going on.