How do you get parental consent,father unknown?

[mousetravel]

I've read all the information on the parental consent letters, etc on these boards , but my question is, what if the father is unknown? You couldn't possibly get a letter. Would you just write out a statement, have it notorized, stating the situation?

[sk8teacher]

I would assume that the birth certificate for the child states that, therefore that should be sufficient. I would suggest calling the cruise line and asking them.

 

Cheers,

[Sally Forth]

I have a friend in this situation. The father of her children is mentally ill and homeless. She actually tracked him down and he refused to sign the permission letter or the passport application. She went to the passport office and asked them what to do. They gave her a hearing in front of a judge and she showed him her custody papers and swore a statement regarding her ex-husband. The judge signed it all for her. This was in Canada, so YMMV.

 

Viv

[raina*faith]

I too would call the cruise line and explain my situation. :)

[Margarita1time]

A document from the courts stating you have sole custody, and the certified birth certificate. Have fun!

[catlady1971]

Is his name on the certificate? My son's is blank in that area. I made it easier when I had he took off when I was pregnant. My son has my name. You shouldn't have much of a problem, hon. Believe me, I understand where you are coming from. ;)

[Ineedavac]

I'm having the same problem with my son's father, he's deceased. It was easier getting his Social Security than it has been to get his passport. :mad:

[mollyeilis]

I'm having the same problem with my son's father, he's deceased. It was easier getting his Social Security than it has been to get his passport. :mad:

 

Can't you just get the death certificate? :confused:

 

 

To the OP, I know you're not asking about a passport, but I would imagine something similar could apply. If you look on the pages on the passport site about minors under 14, when you really really read ALL the info, it gives LOTS of alternatives to having both parents there or having one fill out the notarized form allowing just one to get the passport. Lots of options. I would imagine the same sort of info would be good for the cruiseship to see; if you don't have sole custody legally (though why wouldn't you? and if you don't, why not get that in legal writing from the courts?), you can still probably go through some sort of legal process, showing that legally there's no father, and you have all the rights for your child's travel life.

[Nickymjw1]

My son's father's name is on his birth certificate, but we don't know where he is. Since we were never married, there is is custody assigned.

 

I was able to get a passport for him, I don't recall anything special I had to do to get it. So there must be an easy way around it. Sorry it has been a while so I don't remember.

 

I would not want to spend court cost just to get the passport. Believe me, he owes so much child support he will never think about questioning anything, or try to get custody.

[Happy ks]

I too would call the cruise line and explain my situation. :)

 

 

Not the very best advice, you have to remember the people answering the phones at the cruiseline are/can be minimum wage employees and not necessarily know the correct answer to legal questions. You can call 3 different times with the same question and get 3 different answers.

 

Questions should be handled by the courts or the passport agency, not a cruise line employee. Too much is at stake to rely on the wrong answer and it would be a shame to miss a cruise due to misinformation. If you read through your contract carefully, the responsibility for proper citizenship and other documentation is up to the passenger.

 

They won't buy the excuse that the cruiseline said it was OK, because it's not up to the cruiseline to allow or disallow you into the USA, that is up to the Immigration Dept.

[madjohn]

Every state will have a different procedure. As an Attorney in CA a parent needs to file all the proper paper work and have a court award both sole legal and sole physical custody. This document will entitle the parent to do whatever they wish. A single parent who does not have contact with the other parent should have this done for a multitude of reasons, cruising being the least. The schools, day cares, hospitals and everybody else will be on notice that only you can make decisions. With out this either parent can walk into a school, day care or other such place and legally walk out with the child. Get this done for your cruise and for all the even better reasons.

[mousetravel]

I got a consent letter with a small note at bottom saying "father of ____ is unknown, therefore _____has full, legal custody of said child" and signed it in front of a notary and got it notarized. Hopefully this will satisfy at check in and customs. Could they really make a big deal of this? I have been on 2 crusies and never got asked for a note, but this time we're going to Mexico, and I want to get all info as possible. I also called a lawyer and they said that since my name is on birth certificate and no father's name, that will be all I need (and the notarized letter). If you're saying father is unknown, how can they argue with that?