Divorced parent scenarios....need details on procedure

[MamaParrotHead]

OK, one of my friends and her then 16 YO DD will be cruising with us. She is divorced, on good terms with dad.

 

What does she need to know regarding A.) obtaining a passport for her DD, B.) what should the notarized letter from the father, authorizing the trip, contain?

 

Thanks!

[cherylandtk]

Passport rules are found at travel.state.gov website. It sounds as if daughter is still under 16, so either both parents will need to be present to apply for the passport, OR one can be present with the other sending a signed and notarized affidavit.

 

Numerous forms for parental travel permission are found on the internet or on this site under the "Family Cruising" forum. Google "travel permission". One may or may not be asked for this letter (particularly when travelling with one parent and an older child), but it is wise to have one. Letter shuld include names and addresses of all three persons, travel itinerary and medical permission if not travelling with a parent.

[MamaParrotHead]

thanks!:)

[gotsand]

On the 2 previous cruises I have taken, with my daughter, I was never asked for the notarized letter from her dad. I took a copy of my divorce papers, her birth cerificate and a notarized permission letter from my ex husband. Although it now seems as if we all need passports.

Our notarized letter stated, I give my daughter permission on these dates to travel with her mother to......(whatever you friends destination is).

Have a great time, it really was hassle free.

[cruise_pirate]

I have the parent guardian letter from carnival you can email me lon.steinfath@us.af.mil If you want it.

 

Lonnie

[afcj1]

It's based on whether guardianship is shared or sole. I have sole guardianship, so I only need to carry my divorce decree and of course his passport.

Same goes for applying for a passport, sole or shared. If shared then as previous OP posted, either both parents need to apply or 1 sends along a signed affidavit.

Good advise to check the gov website.

[JTHOMAS]

What you are suppose to have and what you actually need are different.

 

I took my son on the Disney cruise 2 years ago and was all stressed about the paperwork. He did not have a passport or birth certificate. My ex gave me the notorized letter (2 sentences) and his birth certificate the day we left. Only when we got to the ship and they asked for his birth certificate it was a hospital certificate not his birth certificate. Holly crap, they asked us to step aside. Someone else came up and looked it over explained this was not going to work, but then let us on anyways. They did not care about the letter even though I tried to show it to them.

 

Second cruise I took him on was RCC this last Nov. Still no passport, but I went and got his birth certificate from the county building as my ex would still not provide it and I did not even bother with any letter. No problems at all.

 

We went and applied for his birth certificate last month and it is already here. I did not need 2 parents to sign for his passport.

[bobandkelly]

I have never been asked for a letter and have never taken one. My DD has a different last name than I have since I am remarried. The first cruise we used birth certificate, the second passports. You do not need both parents to sign for a passport if the child is of a certain age. (I do not remember what that is but my DD got her passport at 15 and only I signed for it)

Kelly

[wrp96]

You do not need both parents to sign for a passport if the child is of a certain age. (I do not remember what that is but my DD got her passport at 15 and only I signed for it)

 

The age used to be 14 but they recently raised it. I believe it is now 16 but it is best to check travel.state.gov to make sure.

[SpringCruiser08]

From what I was told in order to obtain a passport for my 11 year old DD I had to have her Birth Certif and a notorized letter stating I would be taking her to these places on these dates and both her dad and I signed it. We have different last names so I was encouraged by a former travel agent to get a passport. Plus now since we are traveling in April its required.

[MississippiMom]

The age used to be 14 but they recently raised it. I believe it is now 16 but it is best to check travel.state.gov to make sure.

 

In between Christmas 2007 and New Year's, my DH took his 14 year old child (not mine) to get her passport, and he didn't need anything from his ex-wife. Wow!!! I feel like we just got in under the wire. There is NO way that the witch would have agreed to sign anything. I can honestly say that in 2007, both parents were not required to sign. And we have the passport in hand, so I know that the post office passport agent processed it correctly.

 

You just have no idea how lucky I feel that we got the passport taken care of, so that we can cruise this summer.

[wrp96]

Yep, you got lucky. The change just occurred in the last few weeks.

[deborahjo]

I am a notary and you must have a notarized letter from the other spouse to take the child out of the country. I have had to do this several times for our owner of our dealership. The last time was December when they went to Brazil to vistit her parents. She had to get her exhusband to sign a waiver and then I notarized it. It is the law in Colorado anyway to have a signed waiver if you are taking them out of the country.

[Muumuu]

If you have sole custody do you need anything from an ex?

[sea_u_onboard]

I also have Parental forms on my website - go to www.seauonboard.com - Click into Cruise 101 you will find a link there.

[familyplus2]

I will be taking my children (only one is still a minor - 15) on a cruise in May- We all have passports but am a little concerned over the letter fromt his father. I am remarried so have a different last name, we have had absolutely no contact with the children's father in almost 13 years although we have joint custody - he chooses not to visit, write or call. I really don't want to ruffle any feathers as we have had a peaceful life without him..................what do I do about a notarized letter...........or should I just not worry about it given my son's age?

[Browezilla]

DHS WHTI Land and Sea Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Published is at this site and outlines what you need when:

http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1182350422171.shtm

What you need depends on when you are traveling.

 

Carnival actually has a form that you should have filled out when both parents aren't traveling. It's called "Parent/Guardian Permission Form for Minors". Just call them at their toll free number and ask for a copy of it to be emailed to you. I would fill it out and:

1) Give a copy to your TA

2) Have a copy with you as you board.

 

 

Cheers,

B

[Mommy40]

I will be taking my children (only one is still a minor - 15) on a cruise in May- We all have passports but am a little concerned over the letter fromt his father. I am remarried so have a different last name, we have had absolutely no contact with the children's father in almost 13 years although we have joint custody - he chooses not to visit, write or call. I really don't want to ruffle any feathers as we have had a peaceful life without him..................what do I do about a notarized letter...........or should I just not worry about it given my son's age?

 

I have gone on about 5 trips with my kids before and after we had passports. Since we all still have the same last name I have never been asked for anything regarding the father's permission. Also my sister in law traveled on our last cruise in November, she is remarried and has a different last name and again was not asked for anything.

[sea_u_onboard]

I have sailed with the kids without DH and have never been asked but still take the letter - just in case. You just never know. Even check-in people have bad days.

[TCF]

The requirement by most jurisdictions to have the consent of both parents for one of them to travel abroad with a minor child is basically to prevent one parent from spiriting the child out of the country permanently.

It would be most unlikely that a parent would attempt such a move on a cruise ship going to the Caribbean or Canada.

Now trying to get on an airplane bound for the middle east Europe, South East Asia etc. and you will have a problem.

Cruise lines are required by law to see valid passports, birth certificates for ALL passengers and provide that information to the American authorities....generally that is what they do. They are requird by law to have documentation on single parents travelling with a minor child....but they really don't care if they see it....and frankly neither do the authorities.

[VentureMan_2000]

I believe, technically, that a 16 year old child has full recourse to decide which parent he wants to live with. Of course, the parents must agree that they want the child.

 

If one of the parents is a butt and likes to make trouble, perhaps the best recourse is for the child to go to court and have a Judge give themselves a custody ruling independent of the parent's custody fighting.

 

2nd to that, a passport is the best idea.

 

Best of luck.