Traveling Internationally with Your Children

Marie Hillman • June 2, 2017

Are you traveling internationally with your child this summer?  If so, here is some important information for divorced parents and any parent traveling internationally with a […] The post Traveling Internationally with Your Children appeared first on Hillman Law Firm.

Are you traveling internationally with your child this summer?  If so, here is some important information for divorced parents and any parent traveling internationally with a child without the other parent.

One aspect of divorce that you may not have thought much about is traveling by yourself with the kids. It is not always easy, but if you are like me, traveling with your family is something you value so you have to find ways to make it work. I am very lucky to have a mother who is willing to go with us and other friends who are happy to travel with me and my crew as well.

If you are traveling out of the country with your child and without the other parent, you need to be aware of special requirements. Because of increasing instances of child abduction in custody cases and a growing number of children who are the victims of trafficking, an immigration officer, airline, or travel company may ask you to provide a letter of consent from the non-traveling parent if your child is traveling internationally with only one parent or a letter of consent from both parents if the child is traveling with someone else.  Requirements of the letter are stated here:  http://bit.ly/ParentalConsentPermissionLetter

Adults traveling with minor children should be aware that, while the U.S. does not require this documentation, many other countries do. Failure to produce notarized permission letters and/or birth certificates can result in travelers being refused entry and sent back to the United States.

Also, if you have a different last name than your child you should bring the child’s birth certificate showing that you are the child’s parent. If the other parent is deceased, a certificate of death should be brought as well.

I am giving this advice from experience. I am a divorced mother and enjoy traveling with my children. Several years ago, my mother and I brought my 15 year-old daughter to Belize. We arrived at New Orleans airport at 5 am to start our trip and were refused boarding passes, because I did not have a notarized letter from my daughter’s father allowing her to travel out of the country without him. Belize is very strict about this requirement, as child trafficking has become a problem in their country and around the world. We left and presented a notarized letter the following day at the airport and were then allowed to board the plane to Belize. When we arrived in Belize, we were asked by an agent to present the letter before entering. The Belize border agent even personally asked my daughter where her father was. Although I was a little frustrated at first, I absolutely respect these requirements and understand that they are for the safety of children everywhere.

Happy Summer Travels Friends! Be Prepared.  As always, if you need assistance with a Parental Consent/Permission Letter, I’m here to help. You can contact me at  marie@hillmanplc.com  or call the office at (985) 302-0813.

Disclaimer:  The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only. Nothing in this article is or should be considered legal advice. The information in this article is not intended to create an attorney-client relationship, and viewing or receipt of information from this article does not create an attorney-client relationship.

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