The question grabbed my attention, as I was about to fly from Canada to San Francisco with one of my sons. Did I need authorization from my husband to make this trip?
It seems that increasing concerns about kidnapping-- especially parental abductions, where one divorced parent steals the child away from the other one-- have created a new complication in family travel.
When only one birth parent is traveling with a child-- or if a child is traveling with a grandparent or guardian-- the safest course of action is to to carry formal authorization, if borders are crossed.
Which countries require documents?
Not all countries require such authorization, but one very popular family vacation destination does.
Paris Parmenter, co-author of Caribbean With Kids, writes that Mexican law requires that a child traveling with only one parent carry a written, notarized consent letter from the absent parent.
As for other countries: "Generally this is not a problem in the Caribbean," she says, "but better safe than sorry."
- A good resource is the set of US Department of States pages that list travel documents required by numerous countries around the world. (this site lists travel warnings too.)
- See the Single Parent Travel Network for entry requirements for popular family vacation spots.
But what about travel between Canada and the US...
...where cross-border travel is so commonplace that people sometimes change countries for a shopping trip? At time of writing, here's what the US State Dept. says in its Consular Information Sheet about Canada:
"CHILDREN'S ISSUES: Many governments, including Canada's, have initiated procedures at entry and exit points to prevent international child abduction, including requiring documentary evidence of relationship and permission of the parent(s) or legal guardian not present for the child's travel. Having such documentation on hand, even if not required, may facilitate entry and departure."
Do I need a notarized document?
Just what is a "notarized letter of consent"? A "notary public" is a person authorized to legally witness another person signing a document. In the case of the divorced father traveling to Canada, the child's mother would prepare a letter consenting to the child's travel, and sign it in the presence of the notary. The mother would be required to show proof of identity; and the notary would certify that the letter had indeed been signed by her.
For my own travel to the US, after a call to a US Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) official, I decided that a signed -- but not notarized-- letter from my husband would be sufficient. He simply wrote a letter authorizing our son to travel with me to the US on certain dates. And when we traveled, no one asked for any sort of letter at all.
Tip: see Single Parent Travel Network for a sample notarized letter that you can print out.
Increased Security
In a climate of increased airport security, we can expect more questions for parents traveling solo with their kid(s). What should a Mom or Dad do, who's traveling with kids without the other birth parent?
- make sure you have picture ID for yourself and your child
- check the entrance policies for the country you're visiting: the U.S. State Dept.'s Bureau of Consular Affairs lists Foreign Entry Requirements along with other useful information.
- the Single Parent Travel Networ is another good resource
- If you're still uncertain, contact the Embassy or Consulate of the country you're visiting, and ask what documentation you'll need.
- don't assume that whatever documentation you carried last time you traveled is still sufficient
Even if you've been assured that you don't need a notarized letter of authorization, bring along:
- your child's birth certificate which specifically lists you as a birth parent. (In Canada, this is called the "long-form" birth certificate.)
- a signed letter from the absent parent.
And if you have any niggling qualms that something might go wrong-- make the extra effort and get a notarized letter from the absent spouse.
Finally: in many circumstances passports are now required for US citizens to re-enter the US after traveling abroad: read about
