Consent form needed for grandchild

What type of consent form would be needed to have a 17 year old grandson join us on our cruise. The father could write an authorization form, but the mother is not in the same state and there is not much communication among them. Is one parent's OK, enough to satisfy requirements for flying and entry on a cruise ship? I don't think there was ever established a single legal custody. Cruise is out of Puerto Rico , closed loop.

Any advice appreciated.

Our daughter went on a cruise with friends of ours, so this is what we did. First things first. Does your grandson have a passport? That would be best, because both parents have to be present when the under age child is applying for it. If not, then you will need his birth certificate. The next thing would be a notarized letter from the father (I assume he is the primary care giver) giving permission for his son to travel with you. Being specific about the dates, and location. Here is an example:

 

I/We (insert name of parent or parents) consent to allow my child (insert name of child and date and place of birth) to travel with their grandparents (insert names of grandparents, their addresses, DOBs and passport numbers) to (insert general travel destination or destinations) during the period from (insert date of departure) to (insert date of return).

 

Finish the letter with a blank for the signature of the parent or parents, followed by a blank for the date. Add contact information for the parent: full address and all relevant phone numbers. One last item to add is a place for the name of the notary and the date notarized.

You might also want to have a letter authorizing medical attention if needed. This letter should have any special instructions ie: allergies, medications, Primary Care Physicians name and contact number. The childs insurance card should also be included. This letter should be notarized also.

If the mother has shared custody, then you are probably going to need a letter from her or her signature on the letter your son signs. You could email her the letter, and she could print it out, sign it and mail it back.

I hope this helps.

I just got back from an Alaska cruise with my 13 year old nephew. I had a letter signed by both parents allowing him to travel with me. As we left the ship the Canadian immigration guy asked if his dad was with us. I said no and then he asked if I had a letter. I said yes and that was the end of the conversation.

Several years ago traveled with my niece (New England/Canada cruise) had the letter with me but never asked about it.

 

I had heard from several friends Canada was really picky. You won't have that issue but I would have a letter just in case.

Thanks to both of your responses. I will save them for reference.

 

 

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Our daughter went on a cruise with friends of ours, so this is what we did. First things first. Does your grandson have a passport? That would be best, because both parents have to be present when the under age child is applying for it. If not, then you will need his birth certificate. The next thing would be a notarized letter from the father (I assume he is the primary care giver) giving permission for his son to travel with you. Being specific about the dates, and location. Here is an example:

 

I/We (insert name of parent or parents) consent to allow my child (insert name of child and date and place of birth) to travel with their grandparents (insert names of grandparents, their addresses, DOBs and passport numbers) to (insert general travel destination or destinations) during the period from (insert date of departure) to (insert date of return).

 

Finish the letter with a blank for the signature of the parent or parents, followed by a blank for the date. Add contact information for the parent: full address and all relevant phone numbers. One last item to add is a place for the name of the notary and the date notarized.

You might also want to have a letter authorizing medical attention if needed. This letter should have any special instructions ie: allergies, medications, Primary Care Physicians name and contact number. The childs insurance card should also be included. This letter should be notarized also.

If the mother has shared custody, then you are probably going to need a letter from her or her signature on the letter your son signs. You could email her the letter, and she could print it out, sign it and mail it back.

I hope this helps.

 

OP needs authorization from BOTH parents to take the child out of the country, this is the case even if the child has a passport. Having a passport is irrelevant. Divorces happen all too often and obtaining a passport before a divorce does not mean that afterwards the absent parent consents to the child leaving the US.

 

The information about the letter is semi accurate, but it has to be signed by BOTH parents.

OP needs authorization from BOTH parents to take the child out of the country, this is the case even if the child has a passport. Having a passport is irrelevant. Divorces happen all too often and obtaining a passport before a divorce does not mean that afterwards the absent parent consents to the child leaving the US.

 

The information about the letter is semi accurate, but it has to be signed by BOTH parents.

 

What zqvol said.

Also call your cruise line to confirm.

At Labadee when Me and my son was returning to the ship at shore in the dock one security guard ask to my son if I was his father and also ask to show our sea pass and ID's .I felt annoyed, but I understood that he was doing his job.

To obtain a US passport, someone 16 years or older doesn't need either parent's permission.

OP- you should have a notarized signed permission to travel letter signed by both parents. Will you be asked for it for a 17 year old for this cruise? Probably not.

It strikes me that the required paperwork is not much of a safeguard.

You may not be asked with a kid that age, but you never know. We have traveled with 7 grandchildren and had all the papers and med forms for each one. We were asked for the documents both before and after the cruise (immigration). They carefully matched up each child with the proper paperwork. Kids were 5 to 11 though.

 

They did ask me if they were my kids (people often thought I was their mother) and I *think* if I had said yes that would have been sufficient, but not worth the risk. Imagine taking 7 kids on a cruise and then being denied boarding!

 

You can find form letters on the internet or your cruise line may have a preferred form to use--RCI did.

 

I know it may be difficult to get both parent's signatures, but that really is best and may be required if you get a stickler of an agent.

It strikes me that the required paperwork is not much of a safeguard.

 

Rather than a safeguard, its intended to be a legal cover for the cruise line. There isn't that much more that can be done in terms of safeguarding though.

I just got back from an Alaska cruise with my 13 year old nephew. I had a letter signed by both parents allowing him to travel with me. As we left the ship the Canadian immigration guy asked if his dad was with us. I said no and then he asked if I had a letter. I said yes and that was the end of the conversation.

Several years ago traveled with my niece (New England/Canada cruise) had the letter with me but never asked about it.

 

I had heard from several friends Canada was really picky. You won't have that issue but I would have a letter just in case.

 

Sort of the same thing but the Canadian customs people asked my granddaughter who we were. They then asked US for the authorization from her parents.

 

DON

To obtain a US passport, someone 16 years or older doesn't need either parent's permission.

OP- you should have a notarized signed permission to travel letter signed by both parents. Will you be asked for it for a 17 year old for this cruise? Probably not.

 

Completely erroneous information..

Completely erroneous information..

What's erroneous? The statement suggesting a notarized permission signed by both parents? The opinion it probably won't be asked for a 17 year old male?

 

Technically a 16 year old requires parental awareness (one parent) not parental permission. I don't think there is much of a real world difference but the poster you quoted offered completely correct information.

To obtain a US passport, someone 16 years or older doesn't need either parent's permission.

OP- you should have a notarized signed permission to travel letter signed by both parents. Will you be asked for it for a 17 year old for this cruise? Probably not.

 

 

 

Wrong. Between 16 and 18 they only need 1 parent

 

Under 16 both parents must approve a pp.

 

 

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Rules have recently changed for minors aged 16-17 applying for a passport. If they have their own ID then a parent's approval is not required on the application. HOWEVER, they do suggest that a parent be present to acknowledge that they know their child is obtaining a passport. 6rugrats was correct.

 

Applicants Age 16 and 17

 

If you have your own identification document (ID), you may apply for a passport by yourself. However, we strongly recommend that at least one parent accompany you to show parental awareness.

Examples of Parental Awareness:

• A parent appearing with you in person when you apply for your passport
  
• A signed statement consenting to issuance of a passport from at least one parent (should be accompanied by a photocopy of that parent’s ID).
  

If you do not have a current ID, you must show at least one parent knows that you are applying for a passport.

 

As a previous poster noted, having a passport and using a passport for travel are still two different things. But 17 YO are rearely scrutinized as closely as a 4 or 5 YO.

Dot your i's and cross your t's. You never know when boarding staff or foreign immigration officials will want to make a fuss. Some bureaucrat's bad day could become your bad day.

Rather than a safeguard, its intended to be a legal cover for the cruise line. There isn't that much more that can be done in terms of safeguarding though.

 

No, it is technically a Federal law that is designed to stop parents from taking children out of the country to avoid process in divorce and custody cases.

No, it is technically a Federal law that is designed to stop parents from taking children out of the country to avoid process in divorce and custody cases.

 

Yup. That's why having a passport DOESN'T give you permission to leave the country. You could have got the passport when you were happily married and now that you are in the process of divorce you are taking your children back to a country that has no extradition laws. You read about it all the time in the newspaper.

Completely erroneous information..

Wrong. Between 16 and 18 they only need 1 parent

Suggest the naysayers read facts before posting their erroneous information.

A 16 year old doesn't need either parents permission to get a passport if they have an ID:

https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/16-and-17.html

Yup. That's why having a passport DOESN'T give you permission to leave the country. You could have got the passport when you were happily married and now that you are in the process of divorce you are taking your children back to a country that has no extradition laws. You read about it all the time in the newspaper.

Some years ago DH took our oldest son (then 11) with him on a business trip to England and Scotland, flyiing from the States to Toronto, then to London. What we saw as a great father-son bonding trip was seen by Canadian authorities as a potential child abduction. No, DH did not have a letter from me giving permission for the trip - our TA never told us of the need for such a letter. The only things that saved the trip were (a) DH could show that they had round-trip tickets and (b) they took son aside and questioned him separately as to my whereabouts. and he could tell them that I was home with his younger brothers.

Some years ago DH took our oldest son (then 11) with him on a business trip to England and Scotland, flyiing from the States to Toronto, then to London. What we saw as a great father-son bonding trip was seen by Canadian authorities as a potential child abduction. No, DH did not have a letter from me giving permission for the trip - our TA never told us of the need for such a letter. The only things that saved the trip were (a) DH could show that they had round-trip tickets and (b) they took son aside and questioned him separately as to my whereabouts. and he could tell them that I was home with his younger brothers.

 

Last year I drove into Canada through I-5 (Blaine). I had my 4 grandkids ages 4, 6, 7 and 10. I had all the paperwork and then some. I offered my paperwork and they glanced at it then asked the kids who we were, where their parents were and where we were going for how long.

 

 

I just don't understand how cruisers think they are immune to people committing crimes, taking kids and getting off the ship and never coming home. There are many threads where parents are asking about how to get permission because the other parent won't sign the letter. What do they think? That is the whole reason for the letter.

 

 

How many articles have we read of a parent (some not only not divorced but the mother didn't even know this was a possible) where the dad is taking their children to a country where he and only he has sole custody and the mother will never see those children again. I think it was just last year that a father finally got his daughter back from the mother who took her to see her mother 5 years earlier in (I think) Brazil and she kept her. It took him years with lots of money AND the US government working on extradition laws to get her back. The mom was going on vacation from what he thought was a happy marriage.

 

 

These letters are to protect the children NOT to hassle the adults. You would think they would be grateful that someone is looking out for the lives of the children.

OP needs authorization from BOTH parents to take the child out of the country, this is the case even if the child has a passport. Having a passport is irrelevant. Divorces happen all too often and obtaining a passport before a divorce does not mean that afterwards the absent parent consents to the child leaving the US.

 

The information about the letter is semi accurate, but it has to be signed by BOTH parents.

 

While both parents signatures are preferred and possibly required, the truth is, none of us know what the custody arrangements are for this family. They may both be involved, they may not. And it is none of our business. The father should know what would be necessary. My Sample letter was just an example for the Grandparent to start the conversation with the father.

While both parents signatures are preferred and possibly required, the truth is, none of us know what the custody arrangements are for this family. They may both be involved, they may not. And it is none of our business. The father should know what would be necessary. My Sample letter was just an example for the Grandparent to start the conversation with the father.

 

Sorry but unless parental rights have been terminated, you need permission from both parents to take a child out of the country. What a divorce decree says is irrelevant unless it actually terminates parental rights. The sample letter was insufficient.