Cruising with Foster Child. What documentation is REALLY needed. Carnival doesnt know

[ncboys]

OK, we will be taking our foster son(10) and his adult sister(18) with us on our cruise this fall. The sister is a legal adult and has her own birth certificate, so there shouldn't be any issue with her. However, we're not exactly sure what documentation will be required for her 10 yr old brother(our foster son). I have called Carnival and asked but the woman I spoke with didnt sound very sure. She said she thought a letter from his Social worker and a birth certificate should be all that were needed. But being foster parents, we're used to filling out mountains of paperwork in triplicate. I cant imagine it's really that simple. I just don't want to get to the boat and find out that there is something someone neglected to tell us.

 

Forgot to mention. We will be adopting him in November, a month after the cruise. Both of his biological parents' rights have been terminated and he is a ward of the state. Someone mentioned a letter from the judge perhaps.

 

Are there any other foster parents out there who have been in this situation before? What did you do?

[ampleiwb]

I am sorry no one has answered you yet-here is a bump.

I hope you get this answered clearly! If not call carnival everyday until you get someone who knows what they are talking about. Then maybe have them send you documentation stating exactly what you need-have them fax it to you right then.

[SadieN]

Just did a search (of course the links didn't work. I used foster child as key words. Several threads came up.

 

Basically have the BC and court papers saying you can take the child out of the country.

[chrislaurn]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.phpt=1208698&highlight=foster+children

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.phpt=1415234&highlight=foster+children

 

I couldn't get those links to work

There might be some good info for you on the family forum. Good luck and God Bless for taking in a child!

[mariemorgan]

Here these may help:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=29137029&postcount=3

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=7923670&postcount=9

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=7901164&postcount=2

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=24601365&postcount=8

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=24627681&postcount=13

[clancy43]

I am sorry no one has answered you yet-here is a bump.

I hope you get this answered clearly! If not call carnival everyday until you get someone who knows what they are talking about. Then maybe have them send you documentation stating exactly what you need-have them fax it to you right then.

 

I agree completely ~ get it in writing. Also, be sure to have documentation from Child Services.

 

Hope you guys have a wonderful time ~ I'm sure you guys are quite a blessing to them as they are to you. :)

[smc0320]

OK, we will be taking our foster son(10) and his adult sister(18) with us on our cruise this fall. The sister is a legal adult and has her own birth certificate, so there shouldn't be any issue with her. However, we're not exactly sure what documentation will be required for her 10 yr old brother(our foster son). I have called Carnival and asked but the woman I spoke with didnt sound very sure. She said she thought a letter from his Social worker and a birth certificate should be all that were needed. But being foster parents, we're used to filling out mountains of paperwork in triplicate. I cant imagine it's really that simple. I just don't want to get to the boat and find out that there is something someone neglected to tell us.

 

Forgot to mention. We will be adopting him in November, a month after the cruise. Both of his biological parents' rights have been terminated and he is a ward of the state. Someone mentioned a letter from the judge perhaps.

 

Are there any other foster parents out there who have been in this situation before? What did you do?

Congrats to YOU all/....my partner & I just became certified to be foster parents....have a respite placement next week.....but would totally want to bring our foster child with us on a cruise -- 2 this year, who knows next year?? -- especially if it's an adoptable situation.....I can't wait to hear the answer....

[GeorgiaMomof4]

Hi! I'm hoping I can help some.

 

My family and I just cruised in April on the Dream and we are foster parents here in Georgia. Although we did not take a "foster" child with us, we do have a child who was one of our foster children, but who we now have permanent custody of. I checked and I was told I had to have a copy of his birth certificate and a certified (stamped, signed, etc.) original of the judge's orders giving us permanent custody.

 

I would think as long as you have a copy of your foster son's birth certificate and a letter from your county DFCS stating they have legal custody and give you permission to take him out of the country that everything should be fine.

 

Of course like the other posters have said, it wouldn't hurt to keep calling and checking with Carnival, but you may find that you get a different answer with each person you speak with.

 

Good luck and have a great time! I think it's so great when a foster parent takes their foster children on vacation. Some of these kids have never been out of their hometown much less out of the country!

 

Being a foster parent, I know sometimes we need a break, but you will have a blast and it will be something he will never forget!

 

Good luck on your adoption!

[Wendy_M]

youll need a letter from the state giving you permission as a foster parent to travel outside of the country.

[Nanaimobound]

You need your official documentation (raised seal) from the court showing you are the legal foster parents of each child. You may also need a letter of travel from the agency the children are from, and you will need their Birth certificates.

Passports would be better though.

Although you need these things to get on the ship, where it really matters is going through customs on return.

I was a legal guardian for my kids for several years, and my documentation was looked over thoroughly every time.

[rtfnl]

I left child welfare a few years ago. You will need the case manager to get a judge's order stating that you and your husband are allowed to take the child out of the country. You will need dates and where you are going. As for a passport you are not allowed to sign due to not being legal guardians. Provide cm with intn information. Thank for being foster parents, it isn't easy. Hope the adoption goes smoothly.

[eileen11]

We traveled with our foster child to Mexico. We needed a passport (which we could not get at first because this child did not have a valid birth certificate), a letter from our Social Worker and she had to get a letter from a judge allowing us to take her out of the country.

We went to get a passport and, of course, could not get one without a birth certificate. They (the passport folks at the library) gave me a form and told me to fill it out along with any documentation we had on her. I sent them a long letter and copies of her school records and explained the circumstances. I was shocked that we received a 5 yr passport for her!

We later adopted this 15 yr old. Not only did we love her, but she needed a real birth certificate to live!

Talk to your Social Worker, then go to your local agency where you can get passports and get the form to fill out.

[cruiserNC]

We just got back with our foster son (2) in April, we got DSS to have the courts to type up detailed description of all the places were were visiting and giving us permission to take him. We contacted Homeland Security and they told us that would be enough along with his birth certificate. We took our cruise and NO one once asked to see his BC or our documentation LOL. I even asked the immigration officer as we are debarking you want to see his paperwork because we don't share the last name. He said have a nice day....

 

Get your paperwork and have a wonderful time!

 

And 1 of our stops was Cozumel..

[brooklynfc]

I'm so subscribing to this thread. My brother and SIL are going through the process of foster parents right now. We think its wonderful b/c they can not have their own children, but it doesn't matter where they come friend, they need love too. I'm excited about being an auntie to any child. Although my brother has warned me that there will be no cruising with auntie, I know he is a softy and will give in. This thread will come in handy :D.

[ncboys]

Thanks to everyone for the replies! :) We've asked the Judge for a letter and we already have his birth cert in hand, so hopefully those two should work. We have purposely delayed the final adoption until the week after we return from the cruise, so that we don't get caught up in the mess of name changes, and new birth certs right before we leave. I can only imagine the nightmare that that could potentially cause. Thanks again for all the answers. I feel much better about this now. :)

[lillian marie]

I'd still talk to his social worker. Each state has their laws on this and you may need a certified document or letter from the state too. Congrats on your upcoming adoption. I have both birth and adopted kids. They are equal joys in my life.

[gtalum]

OK, we will be taking our foster son(10) and his adult sister(18) with us on our cruise this fall. The sister is a legal adult and has her own birth certificate, so there shouldn't be any issue with her. However, we're not exactly sure what documentation will be required for her 10 yr old brother(our foster son). I have called Carnival and asked but the woman I spoke with didnt sound very sure. She said she thought a letter from his Social worker and a birth certificate should be all that were needed. But being foster parents, we're used to filling out mountains of paperwork in triplicate. I cant imagine it's really that simple. I just don't want to get to the boat and find out that there is something someone neglected to tell us.

 

Forgot to mention. We will be adopting him in November, a month after the cruise. Both of his biological parents' rights have been terminated and he is a ward of the state. Someone mentioned a letter from the judge perhaps.

 

Are there any other foster parents out there who have been in this situation before? What did you do?

 

Have you checked to make sure you can legally take him out of the country? We foster in Florida, and that is strictly forbidden here. We took a foster child on a vacation to California with us this year, but we have been told that we cannot legally take a foster child out of the country.

[kitcatsz]

DH & I are currently legal guardians (along with the State of Georgia) for our 8 year old foster to adopt son. Our extended family takes a cruise every year for Thanksgiving and figured we would miss this year's since the adoption will not be final until early 2012. But our son's social worker/cm encouraged us to consider going so he could meet our family.

 

When we signed docs at DFACS, we were given a Birth Certificate (and a mountain of paperwork) that was a copy with the bio parent's names redacted. The social worker said there is no way we will get an official stamped Birth Certificate until after the adoption. :( She has no problem getting a judge's order for travel. :)

 

When those on this thread have mentioned a Birth Certificate for your foster child, do you have the same type of Birth Certificate that they gave us?