Will I need a letter from my husband?

[southern cruising couple]

I am going on a cruise with my mother and I am taking my 2 year old son. My husband is not able to take off work for this trip. So when I saw the previous post about a notarized letter from their ex it made me wonder if I will need a letter from my husband? And if so, why and what will it need to say?

[lmg1230]

It's always a good idea to have a letter of consent when one parent is traveling out of the country with a child. The 'why' is that immigration officials are within their rights to demand that you show proof that you have the other parent's permission to take the child out of the country in order to satisfy themselves that it is not a case of parental abduction.

 

I live in Canada and have visited the U.S. twice in the last few months (though not on a cruise) with one of my daughters and have taken a notarized consent letter from my husband both times. On the first occasion we were grilled by U.S. Immigration officials before we were allowed to board the flight. He asked my daughter who was 9 at the time a number of questions and even went so far as to question whether my letter was indeed notarized as it was stamped but didn't have a red seal on it. The second time the official just asked if I had a letter, looked at it and handed it back.

 

Better to have a consent letter with you than have boarding refused, in my opinion.

 

Lisa

[IttaBit]

I am going on a cruise with my mother and I am taking my 2 year old son. My husband is not able to take off work for this trip. So when I saw the previous post about a notarized letter from their ex it made me wonder if I will need a letter from my husband? And if so, why and what will it need to say?

 

Just basically...

 

I, (husband's name), give (your name) permission to take (kid's name) out of the country on a cruise on (dates).

 

If you google travel consent letter, you'll find some good examples. Make sure it's notarized.

[lovebelle]

I am having my husband sign one just in case. This is the form I am using:

 

http://www.singleparenttravel.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Minor-Consent-Letter.pdf

[rmmom1962]

I have cruised numerous times with my kids when they were young and had the letters each time. And was never asked to show them. My youngest is now 17 last cruise I did not bother with the letter and thank god no one asked again.

Going on Dream in a few weeks most likely won't bother with the letter.

Renee

[southern cruising couple]

Thank you all; It honestly would not have ever really crossed my mind until asked. This was very helpful Another example of how great and helpful these boards can be!