If One Spouse Is Taking The Kids On Cruise Does The Other Spouse Have To Write A Lett

[GINNY L]

This question probably at one time has been posted but I could not find it at the present time.

 

I am taking my two children, ages 16 and 11, on a cruise with my mother in December. My husband is not going on the cruise. I was just wondering if any of the cruise lines, RCCL and carnival in paticular, requires the other spouse to write a letter showing they have given me premission to take the kids. We are not divorce, he just does not want to go on this cruise, he is not much into cruises while the kids are.

 

Any help regarding this matter is greatly appreciated.:)

[flagger]

You need a notarized affidavit signed by him giving you permission to take the children out of the country whether married or not. Parental kidnappings to Mexico and other countries is a big problem and it is better to be safe than sorry. RCCL may never ask you, but IMHO you should have that letter.

[Merion_Mom]

flagger has given you the straight poop, Ginny.

 

I don't do this, and have never been asked or looked at crosswise, but others HAVE, and you want to avoid potential problems. And since you ARE married, it should be a very simple matter to get him to sign such a letter. :)

 

(The people who have problems are those who have no idea where the other parent currently is, or have overtly hostile exes who won't cooperate.)

[zachnlucy]

Here's a link to a sample letter (which we have used in the past) -- use the HTML link, the PDF one isn't working:

 

http://travelwithkids.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=travelwithkids&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.singleparenttravel.net%2FWriting%2FDocumentation%2F

[pach]

I always have my "ex" get a notorized letter, when traveling with my daughter. She has a different last name than me which can send up a red flag. I have been asked on a trip to Mexico for it, thankfully I had one. Now it's just easier to get, rather than worry.

[emdia43]

Got to the Cruise Diva site and enter 'Permission letter' in the search box,and you will come up with a free form.

If you are a AAA member they also have them and will notarize it for you.

[cruiseknots]

I have taken my step son on 3 cruises in the last 2 years and have never been asked for a letter.

[emdia43]

I have been on 5 cruises with my grandsons. I have always taken the form with me. I have been asked twice if I have it with me but only asked to show it to the check-in clerk once. She copied it and we were on our way aboard. It's like a lot of things- you don't need it until you don't have it. They can and will deny boarding if you don't take it .

[katstoy]

I think that with the recent new passport rules for children under 15, you no longer need the letter. If you need to get a passport for a child both parents must be present at the passport agency to sign the application. If only one parent is present, then you must obtain a notarized permission form from the other parent (it's a pre printed government form.

 

When we travel it is just my DD (10) and I. Up until the passport changes we had to have what I call the "daddy" letter: a notarized letter from her dad with his permission for me to take her out of the country. The letter had to have the travel dates, and the address of the destination hotel (or cruise ship). Once the passport rules changed, no one asked for this letter. I am including airlines and RCI.

 

Just to be sure, call RCI and ask. On our last three cruises I had it for the first one, and no one cared. I did not have such a letter for the last two, and no one cared. You may want to call an airline, too, as they used to require them. Our last air trip to Mexico, in 2005, we did not need one. I had one just in case, but no one asked for it.

[crisndeefromde]

The kids still have to have a passport and that hasn't anything to do with the letter. The letter is permission to take the minor out of the US. You need it whether you are married or divorced and one person in our group had to have a document notarized that she was a widow traveling with the minor. Always better to be safe than sorry and you have to have this document even if flying out of the US, not just cruising.

[GINNY L]

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!:D :D

 

This helps alot. I rather be safe than sorry. I printed off the forms and will have them signed for the "Just In Case" situation.

[Happy ks]

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!:D :D

 

This helps alot. I rather be safe than sorry. I printed off the forms and will have them signed for the "Just In Case" situation.

 

Please don't forget his signature has to be notarized.

 

I like the letter attached to the link zachnlucy provided as it has space for child(ren)n names. The one I used indicated space for only one childs name, so I had to use two forms. Two notarized sigs, two notary charges for it.

[wrp96]

I think that with the recent new passport rules for children under 15, you no longer need the letter. If you need to get a passport for a child both parents must be present at the passport agency to sign the application. If only one parent is present, then you must obtain a notarized permission form from the other parent (it's a pre printed government form.

 

When we travel it is just my DD (10) and I. Up until the passport changes we had to have what I call the "daddy" letter: a notarized letter from her dad with his permission for me to take her out of the country. The letter had to have the travel dates, and the address of the destination hotel (or cruise ship). Once the passport rules changed, no one asked for this letter. I am including airlines and RCI.

 

Just to be sure, call RCI and ask. On our last three cruises I had it for the first one, and no one cared. I did not have such a letter for the last two, and no one cared. You may want to call an airline, too, as they used to require them. Our last air trip to Mexico, in 2005, we did not need one. I had one just in case, but no one asked for it.

 

The passport rules don't matter. The reason for the letter rule is to prevent parental kidnappings. Just because a parent gives permission for a passport does not necessarily mean they give permission for the children to leave the country.

 

As people have said, you probably won't be asked for the letter, but if you are and don't have it then you miss your cruise so it's best to be safe and get it.

[cruiseknots]

The passport rules don't matter. The reason for the letter rule is to prevent parental kidnappings. Just because a parent gives permission for a passport does not necessarily mean they give permission for the children to leave the country.

 

As people have said, you probably won't be asked for the letter, but if you are and don't have it then you miss your cruise so it's best to be safe and get it.

 

Passport rules DO matter. There is no legal requirement for this letter. The ONLY letter that is required is for the application of a passport. Cruise lines and Airlines may have their own policies on this issue. As someone mentioned, it is a good idea to have the letter to avoid delays when traveling. You can visit the US Department of State's web site for more information on this issue.

http://www.state.gov/

[wrp96]

Passport rules DO matter. There is no legal requirement for this letter. The ONLY letter that is required is for the application of a passport. Cruise lines and Airlines may have their own policies on this issue. As someone mentioned, it is a good idea to have the letter to avoid delays when traveling. You can visit the US Department of State's web site for more information on this issue.

http://www.state.gov/

 

Umm. The requirement for the letter is by other countries. For example Mexico requires it if you are entering their country. The State Department's website lists the requirements to enter our country. It does not list the requirements to enter another country. So telling someone to visit the State Department's website doesn't cover what will be required for them to enter another country, it only tells them what's required to get back into our own country.

[cruiseknots]

Umm. The requirement for the letter is by other countries. For example Mexico requires it if you are entering their country. The State Department's website lists the requirements to enter our country. It does not list the requirements to enter another country. So telling someone to visit the State Department's website doesn't cover what will be required for them to enter another country, it only tells them what's required to get back into our own country.

 

I work for an airline and deal with this on a daily basis. Letters are not required by US law. Yes each country does have it's own rules and that is why I posted the State department's website. If you click on "Document requirements" and go from there, you can find it listed by individual countries. Mexico does require a letter, but when visiting by cruise ship to Mexico, you are not required to provide any documents to Mexican officials. This is true of most ports of call. Cruises to Mexico and the Caribbean require "Proof of Citizenship" This is mainly for your re-entry into the US. BTW, if you read your passport it will also tell you to visit the State Department's website for information on traveling abroad.

[pmshirl]

I needed the show this letter 2x this past year, while going through customs and immigration. I take my 15 yr old GD along on cruises and ALWAYS take the notarized letter along. In fact the one officer read over the letter word by word, and even had ask questions from me and also from my GD. Prior years while cruising with her, I wasnt ask to show the letter, but this year I was asked every time she cruised with us. Also her friend accompanied us, and also needed to show her letter and was asked questions. The airlines never ask any questions!!! This isnt an airlines policy.

[cruiseknots]

Sorry I got kicked off my computer. Jamaica, the Bahamas, Grand Cayman, Dominican Republic are all popular cruise destinations that do not require the letter. The main reason Mexico and Canada have this requirement is because of the shared borders.

[aldewitt]

So long as your children have passports and at least one parent in attendance, there is no legal requirement that a parent give permission except where there is a valid custody order that prevents that parent from taking the children out of the country, or otherwise regulates custody.

 

In that situation, where a parent has temporary custody (let's say, for vacation purposes) and the trial court's order specifically requires the permission of the custodial parent before the children may be taken out of the country, failure to comply with the court order could result in charges being filed for "interference with custody." It could also get the FBI and ICE involved in your vacation, which tends to make for a very lousy vacation.

 

Custody between married parents is shared, and either may act as the agent of the other with respect to the children.

 

However, one smart approach may be to make sure that your traveling companions (your mom, for instance) has a certified and notarized statement giving her permission to consent to treatment. If there was an emergency and you were in the spa, and grandma was the only one available, you'd want her to be able to see to it that the kids had emergency medical care.

 

Authorizations to treat as well as a number of other forms for situations like this can be found in Broderbund Software's "Family Lawyer" program.

 

Anthony L. DeWitt

Attorney

[emdia43]

The way it was explained to me was that this was a liability issue with the cruiselines,they do not want to be sued for being complicit in an abduction,parental or otherwise....

So it becomes irrelevant as to what you think is 'legal'- the fact is that the cruiselines require it and you take a chance of not being allowed onboard without it.:)

[crisndeefromde]

From information we were given, need written notarized letter with permission to take minor outside of us. Passport is only a travel document. Too much kidnap, etc going on. Our friends have their grandchild with them on a vacation within the states, not even on a cruise, and have notarized permission from both parents. Also have to have this letter if medical attention is necessary within us and outside of us. Always better to be safe than sorry and sitting somewhere unhappy because you should have.

[zephyr17]

I think that with the recent new passport rules for children under 15, you no longer need the letter. If you need to get a passport for a child both parents must be present at the passport agency to sign the application. If only one parent is present, then you must obtain a notarized permission form from the other parent (it's a pre printed government form.

 

Remember, it depends on the entry requirements of the countries you are going to visit in addition to the US Passport issuance rules and cruise line rules.

 

For children 16 or under, Canada requires a notarized letter from the absent parent (divorce or no divorce -- if they aren't present, you need it), a court order granting sole custody, or a death certificate. They are very, very sticky about this.

 

I understand Mexico has a similiar requirement, but don't know how rigidly they enforce. But Canada certainly does.

 

So don't just depend on the cruise line info, check the country information. As another poster noted, this information is available for almost every country in the world at the US State Department's website. The specific link to that State Department's documents requirement page for other countries is:

 

http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/requirements/requirements_1233.html

 

Once there, click on "US Citizens - Visas for entry into foreign countries"

[KatWI]

My family is booked on a West Caribbean cruise in Jan. I’m divorced with a 16 yr old son. My ex signed off on his rights several yrs ago and is not in my son’s life (he lives out of state). We have court papers from the judge, etc.

I had a friend recently tell me that when she tried to take her 17 yr old son on a vac to Mexico – they wouldn’t allow her son on the flight without a notarized ltr from her ex giving permission for her to take him out of the country, along with a copy of her ex’s driver’s license. Her son was only 1 wk from his 18th b-day.

Do I need something like this from my ex? Will the court papers be enough? I'm not even sure of where he lives!! He has had many drunk driving tickets and I don't think he even has a drivers license anymore! What would I do in a case like this?

I'd appreciate any advice!

THANKS!

[crusinmama06]

I am taking our notarized letter on Thursday. I am traveling without my husband. I have read too many accounts here where people HAVE been asked. Better safe than sorry.

 

Also, some are talking about passports...but the OP doesn't NEED a passport yet because she is traveling in December. So she may not have passports for her children. I don't yet...not until our cruise in April will I need them.

[Autumnrose]

Whether or not it is a legal requirement does not matter. What matters is whether or not you will be asked for it. Believe me I have had several clients that were asked for the letter. I would bring it just in case. Unless you would like to stand at the pier arguing whether it is legal or not while the ship sails away. :eek: :D