Single parent needs additional advice

[lyttleone1977]

I have been reading al of the threads on here, and want to throw this out here one more time. I have talked to my PVP and the county clerks office to make sure I have this all correct. This is what my court orders say:

 

"It is further ordered and adjudged that the care, custody and control of the minor child of the parties shall remain with the Plaintiff (myself) until said child attain(s) the age of 18 years, or until further Order of this Court".

 

Both the clerk and PVP said that this document should be enough to cruise with. The children do not have passports, and I do not want to address their father yet because he is an extremely difficult person to deal with. He has not seen them in a year, and the last time he was supposed to see them, he ended up slamming the door in our faces because he refused to let me show him how to apply a cream to our daughter, and said that he did not want them until they "grew up". It is really rediculous.

 

What I need to know is has anyone had these documents and ever had a problem boarding the ship?

[sas80]

I have been reading al of the threads on here, and want to throw this out here one more time. I have talked to my PVP and the county clerks office to make sure I have this all correct. This is what my court orders say:

 

"It is further ordered and adjudged that the care, custody and control of the minor child of the parties shall remain with the Plaintiff (myself) until said child attain(s) the age of 18 years, or until further Order of this Court".

 

Both the clerk and PVP said that this document should be enough to cruise with. The children do not have passports, and I do not want to address their father yet because he is an extremely difficult person to deal with. He has not seen them in a year, and the last time he was supposed to see them, he ended up slamming the door in our faces because he refused to let me show him how to apply a cream to our daughter, and said that he did not want them until they "grew up". It is really rediculous.

 

What I need to know is has anyone had these documents and ever had a problem boarding the ship?

 

Right now all you need is a birth certificate for your child(ren) and I do not think you need both signatures to obtain a birth certificate....?

 

If the situation is the same for passports (not needing 2 signatures) then why not apply for a passport as well?

 

In response to your original question, you might want to call your cruiseline and ask.

 

However, it occurs to me that - how is the cruisline even going to know that you are a divorced parent, sailing with your children? The question will probably not even come up!

[sandy toes]

Right now all you need is a birth certificate for your child(ren) and I do not think you need both signatures to obtain a birth certificate....?

 

If the situation is the same for passports (not needing 2 signatures) then why not apply for a passport as well?

 

In response to your original question, you might want to call your cruiseline and ask.

 

However, it occurs to me that - how is the cruisline even going to know that you are a divorced parent, sailing with your children? The question will probably not even come up!

Don't know what state but here you can go to the local health dept (city where child was born) to obtain a BC if you need another one. There are on line sites you can go to if you need one from out of state. The court papers will work as My DD is in your same sort of situation (so sorry anyone has to be there!). Talk with someone from the Post Office where they assist will getting the passports. You may not need the Fathers signature there either if you submitt a cert. copy/notary seal of the court papers. It is worth a try... Have a great cruise. The cruise line does ask for "papers", "letter", etc, whenever they see a single adult cruising with children. Your court papers or a copy with a notary seal will work.

[crusinmama06]

Right now all you need is a birth certificate for your child(ren) and I do not think you need both signatures to obtain a birth certificate....?

 

If the situation is the same for passports (not needing 2 signatures) then why not apply for a passport as well?

 

In response to your original question, you might want to call your cruiseline and ask.

 

However, it occurs to me that - how is the cruisline even going to know that you are a divorced parent, sailing with your children? The question will probably not even come up!

 

The reason the OP is asking the question is because some cruiselines require a notarized letter from the parent who is traveling alone with children EVEN IF you are still married to the person. It has to do with child custody laws. And most TA's will recomend having the letter. I have to carry one when I travel without my husband.

 

NOW, with that being said. To answer the OP's question. You have the paperwork you need. You won't need a letter because you have a court order saying you have full custody. So the original birth certificate (with raised seal) and that court order is enough. No worries. :D

[lyttleone1977]

Thanks everyone. I have had their birth certificates for a while, so just needed the court docs. We are ready to go!!!

[momofmn00]

The reason the OP is asking the question is because some cruiselines require a notarized letter from the parent who is traveling alone with children EVEN IF you are still married to the person. It has to do with child custody laws. And most TA's will recomend having the letter. I have to carry one when I travel without my husband.

 

NOW, with that being said. To answer the OP's question. You have the paperwork you need. You won't need a letter because you have a court order saying you have full custody. So the original birth certificate (with raised seal) and that court order is enough. No worries. :D

 

crusinmama06: SO what shoud be written in this letter?????:confused: Since I just posted about going without XH in another thread; I have share custody with him (although he only sees them every other weekend...)What do I need written up?? :confused: THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE HELP!!!!

[sandy toes]

Sailing in Nov with Grandson. I need the same sort of letter. Called the cruise line to make sure I had all the words needed legally to board ship with him in tow. "When traveling with a minor and both parents/legal guardians are not cruising, we strongly recommend bringing an original signed letter from the absent parent/legal guardian authorizing the minor child to travel with you. This will expedite processing by the Department of Home Land Security. Please note tha a notarized letter to this effect is required if debarking with children in Mexico." per Carnival Cruise Line. I am certainthis is standard for the other lines as well. Hope Dad does not give you grief and signs without issue. My letter included the cruise line name, ship name, sail dates and air line info all together (the airlines also want to see a letter), the child's name and my name and relationship to the child. Remember, you also need the birthcert. with the raised seal.

[momofmn00]

Sailing in Nov with Grandson. I need the same sort of letter. Called the cruise line to make sure I had all the words needed legally to board ship with him in tow. "When traveling with a minor and both parents/legal guardians are not cruising, we strongly recommend bringing an original signed letter from the absent parent/legal guardian authorizing the minor child to travel with you. This will expedite processing by the Department of Home Land Security. Please note tha a notarized letter to this effect is required if debarking with children in Mexico." per Carnival Cruise Line. I am certainthis is standard for the other lines as well. Hope Dad does not give you grief and signs without issue. My letter included the cruise line name, ship name, sail dates and air line info all together (the airlines also want to see a letter), the child's name and my name and relationship to the child. Remember, you also need the birthcert. with the raised seal.

 

DO I need the Birth Certificates if I have Passports???:confused: Since we are sailing NEXT OCt, we will proabbly need Passports by then...

[greenpony]

I am a single mom who travels frequently with my son. I always carry the notarized letter giving me permission to take him out of the country when we cruise. On two previous cruises, there has been no question. Incidentally, it is not a cruise line requirement, but immigration. Last month, on the way into Canada, I had a hard time at immigration because, stupidly, I deceided I probably wouldn't need the letter.

 

I don't believe that children need passports. You can absolutely get a certified birth certificate without the other parent's permission. To get a passport for a child the process is essentially that the parents have to prove who they are and then have documentation that the child belongs to them. I'm lucky, the ex goes along with these things.

 

One thing that isn't clear to me from the OP is the issue of "full custody." I have physical custody, but unless the other parent has given up parental rights, my understanding is that you would still need the letter granting permission to travel.

[crusinmama06]

momofmn00

OK, here is the consent form. BUT, if you are going to have a passport for the kids, that's where this gets a little shady. According to everything I have read, if you have a passport, which usually is given by consent through both parents or at least through proof of court custody, then you won't need this letter.

 

But here it is just in case. And don't freak out if you can't get the ex to sign it...the passports should be all you need

 

LETTER OF CONSENT TO TRAVEL

 

I ___________________________________________________provide my consent for

NAME OF PARENT

 

my child(ren) ____________________________________________ to travel with

NAME OF CHILD(REN)

 

________________________________ to ____________________________ from

NAME(S) OF ADULT TRAVEL COMPANION(S) COUNTRY/COUNTRIES

 

________________________________ to ____________________________ .

DATE DATE

 

(List specific travel information in the space below such as airline, flight number, cruise line and ship or tour operator.)

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

 

Signed_____________________________________________________________

PARENT'S NAME

 

Telephone/Contact:__________________________________________________

Address:

___________________________________________________________________

 

___________________________________________________________________

 

___________________________________________________________________

 

Signature of Notary:__________________________________________________

 

Notary's Printed Name: ____________________________________________

 

Notary Seal:

 

[momofmn00]

Thanks Michelle for answering my ??'s and supplying the form letter! I copy it to MS Word and print it up! Thanks again!!!!!!:D

[C cruzer]

:o This next cruise w/ my dd will be our 5th and no one ever said I needed this letter from my dh. All they ever asked was for her B.C. and our travel docs. I did know that a friend needed a letter to fly w/ her kids to mexcio but I never had a prob. I'll bring this letter next time. Thanks:)

[mspostallady]

I have been going through a similar problem. My daughter's father took off several years ago and we are unable to get in touch with him for any written consent. I've tried getting a court date for papers, near impossible. So we ended up having to wait till my daughter turns 14. We have our first cruise scheduled 2-3 months after her birthday. Once a child turns 14, you can get a passport without the other parents consent. you can also fill out another paper for children under 14, asking for an exception to the rule when you can't get a signature from the other parent, but you still pay the fees and if you are denied there is no refund. This form is at the passport office.

[lyttleone1977]

One thing that isn't clear to me from the OP is the issue of "full custody." I have physical custody, but unless the other parent has given up parental rights, my understanding is that you would still need the letter granting permission to travel.

 

All I am going by is the court papers. It says nothing about one having physical custody or joint. It says that I have "the care, custody and control of the minor child". We were never married, and when I asked him if he ever wanted to have the papers changed to say that he wants joint legal and physical custody, he said no. So that is what it says, has never been changed, and this is 5 years later. All it really states is that he is her dad, he has a financial obligation to her, and thats it.

[Ginger11]

Hi I am a single mother of a three-year old son. My situation is a bit different. My son's biological father is not involved with him. I am the only parent listed on the birth certificate. When we sailed to Canada from New York last year (Cunard). I just showed the officials my passport and his birth certificate and no one ever questioned me.

 

I would double check with the cruise line, but I think the document you described should be sufficient.

 

The US government is now requiring all US citizens to have passports when travelling to Mexico, Canada and the Carribean. It used to be that a birth certificate or a drivers' license was enough. Apparently, this has caused such a backlog of passport applications though that they had to extend the deadline at least for minors who are not travelling by air. My son and I are sailing to the Carribean in November and the Cunard has told me several times that his birth certificate is enough. I have a passport but he doesn't. I just haven't gotten around to getting him one, although I will probably do it soon.

 

Ginger

[boulders]

I think the OP has all the documents she needs.

 

But, for those who are married to the fathers of their children and travel alone, are taking grandchildren or have a custody arrangement with the ex, you still need the letter, even if the child has a passport. The letter has to state the dates that you are leaving and entering the country and that the parent not traveling consents to this. It is an immigration requirement. Canada is particularly sticky about this since a lot of U.S. parents have abducted their own children to Canada to avoid custody issues.

[741323]

We have a notarised statement stating that I am the sole parent. I have never needed it but have been warned that may need it in Mexico.

[mcfam5]

This information was listed in our travel documents for our upcoming trip on the Carnival Glory:

 

For minors traveling without both parents/legal gaurdians, we strongly recommend bringing an original signed letter from the absent parent/legal guardian authorizing the minor to travel with you. This will expedite processing by the Department of Homeland Security. Please note that a notarized letter to this effect is required if debarking with children in Mexico. In addition to the above requirements, all guests age 16 years of age or older must provide an official photo ID.

 

Hope this is helpful to someone!

[johnnied]

T I have to carry one when I travel without my husband.

 

That's weird. I took my son to Japan when he was 11 and no one said a word or asked for a permission slip. He did have a passport, so I don't know if that made a difference or not...

[boulders]

That's weird. I took my son to Japan when he was 11 and no one said a word or asked for a permission slip. He did have a passport, so I don't know if that made a difference or not...

 

There's probably not a lot of parents (or others :eek: ) trying to abduct and hide their U.S. born children in Japan.

[Doug&Suzy-Q]

We are the grandparents taking 3 minor grandkids to St Thomas, St Maarten.......our daughter has "primary custody"......

I understand we need the letter with her notorized signature ONLY!!

Not the missing father.

Plus.........since we are the grandparents......I was advised on another thread to add to the letter my daughters permission for medical services should they be needed............very important...

I never would have thought of this..........thank you all for this very important info.......

[greenpony]

My mother takes care of my son while I work. We make sure that she always has a current copy of the following letter "just in case."

 

 

 

Temporary Guardianship of Minor Child

The undersigned, parent name, address, being the parent of child name (the “Child”), do hereby appoint temp guardian name (the “Caretaker”) as the temporary legal guardian of my child named above, as set forth below.

The term of this temporary guardianship shall be from date to to date. However, this temporary guardianship may be earlier terminated at any time upon notice.

The Caretaker shall have the following powers:

The power to temporarily maintain Child in her care as requested and authorized by parent.

The power to determine the necessity, type and kind of medical treatment in the event of a medical emergency while Child is in her care. If there is no medical emergency, Caretaker will first use reasonable efforts to contact parent name before administering or authorizing any treatment.

The power to determine and obtain reasonable and necessary clothing, food and shelter while Child is in her care.

The Caretaker is advised that there are no special circumstances or limitations regarding the powers granted in this instrument.

This Temporary Guardianship of Minor Child is signed on date at cty, state.

 

 

Parent signature

[johnnied]

There's probably not a lot of parents (or others :eek: ) trying to abduct and hide their U.S. born children in Japan.

 

LOL. Maybe that's it! Probably because I had a roundtrip ticket.

[Doug&Suzy-Q]

Greenpony............ thank you......I watch the kids while my daughter works.......I take them to the doctor, dentist etc.....all summer, holidays etc..........I never even thought to have a letter to the effect you have...........

Thank you so much.....Suzanne

[greenpony]

Suzanne,

 

My mom does a lot of those things for me as well. She always carries a couple of copies of the letter. We also made a credit card sized list of information that could be needed for my son in a hurry - Dr phone numbers, Health Insurance carrier/number, his SSN, all of the phone numbers to reach me or his dad. It has worked out well for us.

 

jean