Passport Opinions Please

[cruisertime]

We will be traveling with our daughters and granddaughter in November, and we just applied and received (in 8 days) our granddaughters passport.

 

Our granddaughters father is nowhere to be found, so we applied for the passport without his consent. The State Depsrtment assured me that if the passport was issued, my granddaughter is free to travel anywhere and it will not be an issue.

 

Has anyone ever had any experience with this type of situation?

[Pegs222]

We will be traveling with our daughters and granddaughter in November, and we just applied and received (in 8 days) our granddaughters passport.

 

Our granddaughters father is nowhere to be found, so we applied for the passport without his consent. The State Depsrtment assured me that if the passport was issued, my granddaughter is free to travel anywhere and it will not be an issue.

 

Has anyone ever had any experience with this type of situation?

 

Not to be intrusive, but is your granddaughters Mother in the picture?

[melika091900]

i dont if its the same thing, but we traveled with my niece, and no parent of hers was there, and we never had any issues,

they never asked for consent or anything , this was in 2006, im not sure if its changed.

the only thing we had was permission to get treatment if needed for medical, that was signed by her mom and notarized.

[cruisertime]

Actually, she will be travelling with us.

[earlethepearl]

Honestly it is a good thing to inquire about, but you will be fine. Unless her parent(s) filed paperwork that you took the girl they will have no reason to stop you or even have any questions. You will just be another loving grandparent with your granddaughter. Have a wonderful cruise!

[Pegs222]

Actually, she will be travelling with us.

 

Then if the State Department says she is good to go, she is. Have a wonderful cruise.

 

BTW, if you click on "quote", the poster you are replying to will have there post quoted.

[Travel Angel]

We will be traveling with our daughters and granddaughter in November, and we just applied and received (in 8 days) our granddaughters passport.

 

Our granddaughters father is nowhere to be found, so we applied for the passport without his consent. The State Depsrtment assured me that if the passport was issued, my granddaughter is free to travel anywhere and it will not be an issue.

 

Has anyone ever had any experience with this type of situation?

 

Is the grandaughter a minor ? If so, who has legal custody of her ? Is your daughter travelling with, the mother ?

 

Only reason I inquire this is it could mean that if the mother is travelling with her and does NOT have legal custody of the child (and child is a minor), they need a letter of consent to travel outside the USA, from the nowhere to be found father. If the mother is travelling and has sole cusrody, the consent form woud not be required, but I would have documentation that the daughter has sole custody, just in case they are questioned.

 

Just food for thought.

[cruisertime]

Is the grandaughter a minor ? If so, who has legal custody of her ? Is your daughter travelling with, the mother ?

 

Only reason I inquire this is it could mean that if the mother is travelling with her and does NOT have legal custody of the child (and child is a minor), they need a letter of consent to travel outside the USA, from the nowhere to be found father. If the mother is travelling and has sole cusrody, the consent form woud not be required, but I would have documentation that the daughter has sole custody, just in case they are questioned.

 

Just food for thought.

 

Our granddaughter is a minor and mother will be traveling with us, and no one has every had custody of her but my daughter. When I talked to the State Department, I spoke with someone from the Child Division and they said any issue would need to be resolved before they would issue a passport. If they did issue it, she would be free to travel anywhere with anyone.

 

The reason I asked is that I do remember reading somewhere of someone having an issue when they tried to embark.

[Travel Angel]

And in a perfect world I would not worry, but I still stand by my suggestion to have evidence of sole custody with, just in case whomever checks you in interperets the law differently. Better safe than hit with a surprise when you try to board and need those documents !

[winddawn]

We will be traveling with our daughters and granddaughter in November, and we just applied and received (in 8 days) our granddaughters passport.

 

Our granddaughters father is nowhere to be found, so we applied for the passport without his consent. The State Depsrtment assured me that if the passport was issued, my granddaughter is free to travel anywhere and it will not be an issue.

 

Has anyone ever had any experience with this type of situation?

Found this on Carnival's website:

 

"When traveling with a minor and both parents/legal guardians are not cruising, we 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."

 

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/Children_Documents.aspx

 

We took a niece with us cruising several times. We always took a notorized statement with both parent's signatures giving us permission to take her AND to authorize medical care if needed.

[misguidedangel]

A copy of her birth certificate with proof that the father is not in the picture is recommended. Mexico is one place where proof that the child is being raised by a single parent is suggested. In cases of divorce or death, proof that the mother has custody/or proof of death will be requested.

 

The state department may say all is well, but how do you know what the border agents in the port of call follow the US State department rules? They don't, they follow their own rules...

 

Happy cruising!