Travelling with minor question

[fireofficer5]

There is not any form required.

If this is his son.

Why is the fathers name not on the Birth Cert?

[fireofficer5]

Also, if it's your time for custody, you can go anywhere you want, as long as the child is back in time to be returned to the egg donor.

[LemurCat]

There is not any form required.

If this is his son.

Why is the fathers name not on the Birth Cert?

 

Actually, it depends on what port(s) is/are being visited. It's an entry requirement for several ports. It may not always be enforced, but depending on where you go, you may be required to have it.

 

As to why the father's name isn't on the Birt Cert, that's not germane to the conversation. How about we don't delve too deeply into the interpersonal relationships of the OP and simply answer their question in as factual a manner possible?

[LemurCat]

Also, if it's your time for custody, you can go anywhere you want, as long as the child is back in time to be returned to the egg donor.

 

Nope. That depends on each individual court order of custody.

[fireofficer5]

If the dad has custody (visitation) for the cruise period, he can bring his child anywhere he wants.

Just make sure his child support is up to date.

[LemurCat]

If the dad has custody (visitation) for the cruise period, he can bring his child anywhere he wants.

Just make sure his child support is up to date.

 

Again, that depends on the Court Order of Custody and Visitation. He may very well *not*, under penalty of law, be able to leave the state or country with the child.

 

Custody law is not cut and dry.

[angelia denise]

When I spoke to Jerrard, I mentioned Homeland Security.....he said "as long as the minor is in the same cabin, you are fine." We only need the official / certified birth certificate. The letter is recommended, not required.

 

I have spoken to the guardian ad litem in our case, and to our attorney. The guardian (who is also an attorney) has requested to the mother's attorney (who is in agreement) that mother "get on board" and provide us with what we need, because she (like many of you) thinks it is better for us to have the permission (boy I would feel better too!) - just in case -and is a better way to "co-parent". -no reason we should be stressed and taxed like this because it's a great opportunity for the son. We are awaiting the results of that request with baited breath, believe me!

 

We are currently involved in a legal custody battle - soon to go into mediation. It is because of situations like this (among many others) that have provoked us to file for custody.

 

The father's name was asked to be put on the birth certificate all these years, but my husband always assumed it was just "the mother's perogative" and he had no say - thus he never pursued it....I did not know it wasn't on the certificate until recently..He has always had visitation and has always paid supprt and has always had paternity. Our attorney is now working on getting the father's name on the certificate as we just started pursuing it due to all of this cruise stuff.... we have discovered that a mother has no grounds to contest the name on the certificate if paternity is established....post 9/11 means lots and lots of paperwork into the background of the father....BUT since all that has been taking place pursuant to the litigation going on now, we can request that it be put on within the current litigation...and so we will win this small battle, eventually.

 

We are going to Cozumel, and I did not ask Jerrard about debarking, but did let the guardian know that I have read someplace we would not be able to get off the ship in Mexico without the proper papers.

 

Our attorney is going to draft a motion to get a court order stating that the mother provide us with permission and a letter and the birth certificate if she does not comply with the guardian's wishes and her own attorney's. My big issue now is time. We can only go during the first week of August, and I'd feel a lot better if we were booked already!

 

Yes I will feel better having the proper paperwork, but I feel certain we could go without it. At this point though, we have done everything right. Yes I have considered that she would charge us with kidnapping, but we have talked about how that would play out - not well for the mother, especially since WE have the support of the guardian ad litem in regards to this situation - in the midst of a custody battle. It is after all during OUR court appointed visitation time - as stated in our legal court order (with specific dates that have been agreed upon by both parties). As long as he is back on USA soil by her appointed time, she has no reason to call the police. Our attorney has already drafted a statement to her attorney that my husband is one year away from finishing a very competitive, expensive, and lucritive medical program, we have a house mortgage and I have a contracted obligation to my job...there is no way we are going to leave the country and kidnap him!!

 

As far as I know there is nothing in the visitation that states you cannot take the child out of the country without permission of the custodial parent, but I will certainly check that out. Thanks for pointing that out! My attorney has not mentioned it either, but I think she prefers to get the paperwork, and leave a paper trail of micromanaging that the court has to do because the mother refuses to cooperate and "co-parent".

 

The way I see it, what I thought was a very bad situation (my lemon) has suddenly turned into lemonade! I greatly appreciate everyone's advice!

[zqvol]

If the dad has custody (visitation) for the cruise period, he can bring his child anywhere he wants.

Just make sure his child support is up to date.

 

This is not true, he cannot take the child out of the court's jurisdiction, without permission.

[carlat78]

I just traveled with my 7m old daughter without her father ( who I have no contact with) and did not receive his permission or a letter from him. When I checked in all they asked for was her birth certificate. Perhaps because me and her have the same last name it was not mentioned by the agent, but they didnt bring anything up about it. My PVP also suggested that I get a letter from him., but as I said before I didnt. Good Luck

[sxyshell]

I just traveled with my 7m old daughter without her father ( who I have no contact with) and did not receive his permission or a letter from him. When I checked in all they asked for was her birth certificate. Perhaps because me and her have the same last name it was not mentioned by the agent, but they didnt bring anything up about it. My PVP also suggested that I get a letter from him., but as I said before I didnt. Good Luck

I've been on 2 cruises with my son, who's last name is different from mine and we've never been asked for this letter. I didn't even know it would be an issue until reading this board. I don't have legal custody but his "sperm donor" never sees him or calls him so it wouldn't be an issue to him. I even tried to get him to sign paperwork for a passport and he won't respond. I talked to a laywer and the only way I can get a passport without him is to file for custody. That will cost me $1100. All that money just to get a passport.

[angelia denise]

We have the go ahead from the attorneys! She will sign the paper! (I will hold my breath until it is in my hand...) Apparently mother thinks we are trying to get a passport and enroll him in a new school and that we never gave an indication that it was for a cruise, which of course we said many times....????? I really don't know where that came from, but am no longer surprised at anything anymore.

 

Apparently the guardian did the trick and mother will be very generous when the guardian is involved. We are just elated that we get to take my stepson on a cruise - he's never been, and his eyes just lit up when we mentioned it as an option.

 

By the way, our visitation says nothing about where you can or cannot take him during visitiation. Hopefully after all is done, we won't have to jump through so many hoops again!

 

Thanks everyone and happy cruising to you all - I know I will particularly enjoy this one!!!

[Rickson]

We are going on a cruise on Saturday. The boys have a different last name from their mother. We recently got a notarized letter from the father to get them passports, but turned the letter in to the passport office as required. Do we still need to have a notarized letter or is the fact they have passports enough?

[LemurCat]

We have the go ahead from the attorneys! She will sign the paper! (I will hold my breath until it is in my hand...) Apparently mother thinks we are trying to get a passport and enroll him in a new school and that we never gave an indication that it was for a cruise, which of course we said many times....????? I really don't know where that came from, but am no longer surprised at anything anymore.

 

Apparently the guardian did the trick and mother will be very generous when the guardian is involved. We are just elated that we get to take my stepson on a cruise - he's never been, and his eyes just lit up when we mentioned it as an option.

 

By the way, our visitation says nothing about where you can or cannot take him during visitiation. Hopefully after all is done, we won't have to jump through so many hoops again!

 

Thanks everyone and happy cruising to you all - I know I will particularly enjoy this one!!!

 

Congrats! I'm very glad your family got this situation worked out. Now go and have a great time. :D

[caribbean dreams]

I talked to a laywer and the only way I can get a passport without him is to file for custody. That will cost me $1100. All that money just to get a passport.

 

 

$1100...WOW, where is live, if you do it yourself, it only costed abut $70 for filing & paperwork.

If "sperm donor" is not responding, this may be a pretty cut & dry case.

[Sunnflwr]

I just went to have my form notarized( which I printed out from a link on this board-Thanks!) and my first husband came with me to sign the paper for the notary(Thanks again:)) He also had to come with me to the passport office to sign the permission for the passport (our son is 14)

However, my understanding is that this consent for minors is not just needed in a divorce/custody situation- ANY TIME that both biological parents of a minor child are not present on the cruise - whether married, divorced, never married (according to one post, even when one has died) you need documentation showing permission to travel. That includes grandmas, mommy and me cruises, family friends' children going alone with you- all sorts of situations. Please get the paperwork! Married people, estranged grandparents and others could in theory, run off with the child too. We are lucky because we all are good friends, but I am still glad to know that no one can legally take my child out of the country with out my permission. I wish you the very best of luck. It might be time for DS to do the puppy eyes with his mom.:D

[Crusin6]

Actually, it depends on what port(s) is/are being visited. It's an entry requirement for several ports. It may not always be enforced, but depending on where you go, you may be required to have it.

 

As to why the father's name isn't on the Birt Cert, that's not germane to the conversation. How about we don't delve too deeply into the interpersonal relationships of the OP and simply answer their question in as factual a manner possible?

You make an interesting point...but if the child is 12....and there is no denying paternity based on the tests....why wasn't the first order of business to get the father's name on the BC?

 

This is going to be a very expensive cruise for sure........I say wait until he is 18 and in the mean time vist the Florida Keys. Seriously, the mother is playing all the cards, the stepmom is trying to get things done, which I am sure burns the bio mom, and all that will happen is that the legal bills will mount for the dad. Save your money and just travel as a couple andwait it out to go out of the country....there are plenty of great life learning trips and experiences that the dad can have without pandering to the bio mom's whims.

 

I think that the dad needs to look out for his son and it seems that all this court garbage can't be good for him........just value the times you have custody and make memories that way. 6 years goes by very fast.

 

This may be an unpopular opinion.....but the dad and son are what matters...not a cruise...not the stepmom...not the biological mom.....

 

For those who will now say that cruising is a great life experience....you all know I agree with that.....I just don't think that this stupid fighting is smart....the smart thing would be to outsmart the bio mom.....vist Key West...during custody time...and drive! You understand what I am getting at here....do great things with the son....leave bio mom out of it....have a great time with the child...make memories....and do it in a way that the bio mom does not need to know about or give permission for!:D

[Crusin6]

Edit.... I realize that Florida is out of state for you...and that may be a problem as well.......what I am getting at is do the best trips possible with the authority that you have and stay with the legal guidlines of the custody agreement.

 

 

I think bio mom is just waiting for a chance to pounce.

 

 

btw, what does bio dad think of all this? Does he really want to go thru all this trouble and expense just to get back at bio mom? I am sure she is loving it.

[LemurCat]

Edit.... I realize that Florida is out of state for you...and that may be a problem as well.......what I am getting at is do the best trips possible with the authority that you have and stay with the legal guidlines of the custody agreement.

 

 

I think bio mom is just waiting for a chance to pounce.

 

 

btw, what does bio dad think of all this? Does he really want to go thru all this trouble and expense just to get back at bio mom? I am sure she is loving it.

 

They seem to have it pretty well worked out right now.

[Crusin6]

How do some of you pick such loosers to...........

too much alcohol:D

[Nursegirl]

I was married to my loser for 12 years...he hit 40 and went crazy...doesn't care about taking care of the kids (who are 10 and 4), doesn't pay child support (government is taking it from him now!) and is slowly killing himself with alcohol because he thinks he's 20 and needs to party. So, it's not like we pick them out as losers....