Taking the children abroad on my own

[Flibbertyjibbet]

I have heard/read things that may be myths, but want to be on the safe side.
Do I need dp's permission? We are together but not married and the children have his name (both have my surname as a middle name so its a sort of not-double barrelled double barrelling!).

Am I likely to be questioned? We are only travelling to mainland spain from UK, but should I take their birth certificates?

(or is the stress of budget flights getting to me and I'm pondering on all sorts of difficulties that won't exist????)

The children are 8 and 9 btw, so old enough to confirm that I am their mummy if asked

[Graciescotland]

I think technically your supposed to have written permission but I've been asked only once on way into U.S. We travel a lot and customs guy looked through passport at the matching date stamps and decided that we travel together a lot and it was fine. Best to take a letter just in case.

[Flibbertyjibbet]

Thanks I think dp will be happy to do a letter as he can't wait for 10 days interrupted evenings on his allotment and lie ins at the weekend!

He will pmsl at the thought of having to write a letter giving his permission!

We don't have any stamps on our passports (mine from singleton travel are all in my old passport), and from another thread about passports today I'm getting a bit mentally exhausted from all the ins and outs of passports!

Will take a photocopy of the birth certificates and a letter from dp.

[prh47bridge]

You need the consent of everyone who has parental responsibility to take your children out of the country. So if he is named on the birth certificate you need his consent. Technically that doesn't need to be in writing but some countries will want evidence that you have his consent before they will let you and your children in if you are travelling without him.

[hufflebottom]

thanks for this post op, now i know for future if i take dd on holiday abroad, better start being nice the xp.

[nickymanchester]

I don't know if you have the same name as your children but this can sometimes cause problems.

I keep my maiden name - not from principle, it's a complicated story - and my DCs have a different surname to me.

I have been stopped and questioned on a couple of occasions when returning to the UK alone with them. So, I just tend to carry their birth certificates with me.

Interestingly, I never get questioned when I leave the UK, only on returning.

[nickymanchester]

some countries will want evidence that you have his consent before they will let you and your children in if you are travelling without him.


The UK is one of those countries when returning. My mum was questioned at Heathrow when she travelled to the UK with my DD - her granddaughter. Fortunately, she had a letter from us giving consent and also my mobile number. Someone from immigration actually called us to confirm the details.

[Flibbertyjibbet]

NIckymanchester,

thanks for that.

As I suspected, last night DP was trying not to laugh at the thought of me needing his permission to give him 10 days peace and quiet and immediately asked for a pen and paper!

My children both have my surname as their middle name.

But I can see potential for extra probs (if you look on the passports thread) my british passport gives a foreign place of birth, so it might be something that draws the attention of the immigration dept when we are coming home. I will take the birth certs to be sure and a letter.

As my sister lives abroad and this is going to probably happen on an annual basis I'll apply for copies of the birth certs in case I lose them on one of our trips. Up till now dp has always come but the kids are easier to manage now they are a bit older so I'm going on my own. (plus dp has been a bit of a saint going to stay with my big sis for 10 days a a time each year, they get on well but staying with someone else's family isn't everyones idea of a fab holiday!).

Although I just noticed that it was your mum travelling with a grandchild, but then I am the oldest mother in this town and am often mistaken for my own kids granny....!

Although it may cause minor inconvenience when travelling with my own children, I'd rather they DID check these things as you hear so many tales of child trafficking, not to mention abduction by a parent.

Thanks all who answered I will be prepared now!

[RhinestoneCowgirl]

I have travelled on my own with the children, just within Europe. I am married but kept my name and children have DH's name. The first time I think I took a copy of my marriage cert.

On returning to the UK last time I had the 2yr old strapped to my back and the 5yr old was asked 'Is this your mum?'. He was pretty tired after a long day travelling and did stare stupidly at the official for quite a while before answering in the affirmative