to warn you and also to have felt like bursting into tears after a long journey to the airport, the passport man asked me for proof that I was the mother of my children accompanying me ...

[LeepyTime]

Like alot of women, I did not change my surname on marriage, (now separated, but this scenario would still apply to married women travelling alone with their children with different surnames) and hence my children have their father's surname, a different one from mine. The passport man in Geneva airport asked me to provide documentation that they were my children, which I did not have, as have never been asked for it before. He left me dangling for a few minutes before finally saying we could go on through and to remember it next time. I was nervous and exhausted after all the stress of getting the car hire back and ferrying/entertaining my small 3 through the airport so this final hurdle nearly broke me. (Oh yes, apart from the last straw of my car starting but not actually moving when we got back to our final destination long stay car park - brakes stuck - a common thing apparently - but that's another story!). Has anyone else ever been asked for such documentation, I suppose it does make sense, but surely if we require it they should make that clear in the first place??? Oh well home now, happy holidays to all and those that need it please be fore-warned! :-)

I think the Government ought to change children's passports so that the parents names are shown.

It wouldn't help prevent child abduction I suppose, but it does seem like it's the most practical step.

What are you supposed to do if you are the Grandparent or Aunt of a child and you don't have the same name? You won't be on a birth certificate then.

I assume to do with kidnapping?

Doesn't stop a parent with the same name taking a child away unfortunately.

Reup, I'm very surprised that the Italian customs women mentioned changing surnames. Usually in Italy women keep their maiden names. Passports, bank accounts etc. If you visit a married couple, their doorbell will always say Male first name/his surname and female first name/her maiden name. Children however always bear the father's surname. My MIL still uses her maiden name for all official stuff but uses her husband's surname socially.

I changed my passport to my husband's surname to make it easier travelling with DS.

Ansons - I didn't mean upset as in annoyed or angry, it is actually great that they asked for proof - I was just upset as I was so exhausted and stressed with the travelling with young ones and it was just the final straw. It was my own stupidity naivety, living in the land of fairies and butterflies (and non-child abduction) that I do, that it never even crossed my mind to need it. I was just exhausted and then frightened that we would miss the flight/not be allowed to travel etc. He wasn't a meanie at all, just matter of fact. I am all for the protection of children and of course that means knowing who they are travelling with. I am glad I have been given a wake-up call, and anyone else who hadn't thought of it, so they don't end up that situation either. :-)

I read some news articles about this being a growing problem when travelling now. You'd think it would make sense to redesign passports for minors to include both parents' names on them.

Redexpat I have just signed the petition, thanks! Rainbunny the petition red has posted is to have both parents' names on minor's passports. Great idea!

diddle, that was kind of my point upthread, what I have been puzzling. Immigration are concerned to know that you are the mother (or father), I am not sure if they are also policing whether you should be travelling with the child. The letter of consent is equally much for the courts, should there be any dispute (i.e. if you travel without consent and the other parent brings charges). I think immigration may be getting more concerned about this, I don't know, but in my experience, the primary concern has been to establish the relationship.

In other words, if the right to travel was withheld unreasonably, this is a matter for the courts, not immigration.

I still travel in my married name which neither my dc or I use any more - can't legally change dc's surname for another year and it was their choice to change. Everything is in my maiden name as that us the surname we use everyday but my abusive xH would never ever give his consent to let them travel just to spite me, won't pay maintenance, hasn't seen or spoken to my dc for many years, but we still gave to yes his horrible bane to travel!!! I did ask the passport office what to do as I wanted to change my passport back to my maiden name but they advised not to until dc are old enough to change their names legally. I appreciate the need for security etc but will be signing the petition! Thank you!

Sorry, have to use!!

I was asked for the first time this year at Luton airport, being asked to prove that I am their mother, kids are 14 and 16.
Different surnames etc.
Happens more often now I hear.

I remember having both the kids on my passport.

Quite pissed off when that wasn't allowed anymore.

Still, it meant we had to pay more for passports, so all good eh??!!

I have the same surname as my DD but we have different nationalities and I have been asked where her father is and if he knows we are leaving the country (We live in Germany) when travelling with her on my own. I always carry a letter of permission signed by him which is the advice I was given.

Hah, I get this ALL THE TIME. But then my kids have a different surname, a different nationality than me, and although they are mixed race, they look predominantly Chinese so it does look like I am no relation to them.

I now travel with

Extended birth certificates

A photocopy of dp passport on which he writes his permission letter for me to take them out of the country from date to date with all our flight details included.

I wish I could add my kids details to my passport so that I can easily show passport people that i am their mum.

I am British, Dh Albanian by birth holder of British passport and 2 sons both British. We are married and passports held with same surname . Leaving Albania alone with boys I got quizzed about who there father is, where he is and what is our resident country. I was taken aback. But I answered their questions and they allowed me to call him for passport number - he had left a week before us so they said they could track him. Didn't take too long and we got our flight. From now on i must carry a letter which a family friend can notify.

Dh, dd, ds and I all have the same surname but we still had a slight problem this year on holiday. The kids are now 4 and 1 but had their passports done at 6 months and 3 months respectively and so they look nothing like their photos.

The bloke looked at the passports several time, looked at the kids, looked back at the passports and eventually looked at dd and said her name. Except he said her full name and she is known by a (reasonably different sounding) shortening. Add in a Spanish accent and dd didn't blink.

Luckily it seems the name has a Spanish equivalent with a similar shortening. (I have a Chinese work colleague who can't work out how on earth one name leads to the other. As far as she is concerned we may as well have christened her Mary but call her Fred!)

We (family of 4) were questioned coming back into the UK after a holiday during February half term. Husband and I took a child each and went through different passport channels. Both children were asked who the person they were with was - so not just because my surname is different to the other three.

Amusingly, Husband had the one who is the spit of him (as much as an 8 year old girl can look like a 40 year old man), while I had the blondey, blue-eyed one who looks like... no one we can think of. Honestly, if I hadn't seen her come out, I'd think there had been a mix up at the hospital...

I don't see the problem with being asked, or the need to carry loads of extra paperwork. I probably haven't read the thread carefully enough. I hasn't see the stories here where someone had a true hassle due to lack of paperwork.

My children are so like me, I'd have to stifle a laugh if anybody asked if I were their mother.

DS is donor conceived so I always carry his birth certificate and a notarised letter from the clinic stating that he was born via donor. I haven't been stopped yet, but better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. I have no problems with them checking, better a little inconvenience to me at the airport than children being abducted.

midnitescribbler, that sounds unnecessary. they're not asking who a child's father is! that's a much more problematic question (and answer) generally and it's not necessary for a mother going through custom's to justify to a custom's official who her child's father is or isn't! seriously, don't offer up such personal details to an employee in those circumstances! I don't mean that it should be a secret, but fgs, since when did mothers have to tell customs officials who the father of their child is

it doesn't prevent children being abducted though! my children have the same sur name as their father. If anybody was going to abduct them, he'd have the same sur name, so he'd sail through customs with them. BONKERS.

Not that I've ever been questioned luckily.

Maleducada, there have been stories among some of the donor conception groups about women being told they have to provide the fathers details and get permission from him before taking the child overseas. I'd rather have the paperwork with me just in case.

blimey. you'd think the passport would be good enough for them, a child with a passport with its mother.

and anyway, what if the answer is 'some guy i met in magaluf in 2004'