to want both parents names in kids' passports

[surfandturfcamp]

The suggestion is to change the law to include both parents’ names in children’s passports - there is an online petition - set up by MP Tulip Siddiq.

I think its good that there are checks at borders; to avoid child abduction. I would like to have both my kids names officially in the passport to make travelling simpler.

Extract from petition -
600,000 women have been stopped at the border in the past five years to prove they are related to their own child.

Women feel vulnerable and it causes delays - as well as being a burden for border agents.

We must recognise that, increasingly, children will not share their mothers' surnames.

Personally I think the 'not sharing surname' thing isn't the cause of people being stopped, folks just assume that's why. Immgration staff are more than used to children not having the same name as their mother.

I've been stopped and checked just as often with my two who have the same name as me as I ever was when travelling with my elder two who don't.

That said parents names in passports might not be a bad idea at all.

@Pengggwn - that's the point of this isn't it? To name both parents in a child's passport so that there aren't issues with a parent travelling with a child who doesn't share a surname with them?

Or just take necessary paperwork with you if travelling alone with children

Yes; that's my understanding - for many reasons a child may be travelling with a parent with a different surname who has parental reponsibility and its tricky for the parent usually struggling through the airport and the official who is trying to do the right thing and prevent child abduction.

This is ridiculous. How would adding parents' names to passports do anything? What if your kids are travelling with other family members and not parents. There are no parents names on passports as the document relates to the person only and not their family. Immigration officers should be quite aware nowadays that kids and parents may have different names. They may ask some questions but they are only doing their job. There are hundreds of actual causes worth hand wringing for and this is not one.

I do think it's a good idea I'm hearing more frequently of mothers being stopped at airports and borders due to their children not sharing their last name it's happened to a few of my friends, they've even been advised to carry their kids birth certificate with them in future!

@Pengggwn Aaaah yes I see your point. It's currently based on old fashioned assumptions about traditional naming conventions and definitely needs to change.

No I don't think it's a good idea. My ex is absent through choice I would hate to have to chase him up to get his name put on a passport or can father just be left blank?

I think it’s a fantastic idea. I’m regularly stopped and quizzed when I travel with my DD, as we don’t share a surname. I am always told that’s the reason. There’s usually major surprise when I explain that I am married but haven’t changed my name!

That's a good point; that both parents could have kids names inside passport, rather than just mother

I understand that its the parents names that would go into the childrens passports, as and when they get new passports - if the change were to go through

Its a great solution to a problem that doesnt exist- a total waste of time and money

Good idea but Peng is right. You're making a very patriarchal assumption Op.

Pengggwn - you're right - in some instances more is needed - but for simple trips and proving parental connection the parents names written in kids passport would help a lot

Mumsnet has a good advice page on the documentation, travel consent letters at the moment that you're best to travel with (be that parent/grandparent/other adult travelling with kids)

www.mumsnet.com/travel/travelling-with-a-child-with-a-different-surname

We must recognise that, increasingly, children will not share their mothers' surnames.

THIS^ OP. Why assume this?

I just take a copy of the birth certificate with me. It's never been a problem.

DC will have their mothers' surnames if their mothers have the backbone to GIVE the DC their surname.

But by all means make it easier for all parents by reforming the passport format.

I hate this idea. I hate the idea that i am meant to seek permission from a waster who walked out on my daughter, rarely to be heard from, simply because he is named on her BC.
If his name was on DD's passport, firstly it doesn't change anything - unless that passport is then somehow linked to a database that pings up to say whether anything is recorded; court orders etc. If not, then what, if you are travelling alone with your child you have to produce confirmation documents to prove you can take your DC away?

I travel with birth certs my marriage cert and my divorce cert - no problem

Just being a named parent doesn't need mean you have carte blanche to remove the child from the country without the written permission of the other parent.

Very true, but I've never had anyone check I have permission to take my child out of the country. They've only ever checked that we're related and then they just presume you do.

Which is interesting, as actually I don't - not for extended periods anyway. No one checks my return date when I'm leaving. If I didn't return it would be dealt with by the police and the Hague Convention.

I think the system as it is seems to work fine.

I always carry DC's birth cert and our marriage cert along with any other relevant paperwork. I renewed my passport using my maiden name before Dh & I got married and had Dc. I will change it when it's up for renewal to make it easier.

Just being a named parent doesn't need mean you have carte blanche to remove the child from the country without the written permission of the other parent
Yes yes. It seems that this move might actually facilitate child abduction...

A child has a passport. Any adult travelling with that child should have documentation to show they have permission.

The problem is the assumption that shared surname = permission, not the other way round.