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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

passports for children

27 replies

nonnie12 · 01/02/2008 13:12

is this right my daughters ex-husband informed her he has got passports for their two children.he has done thiswithout her permission so he can just take them abroad whenever he likes.i was told by the passport office that he can do this because he has parental responsabilty when i said what if he doesnt bring them back they said talk to local abduction team about it.i said why dont both parents sign for a passport they said it would be to much of an inconvienence.well i know it wont stop a parent taking a child if they so wish but if both have parental rights then both should sign paperwork concerning their children. am i being stupid or what in wanting to protect children and parents from a lot of heartache

OP posts:
Buda · 01/02/2008 13:16

Not sure about UK passports but you can't do this with Irish ones. We both have to sign the passport application.

Does the Dad have total parental responsibility or is it shared?

Original poster
nonnie12 · 01/02/2008 13:21

shared parental rights i have tried my local mp but the passport office says its right.

OP posts:
Nymphadora · 01/02/2008 13:25

I got my dd2 passports because I didn't trust their Dad at the time (think I was probably being paranoid at the time now as he would never have got that organised but anyway...) and I didn't need him to sign there was a space for his passport number but wasn't essential

Original poster
nonnie12 · 01/02/2008 13:27

they dont even reside with him but he put his own address on the passport

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 01/02/2008 13:28

Well, there's the problem that if both parents have to sign, one or other of them can be an utter tw*t and refuse.

Neither way is problem free. I don't see the problem TBH. Your daughter has every right to use the passports with their children too.

MotherFunk · 01/02/2008 13:31

Message withdrawn

Lulumama · 01/02/2008 13:33

does she have any reason to suspect he would take the girls and not bring them back?

if not, then as their father he has every right to get them passports and take them on holiday

Original poster
nonnie12 · 01/02/2008 13:34

yes that is right but hes a tw*t and probably wont let her have them so that means court again

OP posts:
Lulumama · 01/02/2008 13:36

what, let her have the passports or the children?

Original poster
nonnie12 · 01/02/2008 13:37

no i dont think he would do anything stupid but what about the ones that might if one parent knows nothing about the passports it could be days before you know anything is wrong by which time they could be half way round the world

OP posts:
Original poster
nonnie12 · 01/02/2008 13:38

the passports lulumama

OP posts:
Paddlechick666 · 01/02/2008 13:50

i got my dd's passport without H's signature.

we are separated and i hold her passport.

not 100% certain but isn't there some "letter of authority" required when the non-resident parent takes the children out of the country.

suggest your daughter contact passport office and tell them dc's passports lost and apply for new passports herself.

MotherFunk · 01/02/2008 13:52

Message withdrawn

Lulumama · 01/02/2008 13:54

perhaps your daughter should seek some legal advice...

MotherFunk · 01/02/2008 13:56

Message withdrawn

suedonim · 01/02/2008 16:46

There is apparently no law preventing one from having two passports, although obviously the govt isn't keen on it, so your dd can apply for passports for the dc as well. I would imagine in her situation the passport office might look favourably on an application.

wildfish · 01/02/2008 19:01

You can get a order....and I cant remember the name duh! to prevent you X from taking the children out of the country and forces them to surrender the passports to the court.

But I think you need a good reasonable cause for suspicion on why they might not come back.

spicemonster · 01/02/2008 19:06

AFAIK you need to have a letter from the other parent to prove you have their consent to take children out of the country even if they have passports. It said that in my recent passport application.

I would think that a man on his own with two children is likely to get questioned quite closely.

MotherFunk · 01/02/2008 20:26

Message withdrawn

spicemonster · 01/02/2008 20:31

Sorry MotherFunk, missed your post. It was mentioned in the official notes I got from the passport office that I take my DS's birth certificate with me if I take him abroad (there is no father's name on it) as I obviously can't take a letter. My sister was questioned about her DS when we travelled to France with him last year (without her DH) so I assumed this was a new rule.

But I agree it would be impossible to implement really - I have a friend who isn't in contact with her ex and so wouldn't be able to get a letter from him saying she could take the children out of the country.

MotherFunk · 01/02/2008 20:39

Message withdrawn

MotherFunk · 01/02/2008 20:40

Message withdrawn

spicemonster · 01/02/2008 20:44

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you. They just asked my sister if her DH knew she was taking her DS out of the country and she said yes and that he was coming out in a few days as he couldn't get a whole week off work. They were perfectly happy with that answer. It probably didn't help that his passport was nearly expired so she was a bit anxious and maybe that's why they asked. I know she's taken him away without her DH lots of times and I don't think she's ever mentioned being asked before.

MotherFunk · 01/02/2008 20:46

Message withdrawn

spicemonster · 01/02/2008 20:47

I don't know. Perhaps they're trained to check for signs of shiftiness?