Travelling without husband - Do I need a consent form?

[spekulatius]

I'm going to Germany via Dover - Calais crossing with baby but not husband. Will I need a consent form from him to say that I can take the baby? I've tried phoning French consular but didn't get anywhere.

Yes, just get him to do up a quick letter to say he agrees to you taking the baby outside the country. I got reprimanded taking my children back in to Ireland from the UK, his beef was not just that I had no consent from my husband but also that I had a different surname from the children and if I didnt' have their birth certs, how did he know they were mine.
( I refrained from sticking ds4 on to my boob as proof!)

really? what if you were a single mother or the father was dead? I have 3 dc who have a different surname from me (we are not married and have joint parental responsibility), it would never occur to me to get his permission in writing, seems archaic! (and insulting). surely the onus is on the authorities to look it up if they think anything suspicious is going on? having the same surname on your passport doesn't proof anything, what if your surname was smith? and anyone could write and sign a letter pretending to be from their father?

I was very insulted at the time! I have never changed my name and to me, what it meant was that dh could take his niece and nephew away as they have the same surname as him and no-one would ask any questions!
But I don't think that was what the garda was trying to say. I suppose that for all he knew I could have taken two random children abroad and how was he to know that I hadn't? And there have been cases where one parent took the children abroad to another jurisdiction against the other parent's wishes and there has been very little the other parent could do about it.

From United States Customs and Border Protection

"Due to the increasing incidents of child abductions in disputed custody cases and as possible victims of child pornography, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that unless the child is accompanied by both parents, the adult have a note from the child's other parent (or, in the case of a child traveling with grandparents, uncles or aunts, sisters or brothers, friends, or in groups*, a note signed by both parents) stating "I acknowledge that my wife/husband/etc. is traveling out of the country with my son/daughter/group. He/She/They has/have my permission to do so." See our Q&A parental consent."

I know it's the US but I'm sure there are child abductions and child trafficking cases all over the world.

They didn't detain us, he just pointed out that it put him in a difficult position and let us go through.

I always take a letter from dh and copies of dds birth certificates.

I went to us last year with dc and no hubby, no consent form and no questions asked

I have never been asked, but it is to do with the Hague Convention dealing with abductions. Doesn't hurt to do it. I was brought up by my GPs and we were ALWAYS stopped at borders whilst they checked we weren't on any list.

Yes, it's annoying, archaic and unjust, but if a few photocopies help you on your way more easily then just do it.

Better to have them and not need them than be held up for hours by a border police jobsworth.

It depends where you're going: some countries ask, others don't.

But if it were your ex, for example, taking the children abroad with the intention of never taking them back, would you consider it archaic and unjust, cq?

Exactly what Chipmonkey said. It is meant to protect children.

DD and I are going to Italy next month. Will I need a letter from OH to say I can take her? She is 13 BTW

I was stopped at gatwick last week. We were all travelling together, me DH and DSs 6 and 8, and before immigration DS2 needed the loo. I have a different surname from DH even though we are married. So DS2and I went through after DH. We were asked if I was his mum and where daddy was. DS was unhelpful to say the least! Chap said he believed I was the mum but that in future a birth and marriage cert might be useful "in case he's asleep and we can't ask him...." He gave me a photocopy of an article setting it out.

We all have the same surname BTW.

I'm a single mum and have taken DD to New York, Amsterdam, France and Italy and never been questioned once. I wouldn't worry especially if you look like your child and share a surname (both of which are true in our case)

Sorry, no, by archaic and unjust I meant that I've only ever heard of women getting hassle when traveling alone with DC, whether with or without same surname.

Of course it makes sense to check children are not being abducted, but the rules are being applied randomly and seemingly at the whim of individual officers.

I've travelled to the US, Europe and the UAE with my dc alone. I've never taken letters and never been asked for them.

But it's a bit like going through the Green channel in Customs. They won't always inspect your bag but maybe sometimes they will so it's better not to smuggle stuff just in case!
I suppose that if an alert has been put out about children who are around the age, gender and similar to your dc's, you could very well be stopped. So just have the letters.

cq, might that not just be because, statistically, more mums travel alone with their dcs than Dads?

Ok I will get DH to write a letter. Doesn't need to be witnessed by a solicitor does it? Will take birth certificate as well. I'm traveling with 2 friends & don't want to mess up there holiday.

No, just a normal signed letter is fine.

Their holiday

You probably won't be asked for it anyway but best to have it just in case.
Have a lovely holiday!