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Original poster

Has anyone had a problem with travel with kids who don't have your last name?

26 replies

Louw12345 · 29/06/2016 10:01

Heard about this law or something that if a child has a different last name to you even though you are their parent you need a letter of permission to travel from the parent that has the same name.
Can anyone advise me of this?

OP posts:
BluePitchFork · 29/06/2016 10:04

no problem as such, though sometimes dc are questioned at immigration.
it's (always) advisable to have a copy of the birth certificate with you when travelling and also you need to check the requirement of the country you are travelling ti.

chickensaresafehere · 29/06/2016 10:11

No problem here.My daughter has had a different last name from me for over 7 years now & during that time we have travelled to the US & it has never caused us a problem.
At immigration,I think I was asked once why she had a different last name,but it wasn't an issue.

LazyJournalistsQuoteMN · 29/06/2016 10:15

I asked a travel agent recently (because my passport has my maiden name and our dc have my Dh'a surname), she said it is rarely a problem. We haven't travelled outside of the EU without DH so not sure if that is different. I carry birth certs so all relevant information is on it.

Original poster
Louw12345 · 29/06/2016 10:21

I asked for my name to be added to the children's names iv been asking for 6 years. The thing is hes in and out of their life as and when he pleases. Would this help? As I don't trust that their father would give permission or say he will then won't.
I can understand this may not need my name adding to there's but I do worry alot and just want to be able to take my children away as and when I please.

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lenibose · 29/06/2016 10:21

Yes. Stopped at Gare du Nord last month on our way back to London (we're British). Just DS and I (with extended family as DH was away on business). DS has a different surname to me. Asked me if I had any documentation. She let me off with a stern warning to carry his birth certificate with me next time.

EdithWeston · 29/06/2016 10:38

My name has never matched the DC's, and I have never had a problem travelling. Possibly because it was laxer when they were littler, and once you DC are old enough to answer confidently for themselves it all gets much easier ('Yes of course that's Mum") and it's easier too if you travel to obviously popular holiday destinations during school holidays.

We have had the odd 'structured' conversation with officials, who I'm sure aren't interested either in making small talk or in my DC's lives when going through passport control, but who probably want to see if we strike them as familiar in each other's company.

Not knowing the age of your DC, I don't know if that's a near or distant practice for you. Even a one-off letter from their father might help in the short term.

LillyVonSchtupp · 29/06/2016 10:40

Had this for the first time the other week returning from Spain.

Passport control gave me the 3rd degree and told me to travel with their birth certificates from now on.

Something about it rubbed me up the wrong way. I understand their reasons but it felt quite antagonistic on his part.

heron98 · 29/06/2016 10:49

I am taking my niece on holiday this summer - she has a different surname to me, what should I do? She's 18 months so can't really explain!

Original poster
Louw12345 · 29/06/2016 10:57

@EdithWeston. I'm very nervous most of the time and having 5 children I always forget their ages and call them by each other names. I recently got my pasport and had to have an interview and was nervous there, I just panicked. I even hatell being around the police and feel I look supious.
I'm unsure if I will ever get a letter off him tbh.
@LillyVonSchtupp see that's where we are thinking of taking them. With my side of the family to there will be quite afew of us traveling to. I would be mortified if I got atopped and told off. I do feel now out of the EU there may become stricter

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Original poster
Louw12345 · 29/06/2016 10:58

I'm writing my sister a letter as she is taking my daughter away in July. I will also give her my child's and birth certificate

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SJane45S · 30/06/2016 08:37

Louw - I used to have to write a letter for my eldest when she went to Canada to see her stepmum & got it witnessed and stamped by a solicitor (doesn't cost much). Just gives a bit of extra authority! And yes, I did have problems once down to different surnames and spent a very horrible 2 hours in Canadian immigration. My eldest was 18 months old and too young to confirm I wasn't kidnapping her! The official didn't believe that as a single female Mother I had full custody - and no they couldn't speak to her Dad as I had no idea where he currently was! This was 19 years ago though - did make sure though that next time I went I took her birth certificate and a letter signed by a solicitor stating UK law re custody!

slalomsuki · 04/07/2016 11:31

Ive had it coming back in to the UK from France by ferry where they have taken my kids out of the car and asked them who I was to them. They were old enough to answer but also old enough to get upset about it. This was a few years back and I have done the same journey again often but have never been asked again and nor was I warned to bring their birth certificates. I travel frequently with my kids in tow and not with their dad and it's just the norm to us.

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 04/07/2016 11:46

I carry adoption certs with me when I travel as the DC have a different surname and different racial heritage to me. The only problem that we've had was when we were all travelling together from the far east to Heathrow and H had packed the adoption cert into the suitcase. Hmm We had to wait about 20 mins while somebody looked DS up on the General Register database and confirmed that we had adopted him in the UK. It would have been much trickier if we had been stopped entering a different country without the cert.

schbittery · 04/07/2016 11:51

Never any issue travelling with my three all with father's surname - he has always been there though and I've noticed that they are increasingly questioned and scrutinised by passport control who make them line up and confirm their names without looking at us. I'm going to start taking their birth certs along with their passports I think.

Original poster
Louw12345 · 04/07/2016 13:51

Just found out my ex doesn't have parental responsibility for my eldest. And she wants to change her name fully. I'm not happy about that as the other children will have separate names and the ex won't agree to a full name change so going to try and talk to eldest to double barrAl her last name and hope that the ex sees it's what the kids want

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HeadDreamer · 04/07/2016 13:54

Never had a problem. But maybe it's because I'm from a culture where mothers never share a surname with their children. Or it could be that they both look really really like me.

TaurielTest · 04/07/2016 13:58

I don't think you should prevent or dissuade your eldest child from changing her name just for the sake of it matching your other children.

Original poster
Louw12345 · 04/07/2016 14:13

I understand what you saying and her choice will be final.

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Frannyboo90 · 06/07/2016 20:39

Hi I'm taking my kids abroad for the first time in October and my other half isn't my eldest sons biological father (meaning he has a different last name to us) so I'm going to take his birth certificate and a letter of his dad, I'm sure if you can't get the letter birth certificate alone will be fine x

Tequilamockinbird · 06/07/2016 20:52

I always took birth certificate with us, but was never asked for it.

DD was often asked some questions at immigration but only ever had a problem once - DD was about 4 when immigration in Morrocco asked her if her name was 'DD'. She replied 'no'. He then asked if I was her mummy, she again replied 'no' Shock. Thankfully the immigration guy had children himself and could obviously see the look on my face, he turned it into a bit of a game for her and then eventually let us through. I was mortified!

Original poster
Louw12345 · 06/07/2016 21:34

Haha I bet you was. Mine range from 5 up wards. One of my twins who is 6 is the little joker and I know she would do something like that.

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snowman1 · 06/07/2016 21:40

Yes, twice been asked for birth certificate coming back into Canada and also into Usa ( land borders). I have a letter signed and witnessed by. My husband and always carry birth certs, I guess they have a point as the passports don't show any relationship.

pinkmagic1 · 06/07/2016 21:45

Never had a problem. The dc don't even share their dad's full surname due to the naming system in his country. Women don't change their names on marriage I many countries so it is not an unusual situation for immigration officials to come across surely?

PattyPenguin · 08/07/2016 15:14

I know families where every individual has a different last name. Some have been questioned about it. They all now carry birth certificates as well as passports for everyone, including the adults.

It's UK passport control that's generally the problem, precisely because of the convention of women changing their names on marriage that's prevalent here.