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Original poster

passport in different name to child UPDATE

20 replies

lucjam2105 · 13/08/2016 19:10

For some reason I can't find my original thread. I posted about travelling with kids who have different surname to me to France this summer.

We flew back into gatwick yesterday. I didn't get asked at all on the way out but on our return I got asked to prove that I was DS's Mum. DD who is over 12 had gone through the automatic barriers. I had to show him ds birth certificate and the certificate of entry which has my maiden name on.

I also had with me a letter from DH, copy of our marriage certificate, copy of DH passport. He was only interested in the birth cert. So if you are travelling alone with kids with a different surname you do need proof that they are your children.

OP posts:

mejon · 13/08/2016 22:22

I use my maiden name and travelled to Menorca with both DDs last month. No-one batted an eyelid on the way there or the way back. All our passports are new this year though so I wonder if there's some info in the chip that tells them I'm their mother? (or they look more like me that I imagine!) I did take both birth certificates as my maiden name is listed on them just in case.

Tbh I don't understand the letter of confirmation from the absent parent - unless it's officially certified, anyone could write it and say it was from the other parent couldn't they?

pinkmagic1 · 14/08/2016 19:39

Came back through Stansted on Friday and wasn't questioned. I kept my maiden name and due to the naming system in dh's country, him and the dc have different surnames.
I think it is maybe just random checks as having a different surname to your children is hardly unusual and tbh on a worldwide scale British women are really in the minority changing their name on marriage.

nowahousewife · 15/08/2016 08:12

My DC's are 18 and 16 and have DH's surname which I have never used. In 18 years of travelling with them I have never been asked if they are mine, to prove they are mine etc. I think you just got unlucky.

That said a friend of mine who has the same surname as her kids was flying into US with them and not her DH and homeland security demanded a letter from her DH to say she was allowed to be travelling with them. They questioned the DC's separately and insisted she call her DH back in UK so they could speak to him.

exampanic · 15/08/2016 08:18

Oh, I was questioned about dd, 13y old, last week. Coming back with ferry. Had birth certificate with me. Have been questioned several times before so after not been able to show "any proof" , I do have birth certificates with me. Had to show it on more than 1 occasion. Maybe because I have different nationality from my dc??

WanderingTrolley1 · 15/08/2016 08:18

The only country I had problems in was Switzerland, where we resided for a few years. That was fun each and every time.

Rachcakes · 15/08/2016 08:24

I was asked both leaving Spain and coming back into the UK with DS a few weeks ago.

nowahousewife · 15/08/2016 09:58

I also have different nationality from DC's and DH, guess I've just been lucky!

Original poster

lucjam2105 · 17/08/2016 09:52

All I can tell you is what I was told by the immigration officer at Gatwick. You should always be asked in this situation and should be prepared to show proof of relationship.

OP posts:

Ireallydontseewhy · 17/08/2016 09:58

You can get a letter from the other dparent 'certified' by a notary or a solicitor if it's likely to be an issue. I have only heard of people being questioned occasionally, but it does seem to happen from time to time!

Gyderlily · 18/08/2016 13:33

I have flown countless times with my 2 DD's ... They have a foreign surname I have a standard British one and their British passport shows they were not born in the uk ... In fact DD2 has dual nationality and also had a foreign passport which I have used on occasion! I have never ever been stopped or asked anything in any airport or on any airline and I've used many of each ... I do carry birth certificates these days as I've read stories on the likes of here and was worried but never had to produce them. I'd have thought with our circumstances it might be more likely too! By the sounds of it they just do the occasional random check!

lljkk · 18/08/2016 13:50

Costs £50 to get something notarised.
We have multiple names on passports, never had trouble.

Bumblebzz · 20/08/2016 14:16

Flew into UK via LHR yesterday, there were signs at each immigration desk labelled "Travelling With Children". stating that passengers with diff names (to the children with them) would be questioned, and having birth cert or other 'official' document is recommended to speed things up. The text seemed to imply it's a change to existing policy.

FuzzyOwl · 20/08/2016 14:23

Stranger abduction aside. Surely you are just as likely to get a parent with the same name abducting their own child as one who has a different surname?

NicolaMarlowsMerlin · 24/08/2016 11:08

FuzzyOwl I agree it makes little sense, but I have been questioned several times and it's just easier to travel with the birth certificate just in case. (I have kept my maiden name, Kids have dh's surname). This summer we had some trouble getting Chinese visas sorted but were not asked for identification while travelling.

OhtoblazeswithElvira · 24/08/2016 12:18

I have a different surname and nationality to DP and DC and we have both been questioned a few times, in the UK and abroad. I bet part of the reason is that my DC look nothing like me! We are abroad at the moment and for the first time forgot the birth certificates at home

lightgreenglass · 24/08/2016 12:20

I have been asked for birth certificates for my DS. Passport is in maiden name, too cheap to change it. He's the spit of me.

sharksontheplane · 24/08/2016 12:23

Stopped leaving a country and questioned and passports taken. (Limnos)
Stopped and questioned entering Balearics'.

Questioned everytime at border returning.

BeautyGoesToBenidorm · 24/08/2016 12:45

I honestly dread this. XP would never agree to me taking DS1 on holiday, purely out of spite, so I'd never get a letter of consent from him. I'm looking into officially changing DS1's surname to match mine, DH's and DS2's, but I've been told the courts can get very sniffy about it, even in historic DV/no contact scenarios.

I changed by own surname by deed poll when I left XP so he couldn't track me down, so even my surname on DS1's birth certificate is 2 names behind my married name. It just all seems like an unholy ball ache in terms of the amount of paperwork I'd need to take along with me, just to prove I'm DS1's mother. It really saddens me - we just want to take him on a nice holiday!

Natsku · 24/08/2016 13:30

I've been asked every time I've flown to the UK with DD but I always just told them she doesn't have a birth certificate (they don't do them in my country) and they just said make sure you have proof next time. I took an official document showing DD's parents names this time so they could see I'm her mum but not sure the border guard really understood it.

FuzzyOwl · 24/08/2016 14:58

Since we need birth certificates to apply for child passports, it would make sense to me for the relevant information to be included in the passport issued. I know that some people will still go on to change their names afterwards, but at least the majority of people hopefully will keep the same names and not need to worry about travelling with a birth certificate.

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