Father taking child abroad, what docs are needed

[HamstersAreMyLife]

My DH is taking our child abroad tomorrow. Its super late to ask but it's just occurred to us they have different last names. I have written a letter with my passport number confirming my agreement but is it wise to also take her birth certificate does anyone know?

Birth certificate and letter. If they’re going to Europe should be fine, some countries (like US) you’d be better to get a solicitor witnessed letter.

Thanks, it's first thing so too late to get it witnessed, I am a solicitor though if it helps lol. Will dig out birth certificates too. It's Asia so not entirely sure what approach they will take but assumed it would be the UK departure that was the issue

I have just had this taking teen dd on a European cruise, first time I've ever been asked so I'm glad I researched it first! I did a letter and birth certificate and both were asked for and looked at. We were not asked in the UK, only at the cruise terminal.

Thanks hopefully what we have will do the job! Reassuring to hear they were asked for.

The consent letter signed by you plus your contact details should be absolutely fine for leaving the UK.
The other country may also have regulations so if you have time, check those too.

In case anyone comes to the post for advice they took letter and birth certificates and weren't asked for any on the outbound journey, will update if any request on the way back. I will stick to this approach for next time to be on the safe side

The government guidelines are here too for future ref.

www.gov.uk/permission-take-child-abroad

Letter and BC. DH and I have separately been asked for it a few times.

I've travelled lots with DC who have different names to mine, to all parts of the world, and have only ever been asked to show a birth certificate once coming back in to Heathrow. Have never bothered with a letter!

Does anyone know if this is the same if it is grandparents taking a child abroad? My parents are taking DDs to Spain - we are flying on a different day (long story!) I was going to write a letter and put mine and DH's passport details and contact details on there too. Will that be enough do you think?

Yes that should be enough. Friends have taken Dd I drafted a simple letter saying Dh and I both have pr and both authorise couples names to take Dd to Europe signed put contact details on attached copies of our passports.

Weirdly when we as a family altogether got the ferry at Easter we were properly questioned there and back and our kids were asked if we were really their parents! Have teen girls so maybe that age more at risk for trafficking? Never had it before perhaps post brexit thing.

For reasons I will never understand, they are more likely to be questioned on return to the UK. It's bizarre to me that as we return, to the country where we live, with UK passports, THAT is when both dh and i have been quizzed in case we are stealing children. On one occasion they got a bit weird when we were all travelling together even as my name is different and Dh's passport is EU and has different spelling.

Good that you took birth certificate - some countries require that for children!

I travelled a couple of weeks ago and was asked for a letter written by my DH giving his permission and our DC's birth certificate, which I did not have but luckily was allowed to travel without it.

Yes it is. It's the same guidelines for any minor not travelling with both parents.

Because there's no border control on exit.
It's nothing to do with different surnames although you are more likely to be asked for clarification once it's been noticed that the relationship between the adult and the child isn't immediately obvious.

I would also give photocopies of yours and husbands passports and sign the photocopies.

Thank you.

I will copy the passports and sign them too. Can also give a copy of their birth certificates. We are travelling home with them so that should be okay - it's just the outbound journey!

But I never get asked while going into random OTHER countries - countries that I do not have a passport for, do not live in. Surely you agree that arguably, if I'm trafficking a child, I'm less likely to reappear in the UK, with British passports for me and my children?

I mean, I could sort of see if I stole the kid for a holiday that my estranged father-of-my-children didn't approve of and he had then put a block or notification on or something at passport control. But really, WHO is being protected by checking the birth certificates of children returning to their home country....

If I was checked as we entered Spain/Germany/Turkey etc, I'd totally get that.

Because children with British passports don't necessarily live in the UK and might be being brought into the country against the will of the non travelling parent?

(Though obviously any official refusal of consent is usually picked up at the API stage of pre check in)

Spain and Italy are countries where I've been asked for consent more than once. Not always, but sometimes.

To update. The birth certificates were asked for on return to Heathrow. Not the letter but for the sake of 2 mins I will still do one next time they go using the same words just updating the date.

Out of interest why do they want the birth certificate when you already have the passport? My husband has my children abroad at the moment and we did the letter but didn’t think to take other forms of ID.

They want to compare the father's passport to the father's name on the birth certificate, to confirm the child is travelling with someone with parental responsibility. However, WTF they are going to do about this when it's checked on return to the UK has always been beyond me.

Because it's less time consuming for the Border officer to check a birth certificate than ask for a status check on the passport proving parental relationship.
The birth cert has the father's name added officially, the passport has NoK added by the holder. Passport data does show minors' parents, but not at the business end in an airport.