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Holidays

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Original poster

Anyone know what's required for ds to travel with grandparents??

15 replies

Louise2004 · 22/05/2008 12:41

Does anyone know what we need to do for our 8 year old son to be able to travel with my parents alone (without my husband or me)?

I would imagine there'd be a form or some official document we'd have to complete to give them authority but we haven't got a clue who to ask... (We don't even know if the airline would also require something, or if a general authorisation form would be sufficient for both passport control and the airline.)

They're thinking of taking him to Italy during the summer holidays, as my husband and I both work. Hopefully there's a way to make this possible for them! (We haven't mentioned the idea to our son yet as he'd get too excited and we don't want to let him down if we can't work out how to organise it.)

Thanks in advance for any advice!

OP posts:

mumto2andnomore · 22/05/2008 12:45

A bit different but my dd went to France with her grandparents last year on Eurotunnel and just took her passport. I never even thought of needing a letter.

JamInMyWellies · 22/05/2008 12:48

I used to travel alot with other peoples children on my own (was a nanny). I made sure that I had a letter from teh parents coinfirming who I was and that I was responsible for the child it would also give me permission to give authority if an emergency medical treatment was required.

To be honest I was never once asked to show this letter but it was thee if needed.

castille · 22/05/2008 12:49

Mine went to and from France with my parents and needed nothing more than their passports.

The document you mention exists here (in France) for French children travelling without their parents but I've never heard of it in the UK.

Original poster

Louise2004 · 22/05/2008 12:49

That sounds easy! Somehow I thought it might be harder given that our ds has a different surname and his grandparents look clearly too old to be his parents

Do you think it would be harder/stricter if flying? (I've used Eurotunnel a couple of times and the passport control people have never even opened any of our passports!)

OP posts:

LoveMyGirls · 22/05/2008 12:50

I've just sent mine off with pil to greece for 2 weeks with just passports and the E111 card plus mil sorted out travel insurance for them too.

JamInMyWellies · 22/05/2008 12:51

Wont make a difference i flew everywhere, was always surprised even when going through US immigration with me on a UK passport children on American and quite clearly they were not my kids. No one ever asked

Original poster

Louise2004 · 22/05/2008 12:51

Thanks for your responses. I think we'll write a letter then just in case, mentioning medical treatment too (I didn't think of that!).

OP posts:

castille · 22/05/2008 12:52

JamInMyWellies makes me think that it might be a good idea to write a letter authorising emergency medical treatment, because I know that it's necessary in France when the parents aren't with the child. Could be true for Italy too.

jellybellybump · 23/05/2008 10:29

Hi,
I would just like to add that it really depends who's at passport control.

I flew with DS to Holland when he was a couple of months old. still had not changed my name so ds and I had different surnames as well as passports,(I have dutch, DS british). The guy was giving me a really hard time to get into holland, saying I should have brought his birth certificate and a copy of his dad's passport along with authorisation from him to take him abroad.

So now I travel with all signed and original documents, yet the most they ask for is a copy of the birth certificate.

nobody has ever asked me at check in or on boarding

TinkerbellesMum · 23/05/2008 13:19

I'd have been fuming! Did you tell them British mothers don't need paternal permission to take their kids out?

I'm glad I found this thread, Mum wants to takr Tink away and I hadn't thought about it. I think I will write a generic letter for passport control and medics just in case.

Rosa · 23/05/2008 13:25

Agree with what has been said. G parents have brought all 3 nieces to Italy age 10 just with passports never been asked a thing.

Rosa · 23/05/2008 13:28

Oh Tinkerbellesmum. the only time I got any hassle was when in the UK travelling with dd who has different surname to me ( In Italy you do not take H surname when getting married) and I was asked for proof that she was my child! In the rest of Europe nobody blinked. FYI on her id card it says can be escorted by me and dh surnames very clear.I now travel with certified copy of dd birth certificate and have since been asked to produce it only in the UK...And dd was calling me mummy at the time !!!!

Original poster

Louise2004 · 23/05/2008 17:05

Thank you everyone! My parents are now very excited - they've already started looking for flights!

OP posts:

ConfusedMover · 26/05/2008 16:31

DS recently travelled from Slovakia to the UK with my sister. I made up a "letter of consent" stating details of the journey, contact address, my sisters details etc. DH & I both signed it and I attached a photocopy of our passports. My sister was questioned on entering the UK (Manchester) and had to show the letter.

HeadFairy · 26/05/2008 16:34

My sister had the same problem with her dd, different surnames. My sisters dd was taken to one side by passport control chap at age 2 and asked "is that your mummy?" she just clammed up of course. My sister promptly changed her name and passport and always travels with her children's birth certificates just in case. I guess it's only a problem with very young children who can't answer for themselves.

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