Do I need to provide a letter for my 9yo DD to fly with someone who is not a relation?

[drivinmecrazy]

DD1 (9) is hoping to fly out to Spain a week earlier than us for summer vacation at Mums in Spain. We are hoping to send her with a 17yo who will act as au-pair for the summer for both DDs. DD1 is a very confident flier and has done the route many times with me so we are not concerned as they will be met at the other end.
Does anyone know if I will have to provide a letter giving permission for her to fly with 17yo?

It may be wise to do so. DD3's godmother came over to the UK for her christening with her own daughter. When she married she didn't change her surname and so now has a different surname to her children on her passport. When she came to passport control in the UK she was told that next time she travels to the UK she will be required to provide her DD's birth certificate too to prove she is her mother.

I'm astonished by your post Mcdreamy. I don't have the same surname as my dd and dh and have travelled extensively with her on my own. I have never been challenged about whether she belongs to me, my observations of immigration is boredom from the officers.

sadly it is becoming very common. A friend of mine who is Canadian flew back to Canada from the Middle East this morning with her DD and as she was going without her DH she had to have a letter from him giving his consent to her flying with DD without him. This is an absolute rule apparently in Canada and is becoming more and more common. In addition, Canada requires the letter to be notarised but my friend was unable to find a notary out here so just had it signed by a commissioner for oaths and hopes that will suffice.

I agree Kreecher, I have travelled quite often with my eldest DC (now teenagers) and we have a different surname now with no problems but I think these are recent changes to try to prevent child abduction which whilst annoying and sometimes inconvenient isn't a bad thing really.

Definitely agree MO, I remember driving with my dd, my friend and her ds from Oman to Dubai. We had the reqired border pass and passports but not the permission from DH's letter. We had to wait about an hour while phone calls were made in case we were taking the children without permission from our DH's

I would have a letter just in case, especially if the person accompanying your DD is so young

My DDs don't share my surname and I've been challenged loads of times - mostly by the Dutch immigration officers. I tend to carry a copy of their birth certificate, althought they seem to smell that and don't ask. Last time I forgot, and presto - officer wanted to see some evidence DDs were mine; he let us through but did suggest a letter from DP for next time (which I will get, but am sure won't be asked for!)

The thing that gets me is that it's very much down to the person you see behind the desk and what mood they were in when they got up in the morning..

Yes i would have one just to be sure. Otherwise they could be detained and miss their flights, so you might as well have one just in case.

Drivinme - You need to check with the airline that your DD can travel as accompanied with a 17yo. When my Dsis (17 at the time) was going to fly with my cousin(10) to France to meet my Aunt she wasn't allowed to as she is not technically an adult. So my sis was allowed to fly but my cousin had to fly as an unaccompanied minor.

In Spain, legally you need to have both parents permission. They do love there paperwork! Everytime I go back to UK with dd I have to show her birth book as we have different surnames.