Holidays and PR

[RedCandyApple]

This is probably a silly question but just something I’ve been wondering about, if I was to take my children on holiday technically I need their fathers permission as he is on the bc however he is absent and has no involvement in their lives so no way to get permission, he isn’t on the youngest bc though so would only need permission for the older children but how would they actually know whose bc he was on? So surely you can just say you are the only one with PR so don’t need permission? I had no trouble getting their passports and there is no details of him anywhere so couldn’t you just say he doesn’t have PR? Like I said sorry if that’s a silly question just wondering for the future And I know not everyone is stopped but I’m the type that would be my luck!

If he's on the bc (which they can request when travelling) they can ask for a letter giving his permission. The best solution if you have no way of tracking him down to write a letter giving you permission to travel, is to apply to the courts for some parental authority.

It's becoming more common to be stopped here and overseas, I was asked in Canada and dd was 17! (Luckily the border guard believed our (true) story, he was on the earlier flight because is pa messed up!)

Oh really I’ve never known anyone to take bc on holiday with them? I’ve heard about a cao but I don’t want to go down that route as I’m worried that it will prompt contact. As I believe they will inform him?

I live with my DH and the father of my child and when travelling solely (and frequently) with my child I have never been asked as to whether his father gave permission for him to travel with me alone.

You are correct that you can't get a CAO without informing him.

If you take your child out of the country without the consent of everyone with PR or an appropriate court order (a CAO saying your child lives with you or an SIO allowing the holiday), you are committing a criminal offence (child abduction). Of course, many people get away with this every year. But every year a few people have their holidays ruined when they are refused boarding in the UK or are refused entry at their destination.

I have travelled extensively with my kids in the last 20 years from the time they were only months old. I actually took my 9 weeks old to France. Went all o we Europe, USA, African countries. They have their father's surname. Not once was ask for any documentation from him giving approval or their BC (which I have never taken with me).

I think they check if there are any orders against taking abroad. If not, you're fine to go.

If they inform him will they give him a chance to dispute it?

Slightly different but we took DDs friend on holiday last October and we were asked at passport control whether we had permission from his parents to travel with us, despite the fact he was 16.
Luckily we did have a letter and it was fine but the border guard told us that if we hadn’t it would have been “a big problem”
It was only flagged due to his different last name though

That’s interesting, even at 16?! We all share the same surname luckily but I have 4 children so I think I might be more likely to be stopped than someone with one or maybe it would be the other way round?

Yes at 16
Funny thing was at 16 he could have flown unaccompanied

Using a letter as proof of consent to travel is pretty lax though, think about how many of us missed PE back in the day with a note written by our 'mum' (gifted forger in the year above!)

I am usually asked to confirm my relationship with ds when we return to the UK from abroad; we have different surnames. I carry a copy of his birth certificate and this has always been enough. I also carry a letter of consent from DH but have never been asked for it. Canada and South Africa are known to be much stricter, though.

@Findahouse21

Using a letter as proof of consent to travel is pretty lax though, think about how many of us missed PE back in the day with a note written by our 'mum' (gifted forger in the year above!)

Yes, you wouldn't even need a gifted forger because the border control agent has no way of knowing what the real signature would look like.

Fwiw I have a different surname to my children and I usually get asked to show their birth certificate when returning to the UK, to prove that I'm their mother. But they have never asked me to show that I have their father's permission to travel without him.

Hmm good point about the letter, it’s not like they will actually check it out...

@RedCandyApple

Hmm good point about the letter, it’s not like they will actually check it out...

The letter we used had passport numbers, witnessed signatures on etc (template from internet) and while it was copied at passport control as far as I know it was never verified

@RedCandyApple

If they inform him will they give him a chance to dispute it?

Yes. He has to be given the chance to oppose any application you make for a court order concerning your children.

@RedCandyApple

Oh really I’ve never known anyone to take bc on holiday with them? I’ve heard about a cao but I don’t want to go down that route as I’m worried that it will prompt contact. As I believe they will inform him?

I have a copy in my DDs passport along with my marriage cert as I didn’t change my name when we got married. We have visits to France without my DH and I’ve been asked each time.