Travelling to portugal with different surname to child

[Laura67857]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone had any experience with travelling to portugal with a child that has a different surname and a absent dad.

We've travelled before to Spain Greece and Turkey no issues.
I have a child arrangements order that states that I can take him out the country for 28 days. Just wondered if anyone had any experience with it first hand?

I never want to put either of us in a position of being turned away.

You should take documentation with you to show your relationship - a birth certificate you are named on and that child arrangement order

It's fine? Take a copy of the child arrangements order and the birth certificate in your phone.

If you have a child arrangements order and the relevant paperwork they’ll leave you alone. You can call the airport in advance to double check for peace of mind.

I’ve travelled all over with my dc because we lived in another country. I’ve always had a letter from dh and I I were you I’d take all the birth certificates etc instead.

What can happen is a casual conversation at passport control. Asking your child ‘are you going on holiday with mum?’ and ‘is daddy not coming?’ etc. So if they are over four I’d prep them somewhat on what to say as mine have said some mad stuff over the years.

eg ‘where are you from?
‘America’. 🙄😵

Travelled all over with my two - I do have documentation now I've split with their dad, but I never bothered before we split!

The only place I've ever been asked was flying into Dublin, and even then, they just said that next time I should bring their birth certificates.

Thank you all so much, I think im just over thinking it xxx

Never carried a birth cert or a letter and never been asked

I did get asked in faro if I was my sons mother (he has his dads surname) and just said yes. I hadn’t brought his birth certificate. There was nothing else to it. My son was 10 at the time but they didn’t ask him anything.

Thank you all so much, I think im just over thinking it xxx

Me neither but was taken aside at Gatwick a month ago with friendly advice of a crackdown planned this summer as alert against traffickers and that we should have something next time

We are in Portugal now. With my daughter’s friend. We got asked for a letter. Details on the gov.uk Portugal travel website as to what to include. Better be safe than sorry.

@labradorservantim going similar with my dc’s friend (teens). I have a letter written out to get signed but did you bring the other child’s birth certificate or any other documents?

@indoorplantqueendates, names of us, address of villa. Signed by both parents and copy of the parents passports. Didn’t get it counter signed (the Portuguese website indicated this was for Portuguese kids). We went through the manual desk as queue was shorter and DH and kids have EU passports. Man asked for a letter. But there are egates at faro now. I wonder if they would be able to flag a different surname child?

I have experience travelled quite a lot. Been to Portugal also. If theres ever been an issue it's been at border control in UK on our way back home. 1 officer was lovely and another time 1 was a bit rude as I didn't have a copy of DC birth certificate. Just take a copy of BC and you'll be fine. Enjoy OP.

Went to Portugal a few weeks ago and was asked our relationship. I said I had her birth certificate but he waved us in. When she was younger, I was always asked when coming back into the UK and had to show it.

The only time I have been asked was going in to France with my daughter (Eurostar) when she was 16!! The guy was really horrible to me and said we should have documentation. He shut up when I pointed out if she had gone travelled on her own or with a friend he wouldn't have said anything.

I had a residency order which I took on many overseas adventures with dc who had different surnames. Also took a copy of their birth certificates, my divorce decree and marriage certificate. Get questioned a few times, then waved straight through.

It infuriates me that people advise to just go without getting documentation in order. A friend of a friend was stopped at UK passport control some years ago and was refused travel. Cost her FAR more than it would have to get the right paperwork via court. It's not worth the risk.

I just got back from Portugal yesterday with DD who has different surname to me. No problem going, but at passport check on the way back was asked what our connection was and if I had her birth certificate as proof. Officer was surprised I'd not been asked on the way in, and I was relieved I hadn't been. I've never thought about carrying her birth certificate or letter from the other parent (and have been to France, Spain, Ireland, Greece) but will do from now on. Take the birth cert, and any other relevant docs and you'll be fine.

Thank you everyone it's really appreciated.