Taking DD abroad alone - stopped by police for not having permission

[CalypsoFramboise]

Upon my return from France, I was stoppped at UK passport control and taken aside by a policeman who queried my relationship with DD (9 months - have different surnames), and why I was taking her alone, did her father know where she was, etc.

Don't have a problem with it at all, but they advised me that I should have had some form of written 'permission' (in the form of statutory declaration?) from her father and birth certificate.

I'm going abroad to work in a couple of weeks (only for 2 weeks in Greece) and DH is bringing DD 4 days after me and it would be good to know what kind of 'permission' from me saying that I agree to his taking DD out of the UK alone? Does this need signing by a solicitor?

(apologies for x-posting)

when i use to take ds to algeria i always had to get written authorisation which was stamped at the embassy to bring ds back to the uk drom his dad and we all had the same surname.

I had this travelling through Amsterdam to the US with DS. We have different surnames.

I was told the issue was not whether I had permission from the father, but whether I could in fact prove I was DS's mother.

Fortunately he was nine and able to vouch for me, and they let me through but now I always carry their birth certificates if I am on my own with them.

We've run into this several times so I carry the DCs birth certificates and a letter from my DH saying that I have his permission to travel to any destination at any time with the DC.

Ironically, after a short break to visit friends in a neighbouring country, we were refused entry into the country where we live (and where DH was) until DH could confirm I was travelling with the DC legally.

I've experience of this in Germany, Switzerland and America: mothers and fathers who have a different surname to their child are far more likely to be stopped and questioned.

I think it's a very good thing, to crack down on child abduction, but the Passport Service or Foreign Office really should publicise the need for a letter of permission from the other parent when traveling, as many people just wouldn't think of it.