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documentation for 1 parent traveling with a child....

It seems like I read somewhere that if one parent is traveling abroad with a child they would need some kind of documentation stating that the other parent gave their permission. Does anyone out there know anything about this? My husband and I will be starting our trip next year from different originations and meeting up in Prague. I'm wondering if I need some sort of paperwork with me.

Posted by
1633 posts

In obtaining a passport for your child, you do have to give them a note signed by your husband giving permission to obtain the passport. Maybe that's what you heard about. Other than that, I'm not sure.

Posted by
2775 posts

I traveled several different times with our children to Europe without my husband. I didn't need any paper work from him stating that I had his permission. I only had their passports.

Posted by
9363 posts

Jill, I know what you're talking about but I think maybe it had more to do with where one parent is a US citizen and the other is not and wants to take the (US citizen) child out of the country. If it's what I'm thinking of, it was in response to cases where a parent took children to their home country against court ordered arrangements and would not bring them back.

Posted by
389 posts

My sister-in-law and I traveled with our children and without our husbands this summer and we both took notarized permission to travel and were never questioned. I think the problem is most likely to occur in the US airports, but it was easier to have the note than to be held up anywhere.

Posted by
320 posts

Jill - There is information about this on the US State Department website.

We took a friend's daughter with us in 2004. We had a notarized statement from her parents indicating we had their permission to take the child out of the US (and authorizing medical treatment if necessary).

I was never asked for it (even by the uber efficient Germans). But, as the previous poster siad - better safe than sorry . . .

Have fun

Posted by
112 posts

About 3 yrs ago, my nephew took his 3 boys to
Cancun. He had to call his wife to come to the
airport (Los Angeles Int'l) to say it was o.k.
They were not going to let him on the plane.