Travelling abroad - Child consent form
Discussion
We are going on holiday for 6 weeks and taking my son's friend from school, they are both 15, we are travelling by car through France, Spain ending up ay our house in Portugal, his parents are joining us for the last 2 weeks and he is travelling back by plane with his parents to the UK. This is the first time we have done this and I wondered if a consent form might be needed from the child 's parent to make things easier at passport control, his parent who we have known for many years say they don't think its needed, but I don't want any issues. Has anyone had experience of this before?
I agree with randlemarcus. A simple letter should suffice in most cases. The parent writing the letter could maybe add a photocopy of some ID eg a passport.
In some countries, a notarised letter might be a useful thing - check the country's website for info before departing.
I am divorced and, when travelling overseas with my daughter, I take a notarised letter from my ex wife, but that is belt and braces, and I have only been asked to show the letter once, at Toronto Airport.
In some countries, a notarised letter might be a useful thing - check the country's website for info before departing.
I am divorced and, when travelling overseas with my daughter, I take a notarised letter from my ex wife, but that is belt and braces, and I have only been asked to show the letter once, at Toronto Airport.
definitely do - I and my godson were quizzed returning from skiing a couple of years ago - passing over the letter of authorisation from his parents completely changed the attitude and all was then easy... I used this layout:
We, Mr & Mrs XXXXX, declare that we are the lawful Guardians of XXXX [son's friend], male, born XX-XX-XXXX in XXXXXXX, England.
Our child, XXXX [son's friend], has our consent to travel with XXXX [you] of XXXX [your address].
XXXX [you] has a UK passport numbered XXXX, which was issued on the XX-XX-XXXX in Great Britain.
In the event that our child requires emergency medical treatment and we cannot be reached, XXXX is authorised to consent to medical treatment in our stead. Any questions regarding this document may be addressed to us at:
Mr & Mrs XXXX
XXXX address
Home Telephone: XXXXX
Mr XXXX - Mobile: XXXXXXXX
Mrs XXXX - Mobile: XXXXXXXX
Signed: Date:
[signed by both Mr & Mrs XXXX]
passport control were happy with that and gave authority for medical care as well - they listed all relevant contact numbers as well...
other layouts are probably equally valid!
We, Mr & Mrs XXXXX, declare that we are the lawful Guardians of XXXX [son's friend], male, born XX-XX-XXXX in XXXXXXX, England.
Our child, XXXX [son's friend], has our consent to travel with XXXX [you] of XXXX [your address].
XXXX [you] has a UK passport numbered XXXX, which was issued on the XX-XX-XXXX in Great Britain.
In the event that our child requires emergency medical treatment and we cannot be reached, XXXX is authorised to consent to medical treatment in our stead. Any questions regarding this document may be addressed to us at:
Mr & Mrs XXXX
XXXX address
Home Telephone: XXXXX
Mr XXXX - Mobile: XXXXXXXX
Mrs XXXX - Mobile: XXXXXXXX
Signed: Date:
[signed by both Mr & Mrs XXXX]
passport control were happy with that and gave authority for medical care as well - they listed all relevant contact numbers as well...
other layouts are probably equally valid!
agtlaw said:
UKBA leaflet:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...
As mentioned, also check destination / transit requirements.
Edit: leaflet is travel "to the UK" but presumably the same considerations apply when leaving.https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...
As mentioned, also check destination / transit requirements.
Breadvan72 said:
I agree with randlemarcus. A simple letter should suffice in most cases. The parent writing the letter could maybe add a photocopy of some ID eg a passport.
In some countries, a notarised letter might be a useful thing - check the country's website for info before departing.
I am divorced and, when travelling overseas with my daughter, I take a notarised letter from my ex wife, but that is belt and braces, and I have only been asked to show the letter once, [b] at Toronto Airport. [\b]
I also was asked at Toronto Airport when holidaying with my Nephew In some countries, a notarised letter might be a useful thing - check the country's website for info before departing.
I am divorced and, when travelling overseas with my daughter, I take a notarised letter from my ex wife, but that is belt and braces, and I have only been asked to show the letter once, [b] at Toronto Airport. [\b]
I hadn't given any thought to taking written permission or suchlike.
My Nephew lives with me
Immigration asked if it was OK to ask him a few questions:
They asked a tired, grumpy irritable teenager questions along the lines of:
Q. Does your mum know where you are?
A. Yes I emailed her last week to tell her we were going to Canada
Q. What was you mums reaction?
A. Great, have a nice time
Q. When are you going to see your mum again?
A. I might go and see her at Christmas if she's around
Immigration Officer looked somewhat quizzically at me
I had to hastily explain that he lived with me - not his mum
Then I was was asked if I had any evidence that this was the case
Luckily I had emails and bills from his school on my iPad, and could also access my internet banking and show family allowance going into my account.
After being given words of advice we were sent on our way I have heeded those words of advice, I have a notarised letter from his Mother advising that He resides with me and giving me the right to take him out of the country as and when I wish.
Recently all of the previously very grumpy US immigration officers at NY and LA have been replaced by people who are friendly and helpful. On my last few trips to the US it has taken only minutes to breeze through immigration (in the old days it could take hours, and you usually got an ill tempered grilling). The officers at Toronto, in usually cheery Canada, have all been replaced by grumpy, patronising, and suspicious minded grumpies. I am off there in a few weeks, so am getting ready for a bit of a verbal pummelling. The most cheerful and welcoming immigration officer in EVAH was the one at Grand Cayman, who seemed positively delighted that I had pitched up with a work permit to do a case there. When next arriving in Canada, the fact that I had been to the Caymans was seen as a very bad thing, even though lots of Canadians go to work in the Caymans (They are to Canada what Hong Kong is to the UK. See the acronym FILTHY)
We took my OH nephew to Italy with us once and did have a consent letter with us, mainly for any medical intervention in case we needed it.
Flying out of the UK and into Naples it was not queried despite the surname being different, however flying into the UK, we had a grilling by the immigration guard who only backed off when we said we had a medical consent form (although didn't ask to see it).
What struck us though was what would he have done? Nephew has a UK passport so refusing entry would not be appropriate action. The time to query would be when leaving the UK, not coming back. We would be rubbish kidnappers if we were bringing him back via Easyjet.
To the OP, it is not just travelling consent, you might need to consider medical consent in the case of serious injury so you can make decisions on the spot.
Flying out of the UK and into Naples it was not queried despite the surname being different, however flying into the UK, we had a grilling by the immigration guard who only backed off when we said we had a medical consent form (although didn't ask to see it).
What struck us though was what would he have done? Nephew has a UK passport so refusing entry would not be appropriate action. The time to query would be when leaving the UK, not coming back. We would be rubbish kidnappers if we were bringing him back via Easyjet.
To the OP, it is not just travelling consent, you might need to consider medical consent in the case of serious injury so you can make decisions on the spot.
I take my son to Florida every 2 years and I didn't need one the last trip but was asked for it on the previous one. As someone said, better to have one and not need it. The odd thing is he has my surname but doesn't need a consent form when he travels with his Mum. Anyway if you want I can PM the one I use over once I dig it out.
My 16 year old nephew recently went through Gatwick Airport bound for Turkey, accompanied by his grandmother (who has a villa there).
Got through passport control OK but by the time he got to his gate, the authorities had tracked down his father and called him on his mobile to check that he knew what his son was up to. Impressive.
Got through passport control OK but by the time he got to his gate, the authorities had tracked down his father and called him on his mobile to check that he knew what his son was up to. Impressive.
PhilboSE said:
My 16 year old nephew recently went through Gatwick Airport bound for Turkey, accompanied by his grandmother (who has a villa there).
Got through passport control OK but by the time he got to his gate, the authorities had tracked down his father and called him on his mobile to check that he knew what his son was up to. Impressive.
Possibly down to the situation in Syria?Got through passport control OK but by the time he got to his gate, the authorities had tracked down his father and called him on his mobile to check that he knew what his son was up to. Impressive.
Breadvan72 said:
I agree with randlemarcus. A simple letter should suffice in most cases. The parent writing the letter could maybe add a photocopy of some ID eg a passport.
In some countries, a notarised letter might be a useful thing - check the country's website for info before departing.
I am divorced and, when travelling overseas with my daughter, I take a notarised letter from my ex wife, but that is belt and braces, and I have only been asked to show the letter once, at Toronto Airport.
I agree with BV - especially when travelling by road in Europe the chances are that nothing is needed. However, to be sure I'd probably err on the side of caution and get a notarised consent letter - just a simple letter, ideally signed by both parents, explaining who and when. In some countries, a notarised letter might be a useful thing - check the country's website for info before departing.
I am divorced and, when travelling overseas with my daughter, I take a notarised letter from my ex wife, but that is belt and braces, and I have only been asked to show the letter once, at Toronto Airport.
The downside is that a notary will charge anything up to about £100 to notarise the letter (I'm a notary myself).
For info specifically on the notarisation side see here: http://www.vpnotaries.co.uk/blog/travel_consent/
Worth noting that for some countries a notarised consent is a strict requirement - South Africa and Brazil for example.
OP - We're taking our three adult sons and our grandson to South Africa on the 15th, who have new and fairly strict rules about taking kids in. I have a Word copy of the affidavit sworn by juniors mum (she and my son are separated.) If you want, send me a PM and I'll let you have a copy, so you can alter it to suit.
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