Need letter from DH to take DS on international flight??

[niccig]

Do I need a letter or something signed by DH to take DS on international flight. We've always flown together. DH is taking us to the airport when we leave.

[bluestarfish18]

Yes! You will need a notarized letter signed by you and DH, which must be presented when you go through customs at your destination.

[bluestarfish18]

You're going to Australia right? When we moved there (I was 8) my mom and I took a different flight than my dad, and she didn't know about the letter. We were stopped at customs, and required to call my dad and have him speak to officials on whether or not I was kidnapped. Unfortunately, he was in the air for another 9 hours after we landed. You can imagine how much fun that was...waiting in a tiny room for 9 hours. Whatever you do, don't forget that notorized letter!!!

[niccig]

You're going to Australia right? When we moved there (I was 8) my mom and I took a different flight than my dad, and she didn't know about the letter. We were stopped at customs, and required to call my dad and have him speak to officials on whether or not I was kidnapped. Unfortunately, he was in the air for another 9 hours after we landed. You can imagine how much fun that was...waiting in a tiny room for 9 hours. Whatever you do, don't forget that notorized letter!!!

Oh crappola..no I don't want that. Ok...need to go to notary this weekend to get this...sheesh..DH not coming with is creating more work for me!!

[nfowife]

Interesting. I flew from Italy to the USA in July with my kids and no one asked me anything. Maybe because we were returning to our home country?

[bluestarfish18]

Interesting. I flew from Italy to the USA in July with my kids and no one asked me anything. Maybe because we were returning to our home country?

Yep...we weren't stopped coming back either.

[wendmatt]

I've been to UK a number of times and not been asked for a letter. I had to have one to get DD a passport but not to fly. I wonder if it depends on where you fly from. If you can get one it's probably worth it I guess. I don't think my friend gets a letter either and she's from UK and goes much more regularly than I do (US husband and US passports for kids).

[niccig]

Traveling with Family forum has a template for a form you can get. I'll print that out and we'll go to a notary this weekend. From what I read there - it seems to depend if you get asked or not - it might be country specific or even the immigration official you're dealing with.

Oh, also it might depend on our passports. Both DS and I are Australian citizens and we present those when entering Australia. If DS just had USA passport, they might ask in that situation.

Either way, I'll make sure I have it, which means I won't get asked for it!

[connor_mommy]

They even require a notorized letter when driving from Washington to Canada.

[mom2binsd]

I drive every summer to Canada from the US, I have had a notorized letter and they didn't ask.

This trip I forgot about it until the day before, DH lives/works in AZ now and we're in IL and so he faxed a letter with his signature.

I gave it to the Canadian customs when I gave our passports and she said it wasn't needed, but thank you!

So you never know...but it's better to be safe than sorry!

[ijopint]

I travelled to Asia this year with DS only . I did not have the notarized letter and was not asked to present one..(JFK). I think they are not strict anymore like they used to. But have one in case.

Have a good one!

[niccig]

From what I read, it's not the USA that checks if you have a letter - it's the country you're trying to enter. On the Dept. of State for USA and Australia they say to check if a country requires one as some do.

It's a little disconcerting actually that there are not exit border controls. If your child has a passport, they can leave. There is a way to put a block on your child being issued a passport if you're worried about someone trying to get a passport to remove the child overseas. To get a passport, both parents must be at the interview - DH couldn't go to the interview, so he did a notarized form giving permission...

[dhano923]

I've flown to/from Singapore and Malaysia on my own with my kids (first time DS and second time DS and DD). I was never asked to provide any type of documentation entering or exiting any countries, including the US. We all have US Passports.

[jamesmom]

I flew from Asia back to the US alone with the kids this summer, and was never asked for a letter, nor did I know about the need for one. We all have US passports.

[vtmom]

I traveled by plane internationally with DD alone this past summer and did not need a letter. It probably depends on your destination. I would check with the State Department website and call the US Consulate office of the country you are flying to just to be sure.

[Momit]

I've also flown internationally by myself with DS and was not asked for a letter, but I did have it just in case. I remember thinking that I couldn't believe no one asked me on either flight.

[WolfpackMom]

Random thought, what do they do if you're a single parent? Do you have to prove it somehow?

[bubbaray]

Random thought, what do they do if you're a single parent? Do you have to prove it somehow?


Single parents are advised to travel with a copy of their custody documents and a notarized letter from the non-custodial parent.

[bubbaray]

I drive every summer to Canada from the US, I have had a notorized letter and they didn't ask.

This trip I forgot about it until the day before, DH lives/works in AZ now and we're in IL and so he faxed a letter with his signature.

I gave it to the Canadian customs when I gave our passports and she said it wasn't needed, but thank you!

So you never know...but it's better to be safe than sorry!


I know someone IRL who was stopped at the Canada US border (travelling South) and held for 10 hours because she had a letter but it wasn't notarized.

We use a regular letter, non-notarized. I probably need to get on it with the notarized letter.

[EllasMum]

My sister was traveling with her 2 DC from Canada to the US through the Washington border. She had trouble because her kids do not have her last name - they were given their father's last name. The border guards were very careful, to the point of asking my nephew (who was 7 at the time) various questions, ("who is this lady?" "where do you live?" "where is your dad?" etc). My sister was pretty freaked out. In the end, they let her through but she learned her lesson and now *always* travels with the letter.