Unwed single parents - Documentation for foreign travel

[Anonymous]

From the US State Department:
https://de.usembassy.gov/visas/travel-tourism/travelers-faqs/children-traveling-with-one-parent-or-with-someone-who-is-not-a-parent-or-legal-guardian/

US State Department wrote:If a child (under the age of 18) is traveling with only one parent or with someone who is not a parent or legal guardian, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that the accompanying adult have a note from the non-traveling parent (or, in the case of a child traveling with neither parent, a note signed by both parents) stating “I acknowledge that my wife/husband/etc. is traveling out of the country with my son/daughter/group. He/She/They has/have my/our permission to do so.”

CBP suggests that this note be notarized. If there is no second parent with legal custody of the child (e..g., the second parent is deceased, one parent has sole custody, etc.), relevant paperwork such as a court decision, birth certificate naming only one parent, death certificate, etc., would be useful as well.

While CBP may not ask to see this documentation when the child enters the U.S., the U.S. is very sensitive to the possibility of child abduction and trafficking, and the child and accompanying adult could be detained if questions arise about the situation. While the U.S. does not require this documentation, many other countries do, and onward travel could be impeded without a notarized permission letter and/or other documentation. (Canada, for example, has very strict requirements in this regard).

This advice applies to U.S. citizens and non-citizens alike. More information can be found on the Customs and Border Protection website. ( https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/449/kw/minors%20travelling%20alone )

Sounds like your court order naming you the custodial parent with no rights to the father should be enough.

[Anonymous]

She wrote that she will not have documentation showing that she is the sole parent.

"When we travel, I will not have a court order showing custody, nor a letter from the other parent granting travel."

[Anonymous]

For Canada, specifically, I think you'll need a letter. I have no advice/insight for the other countries listed.

My SIL did not take my BIL's last name. Their kids have his last name. They aren't even separated and she had issues traveling to Canada with the kids and without BIL. However, I will say that BIL is white and SIL is black and the kids are mixed. Maybe that contributed? I can't be certain. They couldn't enter until a notarized letter from BIL arrived via FedEx. Wouldn't take a faxed/scanned/photograph copy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What documentation do you have showing that you have full legal and physical custody? I would be sure to travel with that. And if you don't have such documentation you should go back to court to get it because you might need it in the future (ie for major medical decisions).

The three attorneys told me I don't need documentation showing this because I already have these rights per our state law. They said I don't need to go to court for sole legal and physical custody because I already have both. I've never had to go to court for custody, the father has no rights. He would have to file with the courts to apply for any parental rights. We were never married. He is listed on the birth certificate but it says I was unwed at the time of birth. I didn't have to submit any custody paperwork when we applied for my child's passport. I just wrote how the father is MIA and non-compliant, and printed out the state law granting all parental rights to the unwed mother. I also submitted the child support order.

Do I just take the child support order with me? Has anyone just used this?

Based on the responses I'm getting, I'm thinking to just take the same documentation I used for the passport, and show that if asked. It includes the state law, the BC, the child support order, the notarized letter saying the father is non compliant and MIA and has never filed for legitimation or custody, and the passport form for special circumstances.

[Anonymous]

What state is this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Based on the responses I'm getting, I'm thinking to just take the same documentation I used for the passport, and show that if asked. It includes the state law, the BC, the child support order, the notarized letter saying the father is non compliant and MIA and has never filed for legitimation or custody, and the passport form for special circumstances.

Perfect. You've got it covered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For Canada, specifically, I think you'll need a letter. I have no advice/insight for the other countries listed.

My SIL did not take my BIL's last name. Their kids have his last name. They aren't even separated and she had issues traveling to Canada with the kids and without BIL. However, I will say that BIL is white and SIL is black and the kids are mixed. Maybe that contributed? I can't be certain. They couldn't enter until a notarized letter from BIL arrived via FedEx. Wouldn't take a faxed/scanned/photograph copy.

My husband was almost turned away in Montreal because he didn’t have any letter or affidavit from me saying he could enter canda with our kids. We are married, we all have same last name, he is even a US/French citizen and speaks French. They separated my DH from our kids and asked our kids a bunch of questions (1st and 4th graders). They were visiting a French relative who lives in Montreall, I was staying here to work. They had to get me on the telephone to give verbal permission, it was incredible. This was last year.

Canada is bananas about this stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should really get the court order. Why haven’t you? This is what my sister got for her international travel day Even though she had full legal custody in the state. Other countries don’t care about your states laws.

This.

The international law is to protect all kids and also the good parents from the kid being abducted by a parent. It’s a good idea to hammer out legal custody anyway so you can appoint a guardian if anything happens to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For Canada, specifically, I think you'll need a letter. I have no advice/insight for the other countries listed.

My SIL did not take my BIL's last name. Their kids have his last name. They aren't even separated and she had issues traveling to Canada with the kids and without BIL. However, I will say that BIL is white and SIL is black and the kids are mixed. Maybe that contributed? I can't be certain. They couldn't enter until a notarized letter from BIL arrived via FedEx. Wouldn't take a faxed/scanned/photograph copy.

My husband was almost turned away in Montreal because he didn’t have any letter or affidavit from me saying he could enter canda with our kids. We are married, we all have same last name, he is even a US/French citizen and speaks French. They separated my DH from our kids and asked our kids a bunch of questions (1st and 4th graders). They were visiting a French relative who lives in Montreall, I was staying here to work. They had to get me on the telephone to give verbal permission, it was incredible. This was last year.

Canada is bananas about this stuff.

Because nutsos from the US snatch their kids during visitation, drive over the border and disappear into Canada. Canada is sick of wasting its resources dealing with NCP abductions.

[Anonymous]

I almost got turned away a few weeks ago in Toronto. Traveling for a funeral with my kids, no husband, and blanked on the letter. I brought kids birth certificates which the Customs agents told me didn't count for anything (which of course makes sense in hindsight.) I got a stern talking to but they did ultimately let me through. I wasn't sure if it made a difference that my kids are mixed but look more like their Dad in terms of skin color (or that our President had JUST insulted their PM.) But I wouldn't recommend traveling solo without proper documentation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For Canada, specifically, I think you'll need a letter. I have no advice/insight for the other countries listed.

My SIL did not take my BIL's last name. Their kids have his last name. They aren't even separated and she had issues traveling to Canada with the kids and without BIL. However, I will say that BIL is white and SIL is black and the kids are mixed. Maybe that contributed? I can't be certain. They couldn't enter until a notarized letter from BIL arrived via FedEx. Wouldn't take a faxed/scanned/photograph copy.

My husband was almost turned away in Montreal because he didn’t have any letter or affidavit from me saying he could enter canda with our kids. We are married, we all have same last name, he is even a US/French citizen and speaks French. They separated my DH from our kids and asked our kids a bunch of questions (1st and 4th graders). They were visiting a French relative who lives in Montreall, I was staying here to work. They had to get me on the telephone to give verbal permission, it was incredible. This was last year.

Canada is bananas about this stuff.

Because nutsos from the US snatch their kids during visitation, drive over the border and disappear into Canada. Canada is sick of wasting its resources dealing with NCP abductions.

No one is arguing why Canada is so strict and implying that they should not be. But I think unless you have experience with Canadian immigration, the average person would be very surprised, even if they are a seasoned traveler, that Canada takes this particular issue very seriously. I don’t want what happened to us to happen to anyone else. Op mentioned Canada as a potential destination. So you can relax about me calling them bananas. But too many posters write. “I’ve never had a problem, don’t worry about it, never happened to me, etc”, which is terrible advice.

[Anonymous]

+1 to Canada being very strict. I am married, but different last name than DH and DS, and DS is mixed race. I have been asked for that letter in Canada, Germany, UK and occasionally upon return to the US. OP, I would bring any documentation you used for ppt app, plus, if you can get a copy of your state’s law stating that your ex has no parental rights, it would be good as well.

[Anonymous]

My child does not even have the father's name on the birth certificate. They have different last names. I had drafted a notarized letter, just in case. He didn't have any problems traveling to Mexico but then again he wasn't traveling alone; he was with the step mom and other kids.
Do what you can to have supporting paperwork.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, regarding just asking the father to sign a letter, he's not compliant. I asked him several times, kindly, to help us apply for the passport and he ignored us. He doesn't want to be in my child's life or help him with anything.

If we don't need anything from him in order to travel out of the country, then I'm not involving him. We got the passport without him, so that's one major hurdle overcome.

I’m the pp who posted about my sister. He refused to sign everything too. She had to send him a certified mail (internationally) to show notice in her petition for full legal custody. She travels with their passports and a certified copy of her order of full legal custody.

[Anonymous]

Definitely take a notarized letter. You never know who is working the passport desk- some are lenient and some are not. Also, each country has different rules. I have had to show a letter many times. Dont go without it. Passport control doesn't care if dad is involved or not with child's life. Their job is to prevent kidnapping and human trafficking. They need to check their boxes.