Planning International Family Travel? Check Documentation Requirements.
If your family is planning international travel in the next six months, make sure you are aware of the documentation requirements for international travel. It is important to make sure that every member of the family has the necessary travel documents in order well before your trip. This particularly applies to any family planning to travel with children under 14 and parents planning to travel solo with their children.
The U.S. State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs announced new passport application requirements for children under the age of 14. To enhance the accurate identification of passport applicants and aid in the prevention of international child abduction and trafficking, the Bureau of Consular Affairs has begun requiring the personal appearance of all minors applying for U.S. passports.
This new rule applies to all regular, official and diplomatic passports for children under the age of 14, even if the child has previously been issued a passport. Prior to the introduction of this new requirement, parents were not routinely required to bring a child under the age of 14 with them when they applied on the child's behalf. Now, when applying for a passport on behalf of a minor under the age of 14, parents are required to have their child present and submit documentation of the parental relationship and consent, as well as comply with all other documentation requirements for the issuance of a passport.
According to the Bureau of Consular Affairs, this new personal appearance requirement for all minors is a further step toward ensuring the integrity of the passport application process. This change is designed to help verify the identity of minor applicants and aid in the prevention of international child abduction and trafficking.
For additional information about passport application requirements, please visit the Passport Services page or call the National Passport Information Center toll-free at 1-877-487-2778.
Single parents traveling abroad with their children and married parents traveling solo with their children on international trips also need to also be aware of documentation requirements imposed by some countries. It is important for all parents to do their homework when planning to travel to a foreign country as a single adult with a minor child. This applies to any parent or adult traveling with a minor child (such as grandparents and others), not just single parents.
Airline personnel sometimes inform parents of the need for additional documentation at the time of booking, but do not rely on it. The airlines will not accept any responsibility for failing to inform you of the need for additional documentation, and delays and ticket change fees may result. While researching this story, we came into contact with over a dozen parents whose trips were delayed or cancelled due to documentation problems. "I just assumed that if additional documents were required, someone from the airline would have told me," said one of the parents. "The ticket agent mentioned passports, but nothing about an authorization letter. Next time, I'll make sure to ask!"
"Ask" is the operative word, as documentation requirements vary by country and mode of travel. Additional documentation is required to enter some countries (such as Mexico) but not others. It is strongly suggested that parents bring proof of documentation requirements along with them when traveling to countries where rules may be in doubt. Sometimes gate check agents believe that notarized documents are needed when such documents are not officially required by the country.
There is no one source that provides an authoritative list of the travel documentation required by all countries, and if even if there was, it would quickly become out of date. It is important to check with each destination's consulate in advance to determine what is required. Some countries, such as Canada, have website which clearly state the requirements for adults with children traveling to their country. These types of websites are a good place to start your search.
Documentation requirements can also change depending upon the mode of travel (air, land or sea). Clearly inform the consulate of your form of entry into their country, and try to get requirements in writing if possible. Once this has been accomplished, check with your airline, tour operator or cruise line to let them know what documentation you will be bringing to ensure they will accept it. Make sure to make a note of all names, titles, phone numbers, and dates of contact for your records.
Typical examples of documentation required for an adult traveling alone outside of the United States with minor children are:
** A notarized letter of permission from the child's other parent, both parents (in the case of a non-parent adult traveling with a minor), or legal guardian.
** A death certificate confirming that the other parent is deceased
** Original court custody papers or adoption papers proving sole custody
Special circumstances may require other types of documentation, such as in cases where the other parent is not known or cannot be found.
Most experts consulted for this article suggested that "it's better to be safe than sorry," especially in this age of constantly changing requirements. Brenda Elwell, author of The Single Parent Travel Handbook, has provided an enormous amount of information and advice on this topic on her website: http://www.singleparenttravel.net/. This site provides extensive information on how to deal with the various special circumstances that single parents face when traveling with their minor children, as well as a Q&A area providing answers to questions posed by readers. The site also provides links to sample forms that can be used for documentation.
Sally Black, President of Vacationkids.com also emphasized the importance of asking questions about documentation at the time of booking. "Failure to produce the necessary documents will result in being denied boarding of your plane, " said Sally. "This is not covered by travel insurance, and as a result, you will forfeit the cost of your trip." Travel documentation requirements can change overnight, so make sure to check with your agent and then double-check again before leaving.
It is important to be aware that countries may change their entry requirements with little notice. For this reason, it may be wise to obtain passports for your children at your earliest convenience. There are expediters available in situations where rush service is needed, such as http://www.travisa.com/, http://www.passportsandvisas.com/, and http://www.g3visas.com/, but their services can be expensive.
