Kids travelling alone with grandparents

frogeye

Hi,

My son (11) is travelling (by plane) to France with his grandparents at half term. Do I need to provide any documentation for immigration to say that it is okay for him to be travelling? He is going with my wife's parents so surnames are different.

Thanks for any help

Chris

tanith

My daughter was recently questioned about her children when returning from holidaying abroad as they have a different surname from her, they suggested she carry their birth certificates with her next time. Not sure if that would apply with grandparents though.

balletshoes

I always take a letter of permission from my sister when I take her daughter (my niece) away on holiday with us. I have been asked to produce it at UK airport immigration too.

zagfles

balletshoes wrote: »

I always take a letter of permission from my sister when I take her daughter (my niece) away on holiday with us. I have been asked to produce it at UK airport immigration too.

Seems a bit pointless - what proof do they have the person who wrote the letter was the child's parent?

balletshoes

zagfles wrote: »

Seems a bit pointless - what proof do they have the person who wrote the letter was the child's parent?

because it has the parent's contact details, phone numbers etc, so they can call them to check if they are in any doubt.

zagfles

balletshoes wrote: »

because it has the parent's contact details, phone numbers etc, so they can call them to check if they are in any doubt.

But how do they know the contact details are those of the parent? It could be anyone on the end of the phone. All seems a bit pointless.

Also wonder what would happen if the parent wasn't contactable at departure time, would they really refuse to let the child leave the country?

Moomum

My son goes to France every year with his grandparents and have never been asked, they do get boat though. I have a different surname and went on Eurostar with son and the passport guy asked him where his daddy was and why he wasn't coming on holiday with us? It won't hurt to take one along I guess just to be safe.

balletshoes

zagfles wrote: »

But how do they know the contact details are those of the parent? It could be anyone on the end of the phone. All seems a bit pointless.

Also wonder what would happen if the parent wasn't contactable at departure time, would they really refuse to let the child leave the country?

I haven't got a clue to be honest. All I know is, I have been asked to show such a letter to the authorities at Immigration.

zagfles

balletshoes wrote: »

I haven't got a clue to be honest. All I know is, I have been asked to show such a letter to the authorities at Immigration.

Is that in the foreign country on arrival?

moaninggit

We took a signed letter with contact details a copy of the birth certificate and a copy of the mothers passport to authenticate the letter.
Nobody asked to see anything either end bar the childs passport.

balletshoes

zagfles wrote: »

Is that in the foreign country on arrival?

no, it was at Luton airport.