Take Illegitimate sone on holiday abroad

Mojisola

Errata wrote: »

For goodness sake, the OP and the mother may have already discussed that scenario and come to an agreement about who best to look after the son.

Social services wouldn't have to abide by any decisions they made.

tonycottee

Back to the original question...
When going through Immigration, it's best to present a letter of consent from the mother with a contact number. As an extra measure, it's also good to take along a copy of the birth cirtificate and a copy of the mother's passport. But generally a letter will do.

barbarawright

You know that you can add the father's name to the birth certificate *after* the registration?

https://www.gov.uk/adding-fathers-name-birth-certificate

*max*

Frith wrote: »

I read it as illegitimate scone.

I first read it as "stone". Thought it would be about an international jewellery heist...

adouglasmhor

When did all this fuss about illlegitemacy start? I have several ancestors with surnames starting with Fitz (Fils de) and it doesn't seem to have held them back. Is it a Victorian thing?

Spendless

Janepig wrote: »

Just out of interest Spendless, was the letter witnessed by a Notary or was it just signed by the parents? My dad went on holiday afew years ago with a couple who also brought along their grandson. Grandson's parents are separated/divorced so they had to get a letter of consent, witnessed by a Notary. Well two Notaries actually because one parent lives locally, the other lives (I think) in London. I can see the need to have that done (although it costs) because otherwise the letter of consent could really have been written and signed by anyone. I have a feeling that this was when they went to America, and immigration there very often want to know the ins and outs of a cats arris (my brother was quizzed for half an hour in LA because he had a one way ticket - he was flying on to Australia - including them wanting to know why he wasn't married to his girlfiend).

I guess it's one of those things, if you had all the necessary papers you'd probably not need them, but if you didn't have them then you'd be stopped!

Jx

It was signed just by the parents with their contact details, names, addresses, landline and mobile number. AFAIK (I'm prepared to be told I'm wrong here) it's not actually a legal requirement just a double check that some customs/ staff will ask. Husband was asked on the way back into England when he was on the French side (so British customs) but not questioned at all in Dover (by the French customs) on his way out. I suspect if you are arousing suspicion enough then it could be checked out by details in child's passport and matched up with the child's parent/s contact details. I don't think husband was quizzed at all when he took Neice away (also to France) but that is some years ago, she must have been early/mid-teens and is now 22.

One of the children had previously travelled to Holland on the ferry from Hull with his maternal Grandmother and was asked by the ferry staff for a similar sort of letter that child didn't have on them, but Grandma is the contact detail in child's passport anyway so they let them on.

I have no idea if rules are different if travelling outside of Europe though. And I know exactly what you mean about US customs. They weren't happy when husband told them he didn't know the name of the street our hotel was located on in Florida (holiday had been paid for by my parents who were travelling with us and husband only knew hotel name)

BTW - Why did the Grandparents have to get a notary signed document? Who told them this was required?

jakes-mum

We may have gone a tad ott when ds went away with his aunt and uncle but, they had a letter signed by myself and his dad that stated our sons full name, our address and phone number, the full names and address of aunt and uncle, the destination inc phone number of where they were staying whilst on holiday and had our signatures witnessed by a friend. They also had a copy of ds birth certificate and our marriage certificate (as we were not married when he was born and I haven't re-registered him yet).

On the way out of the uk no-one checked other than to ask the relationship, on the way into the uk they were stopped and every piece of paper was checked before they were allowed through, plus ds was asked where they had been on holiday.

Re the medical, we signed a consent form that aunt and uncle could make a decision in an emergency which also had our contact details on, but remember it is not a legal document and a hospital has the right to not accept it (this is on the bottom of all scout/school trip consent forms too).

Though way off topic, regarding the child if the mother passed away, unless she has a will stating who will gain custody of the child, his custodian will be decided by the state who do not have to place him with a family member even if one is available and willing to care for him. (We were told his by our solicitor who prepared our will) not relevant to the op, but as others had mentioned it . .

CherylOB

Hi,

I have a different surname to my daughter and have been questioned at the airport by passport control. I now carry her birth certificate with me when I travel (I am her Mother, so I am on it).

We traveled with with my step-dad's step-son (complicated) earlier this year. We were stopped at passport control and although they let him through (after asking him a few questions about his relationship with us), they said next time we traveled he should have a letter of authorisation from his legal guardian, with their contact details.

Strangely, this has only ever happened at Heathrow (my daughter is 10 and we have traveled several times with no problems).

Not sure on the medical implications. I'm pretty sure if your son required medical treatment, they would not ask to see proof that you were his father. My daughter is very accident prone, we have had several visits to various hospitals, I have never been asked to prove I am her Mother.

Mojisola

jakes-mum wrote: »

Though way off topic, regarding the child if the mother passed away, unless she has a will stating who will gain custody of the child, his custodian will be decided by the state who do not have to place him with a family member even if one is available and willing to care for him. (We were told his by our solicitor who prepared our will) not relevant to the op, but as others had mentioned it . .

Even if she does this, it won't guarantee that it happens. Social workers will normally take a parent's wishes into account but what's in the will doesn't have a legal standing - you can't leave your children to someone as if they were a possession.

Social services would have to be in agreement that the person recommended by the deceased parent was suitable.