Jo1973

Quick question.

I am heading back to the UK in December to visit family and friends with my baby (celebrating her 1st b'day and xmas in the UK).

Will I need to get a letter from her dad before we leave (she has US p/port, I have UK and in my maiden name p/port) or can we just go and no questions asked etc.

I don't want her or myself to be refused to leave the US etc.

Just need some advice on what everyone else does etc.

Thanks

Jo

Tracym

hmm. I haven't done it (no baby ) but I think I might get a letter in your position.

The passport nationalities don't match, the names don't match... might look suspicious.

Maybe others will say I'm nuts, but I'd have him write a letter and get it notarised at the bank.

She is entitled to a UK passport too right? The UK doesn't have any law like the US - where a citizen MUST use their passport to enter and exit?

scrubbedexpat099

It does not, but a good idea to get one.

Mummy in the foothills

I got stopped in Canada (heading to UK), as I forgot my letter from Dh the boys were teens (on UK passports) so from now on I'll take a letter, no matter how old they are. The boys thought it was so funny and kept messing with me all the way back to UK.

kins

I got a letter just in case. No one asked to see it though...

JAJ

This kind of thing is fairly routine in Canada, by all accounts, but not usually routine in most other western countries.

There is actually no legal basis for it. There are agreements to allow children wrongfully removed from one jurisdiction to another, and laws in many jurisdictions on unlawful removal of children. But these do not give officials the right to routinely demand consent letters (which could be fake, anyway).

In a situation like this, if name and passport are different, it's probably best to obtain one, however.

Jo1973

Thank you all for your replies.

I shall obtain a letter nearer the time of departure, better safe than sorry.

Thanks again everyone.

Mummy in the foothills

I was quite shocked to be stopped and asked about it, my teen boys were old enough to know where they lived and with who and what was going on, I could hardly remove them by force, they were/are bigger and stronger than me,
The passport control man was quite odd, he proceeded to tell me, "You might be kidnapping them for all I know, I'm sure you'd want to know if their father was leaving the country with them and stop him" I wanted to say "hell no he can keep them if he wants I'll go on holiday alone thanks" But had visions of being searched in a little room with no windows and missing our connecting flight
So I just told him, "Dh bought the tickets and dropped us at the airport, call him if you want, he went to work after he dropped us, do you want his work number?"
He said no and let us through, but I found it rude. How does he know I'm not a widow, or a single Mom with no man in the picture ever. It just rubbed me the wrong way.

lisag8070

Quick question...you said your UK passport is in your maiden name...what does your Daughters US passport have for her last name?...do they match or are they different..?


And also (coz I'm nosey) where abouts are you in NC?

Jo1973

She has my married name (my passport expires next year, so will change it to married name next year saves time and money that way lol).


I will be getting her a UK p/port but need to save up the money for hers and mines p/port.

And,

I am in Efland, just past Hillsborough, 20ish miles west of Durham lol.

lisag8070

You might be better off posting this question in Moving back to the UK forum or at least doing a search in the threads there..They'll probably have a better idea...I'm only suggesting this as I don't know for sure if you'll have any problems entering the UK with your child having a different last name to you..and a different nationality passport..

and hey your not soo far from me..(I'm Greensboro, NC)..

Jo1973

I will give it a go in posting it in the other section.

Another question...What if I was to get her UK p/port before we go, although she would still have a different surname (I can provide my marriage cert. etc) use the UK p/port to leave US and the US p/port to re-enter, would that work?

Greensborough, Cool you are like a neighbour to me. If you ever near "elf"land give me a shout.

lisag8070

that might work..as long as you carry all the relevant documents to prove she's your daughter..but again please post this in Moving back to the UK....the peeps on there are very knowledgeable and could tell you what you definately need to do..

I know you have to have prove if you were moving back to the UK for good...but I don't know the rules for when you're just visiting...

Hope you have a lovely time back in the UK though...and if I'm ever in your neck of the woods..I give you that shout..

Jo1973

Thanks LisaG. I have literally copied and pasted these questions into the UK thread.

Can't wait to go back to UK for few weeks, really missing those Cornish pasties lol. My mum can't wait either she hasn't seen her g/daughter since Jan. when she came over.

Thanks again for all your help.

Jo

lisag8070

I'm not jealous....honest..

I really miss the bacon....