Taking kids out of the country?
Jul 22nd 2003, 1:24 am
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2002
Location: Where bad things rarely happen in movies
Posts: 8,933
Taking kids out of the country?
Bit of background to my question...
I'm UKC with a green card, my wife is USC, one of our sons has both US and UK passport, the other just has US passport. We have recently got back from a UK trip, on which we all departed US together as a family, but my wife came back with one son a week before me and my other son. As we came thru immigration, the officer asked to see my letter of permission to take my son out of the country. I responded with a jetlaggged "huh? don't have one" which seemed to upset him a bit. I then explained our travel itinerary as above, and he reluctantly waved us thru.
It was only later I started thinking about this letter of permission business. I guess its to stop seperated couples from unlawfully removing a child from the custody of the other partner, but can anyone explain the letter of permission ? Is it a standard wording? Does it have to be notarised? Or can it be written on the back of a fag packet..? Anyone have any experience of it?
I'm UKC with a green card, my wife is USC, one of our sons has both US and UK passport, the other just has US passport. We have recently got back from a UK trip, on which we all departed US together as a family, but my wife came back with one son a week before me and my other son. As we came thru immigration, the officer asked to see my letter of permission to take my son out of the country. I responded with a jetlaggged "huh? don't have one" which seemed to upset him a bit. I then explained our travel itinerary as above, and he reluctantly waved us thru.
It was only later I started thinking about this letter of permission business. I guess its to stop seperated couples from unlawfully removing a child from the custody of the other partner, but can anyone explain the letter of permission ? Is it a standard wording? Does it have to be notarised? Or can it be written on the back of a fag packet..? Anyone have any experience of it?
Jul 30th 2003, 12:51 am
#2
Just Joined
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: canada
Posts: 14
Yes, this is correct, it's to keep parents from abducting their children from the other parent, too much of that goes on. I'm an American living in Canada and I have to do that same thing when I visit my parents and my husband doesn't come with. It's such a pain because I go down there once a year. Luckily we were able to find a notary at the airport here in town and for free. They said that my husband didn't even have to be present for the notary, now that's crazy, it could easily be made up. And the last time I went down, Canada immigration didn't even ask me for the paper, it was only when I was leaving the US that they asked me for it. I don't understand why it's not done more properly, but that's the gov't for you.
Jul 30th 2003, 1:42 am
#3
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 711
I'm a dual national and when I was only a UKC I was told by my travel agent that US immigraition would like a letter from my USC husband stating that it was O.K. with him for me to take my daughter to the U.K. for a visit.
Jul 30th 2003, 2:18 am
#4
Just Joined
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: canada
Posts: 14
It's just really strange when you could write the letter yourself and say your hubby wrote it. At least if a notary witnesses that both of you signed the paper, then that would be more legal and trusting. Maybe I'm just too used to American politics.
