Father's holiday with son

Klingon Hamlet

Hi myself and my son's mum are getting a passport for him---she has filled out the form and I've to sign it. We agreed in court I would take him on holidays, but it wasn't put into the court order.

Should I get a letter of consent from her? So far any requests I've made have gone unanswered.

I just don't want our holiday ruined!

PinkFly

What do you mean that the holiday time was wrote into court order? Or taking the child out if the country wasn't in it?

uck51js9zml2yt

Did you both sign the passport application form at the Garda Station?

If you did then you should be ok. But for peace of mind it would be no harm to get a letter from her. Just type up the letter and reference his and your passport numbers and get her to sign it.

goat2

what country are taking the child to, what age is your child, are you in good terms with his mother,
are you an irish citizen,
i ask these as i am looking for a reason that she has not followed up on the signed letter.
and the fact that it is not in the court order.

PammyD

Jaxen Harsh Radiator wrote: »

Did you both sign the passport application form at the Garda Station?

If you did then you should be ok. But for peace of mind it would be no harm to get a letter from her. Just type up the letter and reference his and your passport numbers and get her to sign it.

I agree with this, you "should" be ok but id get some sort of written agreement between yourselves for your own peace of mind.

Sleepy

What do you believe you need the letter of consent for?

To protect you from her claiming you've kidnapped the child? Or in case someone feels they have a right to question a man being on holidays alone with their child?

If it's the former (and your ex really is that psycho), I'd suggest getting your access agreement formally amended in court to include an annual holiday for you and your child e.g. have "the first week of June" legally established as being a time when the child is under your care.

If it's the latter, I wouldn't worry about it and would simply take the head off anyone questioning your right to bring your child on holidays.

planetX

when I read the original post it sounds like the OP is thinking of withholding his signature unless he gets a letter agreeing that he will take the child abroad. Is that correct?

StillWaters

Jaxen Harsh Radiator wrote: »

Did you both sign the passport application form at the Garda Station?

If you did then you should be ok. But for peace of mind it would be no harm to get a letter from her. Just type up the letter and reference his and your passport numbers and get her to sign it.

+1. Both myself and my ex have taken our child out of the country on holidays many many times with no letter of consent. There was never any problems. I think you might be making an issue when there isn't one.

Having said this, this was in Europe, longer haul might be different.

James Jones

Sleepy wrote: »

What do you believe you need the letter of consent for?

To protect you from her claiming you've kidnapped the child? Or in case someone feels they have a right to question a man being on holidays alone with their child?

If it's the former (and your ex really is that psycho), I'd suggest getting your access agreement formally amended in court to include an annual holiday for you and your child e.g. have "the first week of June" legally established as being a time when the child is under your care.

If it's the latter, I wouldn't worry about it and would simply take the head off anyone questioning your right to bring your child on holidays.

I was once asked if I had the right to take my child out of the country by a police officer at Newcastle airport. I told him our holiday was over and I was returning him to his mum. He then asked my 7 year old son where he was going and he replied "Back to mum's house". The officer apologized and explained that these questions were required to prevent fathers parents abducting their own children. I could have "taken the head of him" but I imagine such a diligent officer would have then asked me to have a cup of tea while he made inquiries to verify my story, which no doubt would have ended once our flight had left.

Moral of the story: Even when in the right, don't argue with Border Security as there power to f**k up a vacation are immense. Bring a copy of a Court Order or a letter from the ex.


EDIT: It must be considered that I didn't have a passport.

planetX

I was pulled aside in a US airport and asked to explain my relationship to my baby son who has his dads surname on his passport. Fortunately I had had the sense to put my surname as a middle name, might have taken a lot longer otherwise.

Shelli2

My sons passport has my surname, and on the other page has 'birth certificate name.....' and his full name which has both surnames. His dad is english and regularly gets questioned in the airport when taking him on trips to the UK.

James Jones

Shelli2 wrote: »

My sons passport has my surname, and on the other page has 'birth certificate name.....' and his full name which has both surnames. His dad is english and regularly gets questioned in the airport when taking him on trips to the UK.

To the UK or from the UK? I've never been questioned when leaving here, only when returning.

goat2

i notice the op did not get back to discuss this matter since the first post,

Klingon Hamlet

Waiting on passport to arrive. Have asked for a letter. So far, requests have gone ignored. Fun times.