Do i need written consent to take 15yr old on hols

spud65

Do I need my to get written consent or anything from my ex wife's to take my daughter on holiday. She does not have a problem with it, but will I run into problems at the airport.

Going to Portugal in 2 weeks for 5 days
She is 14,
Her passport has my surname,
She lives with me but its only a verbal agreement between me and the ex, nothing official.

fmpisces

spud65 wrote: »

Do I need my to get written consent or anything from my ex wife's to take my daughter on holiday. She does not have a problem with it, but will I run into problems at the airport.

Going to Portugal in 2 weeks for 5 days
She is 14,
Her passport has my surname,
She lives with me but its only a verbal agreement between me and the ex, nothing official.

You shouldn't need anything else. Myself and my ex split up years ago, our son has his surname, went on hols to Portugal during the Summer as well. Son had his passport and a copy of his birth cert but birth cert wasn't asked for, nor was anything else. Verbal agreement between us as well.

Mehaffey1

Think a birth certificate is technically needed but rarely asked for.

Recently flew with my girlfriend and her daughter and we brought her birth certificate as she didn't have either of our surnames. Wasn't asked for either in Dublin International or coming home from England.

CelticRambler

Mehaffey1 wrote: »

Think a birth certificate is technically needed but rarely asked for.

A birth cert is of absolutely no value - anyone can apply for a copy of anyone else's.

With the same surname, there should be no problem; when the child doesn't have the same surname, however, and is obviously well under the age of 18, then there is a greater likelihood that the accompanying parent will be asked to explain their connection to the child and/or provide proof that the non-travelling parent has agreed to the child leaving the jurisdiction. The best way to respond to this is to have a letter from the other parent giving their consent for that trip.

Strictly speaking, only the authorities in the home country have the power/responsibility for checking that the child has permission to leave the jurisdiction, and Ireland doesn't really make any effort to stop anyone from going abroad.

RacoonQueen

CelticRambler wrote: »

A birth cert is of absolutely no value - anyone can apply for a copy of anyone else's.

But it will have the name of one of the people travelling with them down as the mother / father which can be cross checked against that person's passport.

pinkfloyd34

I have been going foreign years with my two daughters and was only ever asked for passports, i was worried at first like you but no one in any airport ever questioned it, even went outside Europe and still just the same procedure

CelticRambler

RacoonQueen wrote: »

But it will have the name of one of the people travelling with them down as the mother / father which can be cross checked against that person's passport.

But it doesn't prove that the other parent has given consent. That's what any checks are intended to confirm.

pinkfloyd34 wrote: »

I have been going foreign years with my two daughters and was only ever asked for passports, i was worried at first like you but no one in any airport ever questioned it, even went outside Europe and still just the same procedure

... and I've seen controls rigourously applied twice in recent years - once being SonNo.1's 17-and-a-half year old girlfriend (very obviously not related to me :rolleyes:) taken off on her own while border police contacted her mother to confirm that she had permission to leave the country. The other was a mother with a different name to her three children; nearly missed her flight trying to get in touch with her husband to sort it out.

pinkfloyd34

CelticRambler wrote: »

But it doesn't prove that the other parent has given consent. That's what any checks are intended to confirm.



... and I've seen controls rigourously applied twice in recent years - once being SonNo.1's 17-and-a-half year old girlfriend (very obviously not related to me :rolleyes:) taken off on her own while border police contacted her mother to confirm that she had permission to leave the country. The other was a mother with a different name to her three children; nearly missed her flight trying to get in touch with her husband to sort it out.

When i split up from their mother i got the childrens birth cert changed just to include my sir name as we were not married, like a double barreled name, i was told you can only amend a birth cert once, then i applied for the childrens passports so they had my sir name on it as well as the mothers but was never stopped or questioned but at least I know now that it can happen

Credit Checker Moose

Venture off the beaten path of Spain and Portugal and you will quickly find the authorities will demand a Power of Attorney from the other parent before travel will be permitted.

Dial Hard

Credit Checker Moose wrote:

Venture off the beaten path of Spain and Portugal and you will quickly find the authorities will demand a Power of Attorney from the other parent before travel will be permitted.

Not necessarily. I went skiing in Austria in January with my brother and three of of his kids, two of whom have his ex's surname and nobody even batted an eyelid.

I've always thought this whole thing is a bit of a nonsense, tbh. As others have said, birth cert doesn't prove the other parent's consent to travel. Nor does a letter, it could be written by anyone. Sure, they can ring the other parent but who provides the contact number?

antix80

pinkfloyd34 wrote: »

When i split up from their mother i got the childrens birth cert changed just to include my sir name as we were not married

It's actually "surname"

Mrs OBumble

Dial Hard wrote: »

I've always thought this whole thing is a bit of a nonsense, tbh.

If it was your kid removed from the jurisdiction by a hostile ex, your tune might change.

Though I'd agree, child welfare authorities should have a better system than just believing any old letter.