Child going overseas without mother

[thenewgoo]

I am taking my son (9) to Australia for a 3 week holiday but leaving Mum in Thailand. I have heard that there is some requirement - a letter from Mum - that needs to be presented at departure. Is this a myth? Does anybody have any experience with this situation?

[bigt3116]

Yes, you will need written permission from the mother

[Artisi]

I would get a letter signed by mum, and it might be worth having it witnessed by the local police or townhall with a nice big red stamp (Thai's love stamps) over the signature - that should make life easier for you. 

[richard_smith237]

Experience varies... but its best to get your ‘ducks in a row’....

 

I have travelled with my Son (while not with my Wife) on two separate occasions. Immigration asked no questions. Friends have travelled with their children and were stopped and checked, mother phoned etc.

 

Theoretically a form similar to the one attached needs to be filled out and signed and witnessed by an Amphur officer - I’ve never gone that far. 

 

When I have travelled, and when my Wife has travelled (alone with our Son), we fill out and sign this parental consent letter (attached) with a photo copy of our passport signed. 

 

 

 

Parental Consent Letter - Format.docx

[GinBoy2]

Go to your local Amphur.

 

Take Mom, they have form letter that she will sign, along with ubiquitous stamp and you'll be all set at immigration

[EVENKEEL]

19 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

Go to your local Amphur.

 

Take Mom, they have form letter that she will sign, along with ubiquitous stamp and you'll be all set at immigration

Exactly as said above. Our amphur office was familiar with the form. When I took my 10 yr old overseas nobody asked for anything.

 

Going again this year but I'll bypass the official letter and just take her moms passport and ID photo copy with me.

[RedCardinal]

Same boat as others - I have a 10yo son and we fly out together once or twice a year.  IOs always requested information, often questioned son in Thai, and more times than not called his mother from the airport.  Sometimes sent to a higher-up to have docs checked.  I've always had a letter signed by mother with copies of her ID.  So YMMV.

Probably no harm trying to have mother near a phone at departure time should IO choose to be extra fussy.  I can attest it can happen.

[thenewgoo]

1 hour ago, RedCardinal said:

Same boat as others - I have a 10yo son and we fly out together once or twice a year.  IOs always requested information, often questioned son in Thai, and more times than not called his mother from the airport.  Sometimes sent to a higher-up to have docs checked.  I've always had a letter signed by mother with copies of her ID.  So YMMV.

Probably no harm trying to have mother near a phone at departure time should IO choose to be extra fussy.  I can attest it can happen.

Thank you for your advice.

[Yzyz]

Can the consent letter be used repeatedly or each time child goes abroad, need a new one ? Thanks.

[thenewgoo]

2 hours ago, Yzyz said:

Can the consent letter be used repeatedly or each time child goes abroad, need a new one ? Thanks.

Sorry, can't answer your question but probably a new one would be a good idea.  I wasn't asked for anything at all as it turned out. 

[Bangel72]

Worth a quick check if you are legally married, legally declared a guardian or not. My understanding was it mainly this case the consent form was required though but to be safe it makes sense to get her to sign a consent form regardless, I know a few people where the mums are awol so signed consent is not possible.

[EVENKEEL]

Last year was the first time with my 10 yr old. Went to the Amphur and got the official letter, had copies of mother's passport and DL. Nobody asked for anything. This year was our second trip and didn't bother with new letter.

 

As a side note here. Last year I went through the Thai passport holder immigration with my kid at BKK. This year leaving BKK, they have a new system where only a Thai passport holder can be processed in the Thai line. The passport is scanned with no IO, I had to drop out of line and get with the foreigners. If the kid is way young, could be an issue.

 

Now coming back to Thailand I was able to follow the kid through the Thai passport holder line as an IO processed the thai passports in person.

[richard_smith237]

8 hours ago, Yzyz said:

Can the consent letter be used repeatedly or each time child goes abroad, need a new one ? Thanks.

 

It has dates on it...  Thus, presenting a year old consent letter would look rather questionable IMO, if the Immigration officers spot that, it could raise quite a red-flag.

[Nick Carter icp]

8 hours ago, Yzyz said:

Can the consent letter be used repeatedly or each time child goes abroad, need a new one ? Thanks.

I think that once they've been abroad and got stamps in their passport, there is no need for any more letters

[richard_smith237]

16 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

I think that once they've been abroad and got stamps in their passport, there is no need for any more letters

 

There is a requirement for all children travelling overseas without both parents to carry parental permission.

Having been overseas before does not negate this. 

 

That said, Thai immigration officers are notoriously inconsistent and are often unaware of their own requirements, thus having previous travel history 'may' tip the scales for some, while others may not even be bothered to check at all, but for those immigration officers who are more fastidious the letter is required.

 

Ultimately - does anyone really want to take the chance that their travel plans could be disrupted because they couldn't be bothered to sort out a simple letter ???....   

 

Its the notarising of the letter at Amphur office which I think is safe to leave out - It would be smart to get all other ducks in a row.

 

 

[UKresonant]

Always carried the Son's Birth Cert Thai & English, (as suggested when I asked once at BKK when departing)

Had Mum write a sentence on the Flight booking in English  sayings agreed with the trip, and with her phone number.

 

Haven't used the local office Amphur letter /doc. At least 3 round trips to UK without Mum, not asked for any proof. But all flight bookings were made months in advance, and logged on Airline systems as Family Companion traveller.

 

Now over 16 so would not.anticipate any problems going forward.

[FruitPudding]

On 10/26/2023 at 1:37 PM, Bangel72 said:

Worth a quick check if you are legally married, legally declared a guardian or not. My understanding was it mainly this case the consent form was required though but to be safe it makes sense to get her to sign a consent form regardless, I know a few people where the mums are awol so signed consent is not possible.

 

There are certainly more than a few AWOL mothers here in LOS, 😄 

[Maxwell Book]

On 5/29/2023 at 9:28 AM, EVENKEEL said:

 Our amphur office was familiar with the form. 

Which department? So many here. 

[bbi1]

On 10/26/2023 at 7:47 PM, richard_smith237 said:

 

There is a requirement for all children travelling overseas without both parents to carry parental permission.

 

 

 

 

 

Never thought about this before. I would imagine this would be the same requirement with every country around the world, doesn't matter on nationality of the parent or kid or which airport in the world you are at, correct?

 

What happens if one of the parents has passed away or one of them is a deadbeat who disappeared and wants nothing to do with the kid? What happens in those circumstances at any airport around the world? Kid can't fly and has to stay in whatever country they are in?

[goatfarmer]

On 10/26/2023 at 10:27 AM, Yzyz said:

Can the consent letter be used repeatedly or each time child goes abroad, need a new one ? Thanks.

I called airport immigration to enquire about the proper method. Seems like there is no clear policy. I spoke to four different officers, both at Don Meuang and Suvarnabhumi. The responses I got were:

At Don Meuang:  No need to have the Amphur document, you can write a letter yourself, signed by both parents and attach your child's birth certificate.

At S airport: Three different officers: Get the the Amphur document. They have a form you can fill in.

As to the length of validity of the Amphur document, all of them said that a date 10 months ago would be too old. 

 

So, to avoid doubt, wife and I trundled off to the Amphur. It took an hour. They only required the ID card of wife and child. (None of the marriage certificate, house registration, birth certificate previously required.) The whole process has been simplified and standardized.

 

As to whether or not you need the Amphur document, my guess is that it's not necessary and that you could probably wing it with a home made letter of consent. However, then you are subject to the discretion of the immigration official. With the official document there is no discretion. 

 

 

[kwonitoy]

On 1/27/2024 at 12:29 AM, bbi1 said:

Never thought about this before. I would imagine this would be the same requirement with every country around the world, doesn't matter on nationality of the parent or kid or which airport in the world you are at, correct?

 

What happens if one of the parents has passed away or one of them is a deadbeat who disappeared and wants nothing to do with the kid? What happens in those circumstances at any airport around the world? Kid can't fly and has to stay in whatever country they are in?

Then you have to do what I did, get a family lawyer, he submits the paperwork to Family Social Services

I had to go for a lengthy interview with a social worker, bring a translator.

Had to have 2 supporting witnesses to verify what I had said.

These documents get sent to the family court

About 3 months later I stood in front of a judge and was granted 100% Parental Powers.

 

When my son and I moved back to my home country these documents were gone over and copied before my son (10yo) got a stamp in his Thai passport saying all documents had been seen/read and he was good to go.

Didn't get this amount of scrutiny for a vacation previously but for emigrating they were quite thorough.