Flyin to Australia With 18 Year old Son

[Coota]

At some time in the next couple of months I will be taking my 18 year old son with me to Australia. I am married to his mother and live with her and our 3 children. He has dual citizenship and passports for both countries. He will be 19 mid January and we may take the trip after he turns 19. We will be returning and will, most likely, have return tickets. 

 

My question is, will I need a letter from his mother giving permission for him to leave the country with me or similar?

 

 

[marin]

No, I dont believe so. I took one daughter to the states to start university at 17. Her sister wanted to fly alone and did so one month later also at 17. They in no way looked 17, but much younger.

[couchpotato]

12 minutes ago, Coota said:

At some time in the next couple of months I will be taking my 18 year old son with me to Australia. I am married to his mother and live with her and our 3 children. He has dual citizenship and passports for both countries. He will be 19 mid January and we may take the trip after he turns 19. We will be returning and will, most likely, have return tickets. 

 

My question is, will I need a letter from his mother giving permission for him to leave the country with me or similar?

 

 

 

13 minutes ago, Coota said:

At some time in the next couple of months I will be taking my 18 year old son with me to Australia. I am married to his mother and live with her and our 3 children. He has dual citizenship and passports for both countries. He will be 19 mid January and we may take the trip after he turns 19. We will be returning and will, most likely, have return tickets. 

 

My question is, will I need a letter from his mother giving permission for him to leave the country with me or similar?

 

 

No of course not. He is an adult. 

Buy his tickets using Aust Passport and check in with Aust Passport. Leave country using Thai Passport.

Coming back check in Aust with Aust passport and come back into Thailand on Thai passport.

Very easy.

[NativeBob]

Not at all. I flew with 14 y.o.

Just out of curiosity: In both passports he has same name and surname, right?

[georgegeorgia]

He is 18 an adult ,why would he need a letter from Mum?

Edited November 5 by georgegeorgia

[Coota]

5 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

He is 18 an adult ,why would he need a letter from Mum?

Because here in Thailand he needed both parents to be present when he obtained his Thai passport at 18 years old. Being 18 in Thailand does not mean that you are an adult, for a start, they can't drink in pubs or, possibly vote.

[Coota]

22 minutes ago, NativeBob said:

Not at all. I flew with 14 y.o.

Just out of curiosity: In both passports he has same name and surname, right?

There is a slight variation in his christian name, namely the English version uses his first initial as a Ch and his Thai version has it as J. Same as my wife's different versions of her first name in Thai, her ID card has W insted of V and her passport has a V. Go figure?

 

[couchpotato]

16 minutes ago, Coota said:

Because here in Thailand he needed both parents to be present when he obtained his Thai passport at 18 years old. Being 18 in Thailand does not mean that you are an adult, for a start, they can't drink in pubs or, possibly vote.

Bit of incorrect info there. Thai citizens can obtain Thai passport at any age...not only at 18.

eg: my daughter obtained her first passport at 6 mths old when we travelled.

[NativeBob]

9 minutes ago, Coota said:

There is a slight variation in his christian name, namely the English version uses his first initial as a Ch and his Thai version has it as J.

I only thought about old school "switcharoo" trick when he leaves TH with TH passport and enters Ozzy-Land with AU passport. These days its very common Immigration Officer asking boarding pass on arrival. 

Being asked in KL and NL (who would thought, right?)

 

I would advice you to correct this - either Thai or Ozz passports. Friend had a very sick issue in Bangkok - he's FR holder Gudine not Goudin. Big mess 

[couchpotato]

14 minutes ago, Coota said:

There is a slight variation in his christian name, namely the English version uses his first initial as a Ch and his Thai version has it as J. Same as my wife's different versions of her first name in Thai, her ID card has W insted of V and her passport has a V. Go figure?

 

You really should have remedied this years ago, as even small differences can cause problems. In this case could be a problem for your son, but especially could be for your wife as both documents are issued by Thai authorities. You need to get this rectified. I am speaking from experience in this type of document mistake.

 

[Coota]

20 minutes ago, couchpotato said:

Bit of incorrect info there. Thai citizens can obtain Thai passport at any age...not only at 18.

eg: my daughter obtained her first passport at 6 mths old when we travelled.

Read  what I said, I had to be present or sign a form when he got his first, second and third Thai passport as I was a parent. It's the same if you apply for a passport for your child from your home country, the mother has to sign/agree etc on a form. I got his first Thai passport when he was 6 months too but had to sign a form or be present to sign the form. I was told as the passport office at Buriram that he was not considered an adult until 19 so I had to agree/sign for his passport as his father.

 

Edited November 5 by Coota

[Coota]

15 minutes ago, couchpotato said:

You really should have remedied this years ago, as even small differences can cause problems. In this case could be a problem for your son, but especially could be for your wife as both documents are issued by Thai authorities. You need to get this rectified. I am speaking from experience in this type of document mistake.

 

He has done 3 trips to Australia using the same details as I outlined, first being in 2006, second in 2009 and third in 2019. Your comments are not relevant to my question.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

I believe an applicant for a Thai passport needs to be 20 years old before one will be issued without evidence of parental consent. My wife and I both had to sign for our daughter's renewal passport when she was 18.

 

Same daughter traveled to the US by herself at age 17 without parental consent documents without issue.

 

I traveled to the US via Europe with another daughter who was 16 at the time and was never asked for paperwork. 

[couchpotato]

1 hour ago, Coota said:

He has done 3 trips to Australia using the same details as I outlined, first being in 2006, second in 2009 and third in 2019. Your comments are not relevant to my question.

So put that in your first post so people understand correctly. Then comments can be relevant. With 'not correct' details then others who are trying to be helpful, can post relevant info.

 

[youreavinalaff]

8 hours ago, couchpotato said:

Bit of incorrect info there. Thai citizens can obtain Thai passport at any age...not only at 18.

eg: my daughter obtained her first passport at 6 mths old when we travelled.

Thais still need both parents to be present until they are 21. 

 

The post you quoted was reflecting that. Not the age at which a passport can be obtained.

Edited November 5 by youreavinalaff

[Coota]

11 hours ago, couchpotato said:

So put that in your first post so people understand correctly. Then comments can be relevant. With 'not correct' details then others who are trying to be helpful, can post relevant info.

 

All your comments are still not relevant to my question. Also it is irrelevant how many times prior to now he has travelled to Australia. 

[Coota]

12 hours ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

I believe an applicant for a Thai passport needs to be 20 years old before one will be issued without evidence of parental consent. My wife and I both had to sign for our daughter's renewal passport when she was 18.

 

Same daughter traveled to the US by herself at age 17 without parental consent documents without issue.

 

I traveled to the US via Europe with another daughter who was 16 at the time and was never asked for paperwork. 

At last an answer to my simple question without going off sprouting irrelevant crap that I already knew. Thanks.

 

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

55 minutes ago, Coota said:

At last an answer to my simple question without going off sprouting irrelevant crap that I already knew. Thanks.

 

 

It is interesting to note how Thailand's child protection laws seem to define a minor as one who has not yet attained 18 years of age.

 

https://www.icmec.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/ICMEC-Thailand-National-Legislation-updated.pdf

 

Yet both parents have to sign for a passport until the applicant is 20.

 

If you're still concerned, I don't think it would be too difficult to draft a letter for your spouse to sign.  There are templates available on various websites and they could be translated into Thai easily enough. Since in Australia the age of majority is 18, the letter would probably only be of interest to Thai immigration. But I doubt you would have any issues with an 18-year-old in any event.

[john donson]

to be safe, get the letter

 

to be sorry, find out at immigration departure and they demand it and you cannot provide it