HELP! What exactly is needed to take my Thai daughter out of Thailand and to the USA?

[Leveraged]

My daughter has both her Thai passport and her American passport already in hand.  She is 4 years old. We are unfortunately having marriage problems and it looks like its settling on me taking custody of our daughter and in doing so that would mean I need to get back to the USA with her so I can work. I am the father, and it looks like the Thai mother wants to leave and give me the kid and take everything else. 

 

So what exactly do I need to get out of the country? I know I need the obvious, but im talking specfically about a letter or some kind of document from the mother that gives me her permission to take our daughter out of thailand and into the USA? If this document is needed, does it need to be notorized or something? Witnessed somehow? Or can I just print out a standard template from the internet and have her sign it? This is what im trying to ask, what specifically is needed and done in what exact way so that there is no issue in thailand airport or on arrival in the american airport? 

 

Obviously nobody needs to know this trip is due to marital problems, for all concerned its just a little father/daughter trip to see the other side of the family. 

 

Can anyone help? Advise? 

I would LOVE to hear any experiences people have who have brought their kid through the airport with only one parent present. 

 

Thanks so much to anyone who replies with help or whatever because im kind of having a crummy time at the moment and really need some help with this particular issue. 

[Leveraged]

Another question: does my daughter stamp out of thailand on her thai passport or on her American one? 

 

she is only 4 and has never left thailand before 

[couchpotato]

3 minutes ago, Leveraged said:

Another question: does my daughter stamp out of thailand on her thai passport or on her American one? 

 

she is only 4 and has never left thailand before 

For this particular question she must leave on Thai passport (at immigration), but will need to show American passport at flight checkin (in lieu of not having/needing US visa).  Hope that helps.

 

(PS..as for your first question..yes you will need a letter from your wife authorising the trip, which will probably need to be shown at immigration...but hopefully other posters will give more details).

[Leveraged]

4 minutes ago, couchpotato said:

For this particular question she must leave on Thai passport (at immigration), but will need to show American passport at flight checkin (in lieu of not having/needing US visa).  Hope that helps.

 

Unfortunately im having trouble locating her Thai passport (thinking wife may have taken it) so is this mandatory? 

 

Can she leave on the American one at all????  

[Justanotherone]

local ampur, you, kid, mother, maybe a thai friend you trust, go ask for the wife to give permission, officially, to take her out of the country... should do it for immigration at the airport

 

stamp out thai passport,  stamp in US passport in USA

[richard_smith237]

First things first.

 

You need an uncontested divorce - this should be a simple as both the mother and yourself going to the Amphur office and obtaining this and your mother signing over sole parental rights to yourself (also assuming you were married at the time of the Birth and your name is listed on the Childs birth certificate).

 

Once you are divorced and have sole parental rights, you are free to travel where you like. 

 

The alternative: 

- Obtain a letter of 'Parental Consent' signed by the mother for you to travel with your daughter, however this is not permission to 'move overseas' and is only permission to travel showing clear intent to return to thailand. 

- Theoretically this letter needs to be notarised at the local Amphur office (although travelling with my Son - I've never been asked for this letter, so its a bit hit and miss).

 

 

IMO - to protect yourself from any future issues, I think the best option is to secure a non-contested divorce and claim sole parental rights - clearly you need the compliance of the mother to do this.

 

 

------------

 

Your Child (Thai) will need to leave on her Thai Passport - you need to get hold of that from the mother.

 

Your child 'stamps out' on her Thai Passport. 

 

--------

 

As far as travelling without the 'other parent'..

 

Both my Wife and I have done this twice - each time we prepared a letter or parental consent, just incase we were asked at immigration. We were not asked. However, I know friends who have been, so its best to have your ducks in a row.

 

 

 

[Leveraged]

25 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Both my Wife and I have done this twice - each time we prepared a letter or parental consent, just incase we were asked at immigration. We were not asked. However, I know friends who have been, so its best to have your ducks in a row.

 

This letter, it was just basically a word document that you filled out and you both simply signed and dated? I guess what Im asking is if there was any third party involvement in it at all, or if it was something the both of you created and signed and thats it. 

[Nip]

To be neat and tidy. You need the child’s mother to sign over sole custody to you in the Children’s Court be you married or not. I wasn’t. You need the child’s Thai and American passports Thai for departing and US on arrival and as in my case because the Airline and Immigration can be difficult I luckily persuaded the child’s mother to come to the airport as well just in case. Basically there is only one way to do this. The Airline was particularly unhelpful and created an unnecessary issue. As a previous poster stated the Airline must make sure the child has a US passport or Visa. My advice is don’t cut corners do it right and that entails the mother agreeing. The Childrens Courts are there to do what’s best for the child primarily. 

[wavodavo]

1 hour ago, Nip said:

To be neat and tidy. You need the child’s mother to sign over sole custody to you in the Children’s Court be you married or not. I wasn’t. You need the child’s Thai and American passports Thai for departing and US on arrival and as in my case because the Airline and Immigration can be difficult I luckily persuaded the child’s mother to come to the airport as well just in case. Basically there is only one way to do this. The Airline was particularly unhelpful and created an unnecessary issue. As a previous poster stated the Airline must make sure the child has a US passport or Visa. My advice is don’t cut corners do it right and that entails the mother agreeing. The Childrens Courts are there to do what’s best for the child primarily. 

From my experience the airline demanded the letter of authority first up before we could even check in so you must have the required paperwork or you won't get very far.

[yankee99]

the document you need is a pre printed form at the amphur and your wife will need to sign it. Everything else is standard.