Letters For Permission For Child To Travel

[samran]

Hello, my wife and daughter are going on a bit of a trip for a couple of weeks without me. Do I need to write some sort of letter to the airline and any other relevant immigration authorities consenting to this travel?

I've heard in the past that to stop parents kidnapping a child this is necessary...

If so, what information do you need to include..just a signed written not and a phone number to allow relevant authorities to contact me?

Cheers

Samran

[GuestHouse]

Thailand is a signatory nation of the Hague Convention and is required under the convention to protect children against trafficking and international kidnap, so yes your wife does technically need a letter of concent to travel. Likewise at their destianation.

The truth is women travelling alone with children are far less likely to be checked than men (a lax loop hole that is used by child traffickers).

Anyway, an example of the letter you need can be found here Letter of Parental Permission to Travel

[singa-traz]

It's a good precaution, but never ever had to show it in Thailand and my European country.

I even asked the immigration at the airport, and the reply was "No Need".

[marshbags]

Thailand is a signatory nation of the Hague Convention and is required under the convention to protect children against trafficking and international kidnap, so yes your wife does technically need a letter of concent to travel. Likewise at their destianation.

The truth is women travelling alone with children are far less likely to be checked than men (a lax loop hole that is used by child traffickers).

Anyway, an example of the letter you need can be found here Letter of Parental Permission to Travel

My personal experience is.............................................

When i took my daughter back to the U.K, i got her MaMa to write a letter giving me permission to take her ( In Thai ) and sign it.

In blue ink by the way

I also took her Thai birth certificate with my details on it, along with the family papers.

Immigration only needed to look at the B.Cert. in my case to confirm my relationship and read the letter from her mother giving me permission.

Perhaps others with recent experiences can provide you with additional info.

Perhaps a call to your local Imm. office may be useful to get their perspective / advice on the situation and if possible a letter to back it up.

Incidently, i had lot,s more hastle when i got to the U.K. and coming out was worse due to there being a P.C. minded lady being on Passport control with a big chip on her shoulder..................................

WHY, i,ve always asked myself, as this went beyond the expected official bureaucracy we all are familar with ????

My flight out of the U.K. was held up for me to enable us to board it.

Other countries may be similar or even more fussy.

While i appreciate the reasons for checking, when you provide the documents to back up the relationship and circumstances i find it very distressing not only for the parent, but more importantly for the dependant.

Especially when they are to young to verbally confirm your their parent and the other one is back in Thailand.

Take as much evidence as you can to show if needed including photo copies of her mams status, I.D card and the odd family photo. ect..

This is applicable both ways of course, as in your case it,s the reverse of mine, but possibly a little easier as it,s mother and daughter.

Hope the fathers perspective is considered useful and on topic for possible pointers to compliment your needs, Samran.

marshbags

Edited September 21, 2007 by marshbags

[Maigo6]

I took my son from Thailand to Singapore when he was 18 Months old, no problems, they have everything on computer at Immigration, this was maybe 7 - 8 years ago.

[qualtrough]

I took my two daughters (7 and 10) with me on a trip to the US last month. The very friendly immigration woman at the airport here asked me why the wife wasn't coming along and I told her that someone had to watch the house. She accepted that with a smile. Your kids can help out by not looking like they are being forced to go with you

Edited September 21, 2007 by qualtrough

[marshbags]

I took my two daughters (7 and 10) with me on a trip to the US last month. The very friendly immigration woman at the airport here asked me why the wife wasn't coming along and I told her that someone had to watch the house. She accepted that with a smile. Your kids can help out by not looking like they are being force to go with you

Age is obviously an important factor when they will usually have communication capabilities to back you up.

In my case it was a few years ago, but things have changed for the worse i,m sad to say, kidnap / abuse wise ect.

marshbags

[cmsally]

I have frequently travelled with my children (I am female) and have never been questioned or anything. They are now older but have taken them on trips with and without husband since they were babies.

I always used to carry copies of documents such as birth certificate to be on the safe side.

[GuestHouse]

cmsally is confirming my experience. Last year in Rome I was held up with my children each being asked 'does your mummy know you are travelling with your dad?" despite having the letter I posted above.

While this was going on I counted three women travelling with children alone walk passed unchecked - one with a child who was clearly distraught and balling her eyes out.

I'm not sure if age is a consideration when calling checks - I'm not old yet - but gender certainly is.

[samran]

thanks all for your experience.

Guesthouse, appricate the link, am drafting a letter for my wife as we speak!

[cmsally]

cmsally is confirming my experience. Last year in Rome I was held up with my children each being asked 'does your mummy know you are travelling with your dad?" despite having the letter I posted above.

While this was going on I counted three women travelling with children alone walk passed unchecked - one with a child who was clearly distraught and balling her eyes out.

I'm not sure if age is a consideration when calling checks - I'm not old yet - but gender certainly is.

Interesting; I do remember one trip quite a few years ago when there was a farang man travelling with a child (out of BKK) and he was being asked all kinds of questions. I was travelling with only my daughter and she was quite small and I started digging into our bags for any excess documents we had, but I was just told to go straight through without a second glance. Meanwhile he was off to find a telephone or photocopy machine or something.