Taking Thai Niece To Bali, Indonesia

[andiwilson]

My wife,Thai, and I, British, are planning to take her two boys,15 & 17, and her niece, 15, on holiday to Bali.

The first problem that might arise is departing Thailand with our niece. Will we need any official paper work to enable us to take her out of the country apart from her passport? Her surname is the same as my wife's. The boy are a small worry too as the still have their father's, deceased, surname but we will take their birth certificates and their father's death certificate, should this be enough?

Entering Indonesia...Does anyone have any experience of taking children that are not their own into Indonesia and can give advice?

[MrWorldwide]

Do the Thais vet 'family groups' to ascertain whether minors belong to their parents/guardians ? This would be particularly ironic given that they dont do background checks on incoming passengers prior to granting them 30 days in the Kingdom. I'm not aware of any such checks on outbound passengers in Australia : it would be an extra workload that our Immigration folk can probably do without. Given that you are travelling with Thai relative of the 15-year old girl, I really cant see a problem anyway - might be different if you rocked up at the check-in counter holding hands and calling one another Tilac. :sarcasm:

[andiwilson]

Oh well.260 views and all I get is a sarcastic joke. Thanks

[ubonjoe]

I suggest you have nieces parents write up a letter stating that you have permission for her to travel with you and then have it notarized at a law office.

You may not have a problem but having the letter would be a better safe than sorry effort.