Travelling to Europe with grandson

[johnbutt]

I am starting to think about next year's visit to Portugal. My wife and I need to go to complete a few admin tasks and are thinking (not for the first time) about taking our grandson with us, without his mother.

Whilst we both have valid resident cards for Portugal and can come and go as we please, the grandson will clearly need a visa and additional documentation authorising him to travel with us rather than his parent.

I was wondering if anyone on the forum has experience that might help prepare us for what may well be a daunting administrative task. Clearly, Portugal will have its own particular requirements but experience from any other European country might help us prepare before we make the journey to the Portuguese Consulate in Bangkok to find out more.

[Jip99]

I believe the first step will be to get a Thai passport for your grandson

 

I think I read somewhere that his mother is a single parent. Obviously, this is not unusual in Thailand and many passports will have been issued on this basis.

 

I think the first step is to get 'sole custody' paperwork arranged in anticipation of the passport application.

 

Perhaps someone has first hand experience of the 'sole custody' process.

[Donutz]

The sticky topic on Schengen visas plus current instructions from the Portugese embassy website should be enough to prepare for the visa aspects. Or are there some specific questions you have?

[johnbutt]

Thanks guys.

Obtaining a sole custody document for his mum is, I have been told, a matter of taking the Poo Yai Ban and witnesses to the amphur to vouchsafe that she has brought him up alone. Is that how you understand it?

Once the passport is organised we can start to look at the Schengen visa and travelling with grandparents aspects.

[7by7]

18 hours ago, johnbutt said:

I have been told, a matter of taking the Poo Yai Ban and witnesses to the amphur to vouchsafe that she has brought him up alone. Is that how you understand it?

I think it depends upon the circumstances.

 

When my wife divorced her first husband he wouldn't cooperate over custody, and in the end she had to go to court to obtain sole custody of her daughter. That was in Bangkok; maybe it's different out in the sticks?

 

Perhaps posting in the Family and Children forum will get you a better answer.

 

[johnbutt]

A tennis friend, who is also a government official in Surin, telephoned a friend of his who works at the passport office in Korat.

A single parent needs a document of sole custody.
Apparently this can be obtained by the single parent and child going to the Amphur with the Poo Yai Ban (or another government official) and one other witness who lives locally.

That is our first step.

 

I don't think there will be any need to go to court, 7by7, as , in our case, there is literally no father....just a long-accepted and anonymous sperm cell.