11 year old travelling to USA without parents

[Annabell]

I am taking my daughter's friend with us on holiday to WDW in May.
She is only 11 year old and now I am thinking whether it is allowed to take a child who is not mine entering the USA ???
Anyone done this before ? Any legal documentation required except her passport ???

 

[lin85prest]

I would suggest getting a letter from her parents giving you permission to take her, you maybe won't need this but it is better to be prepared. We have taken children with us before and never been asked for anything.

 

[Hazelmum]

We actually got turned away from check in when we took my 12 year old nephew, they said that as we did not have a letter from his parents that we would not be allowed past immigration in the US. It was a mad dash but got my Sister who lived an hour away from Gatwick to come to the airport with a letter. Typically we were not even asked to produce it when we got to Orlando !
Hazel

 

[lizbro]

When we took our friends daughter to DLP we have a letter from her parents and the woman at immigration/passport control saif that if you are taking a child that doesn't belong to you out of the country you should always have written permission from the parents.I don;t think its always checked but i would advise having it to cover yourself

 

[wayneg]

We actually got turned away from check in when we took my 12 year old nephew, they said that as we did not have a letter from his parents that we would not be allowed past immigration in the US. It was a mad dash but got my Sister who lived an hour away from Gatwick to come to the airport with a letter. Typically we were not even asked to produce it when we got to Orlando !
Hazel

Someone did not know their job at check in if thats what you were told. I went into it all in detail last Easter when we took DS's school friend. Initially we were told by Disney cruise line we needed a Noterized letter from his parents but nothing needed for moving between UK and USA. Went to see about one and was advised by solicitor it was a complete waste of his time and our money, there is no official document needed to take a minor to USA. Rang DCL again and this time spoke to someone higher, she said nothing legal is required but please bring a signed letter of autherisation plus a parents ID (passport or driving licence) for proof, when we checked in for the cruise they never asked for it.

This is from a previous post I have done on the subject so info below might be just repeating what I have said above.

We took DS's school friend(also 14) last Easter. No documents were needed. This is the link to the official info. http://help.cbp.gov/cgi-bin/customs...WFyY2hfdGV4dD1jaGlsZHJlbg**&p_li=&p_topview=1

Also I have a put a parental consent form on my website http://www.astersflorist.co.uk/ next to bottom link on left, its nothing legally binding but it gives you info you need to take.

The worst you will come across is if you need to visit hospital, So Disney Cruise Line told me. You can freely take others children in and out of the country but it can be very difficult to get emergancy treatment without parents present.

 

[ford family]

The letter should also authorise you to give medical consent if needed.
We did this several times with childrens' friends going to MCO. Always had the paperwork, never asked to show it!

ford family

 

[Annabell]

Thanks Wayneg for the official info link.
It does mention that the signed letter has to be notarized which is crazy I think. It would involve huge cost to get a letter notarized.
Now I am not sure what to do... it's no problem to take with me a letter signed by the parents but that notarize thing is just crazy....
But it does appear in the official info link... can they deny you entering
USA if they ask you for the letter and then find out the letter is not notarized ??
I know they may not even ask for the letter but what if they do ???

 

[wayneg]

I think you have misread the info in the link. Let me post you this line from it
Adults traveling with children should also be aware that, while the U.S. does not require this documentation, many other countries do, and failure to produce notarized permission letters and/or birth certificates could result in travelers being refused entry. (Canada has very strict requirements in this regard.)

And another

CBP also suggests that this note be notarized

As I said we saw a solicitor who deals with this sort of thing and he said it was 100% a waste of his time and our money to get a noterized letter, they are not needed for travel to USA. The worst that can happen is taken to one side and asked a few questions until they are satisfied.

 

[luvtinkerbell]

I am taking my daughter's friend with us on holiday to WDW in May.
She is only 11 year old and now I am thinking whether it is allowed to take a child who is not mine entering the USA ???
Anyone done this before ? Any legal documentation required except her passport ???

we took my nieces friend when they were 11 we took a letter from mum but didnt need it,but it was there just is case, better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Annabell]

You are right, Wayneg, I have missed that sentence....
I think I read the first paragraph and get paranoid about it already....

Thanks so much for your help ... it is re-assuring to know that we won't need
a notarized letter.
I think I will take a signed letter with me just in case, also in case of any medical emergency.

 

[wayneg]

You are right, Wayneg, I have missed that sentence....
I think I read the first paragraph and get paranoid about it already....

Thanks so much for your help ... it is re-assuring to know that we won't need
a notarized letter.
I think I will take a signed letter with me just in case, also in case of any medical emergency.

If you follow the link to my website and see the parental consent form I have put on there, I would take something like that, its nothing legal but gives most info you will need.
I posted and asked a lot of questions before we took DS's friend last year and just about everyone who took others children had no problems.

 

[Annabell]

Yes.. I was thinking to just take your example form from your website.
Easier to have a start with then writing one from scratch.
Thanks again for the great help....

 

[henryk67]

Last October we took our son's friend (17) with us arriving at Sanford, at immigration we handed our documents to the officer along with a signed letter from the parents of our son's friend. I do think that it saved a bit of time and hassle as there was no questions asked and the officer did say that we came well prepared.

 

[DjdBrit]

I personally would bring a letter from parents giving written consent to travel and for you to allow medical treatment. If you can get it noterized do it. If not maybe see if the headmaster at your school could witness it. Whether its legally needed or not it could save you some unwanted hassles.

I am planning to travel to the UK in May with only one of my kids and plan on bringing consent from my hubby to travel with the little un. I am sure I won't need it but I think it better to be prepared

good luck with your trip.