Bringing grandchildren home on a flight without their parents

tgropp

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jan 3, 2007
Messages
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We are currently scheduled to fly home from Florida but the mother of our two grandchildren has tested positive for Covid. Is there an easy way to bring our grandchildren home with us while their parents remain for the 14 days until the isolation period ends sothey can re enter Canada. Stressful times right now
 
We are currently scheduled to fly home from Florida but the mother of our two grandchildren has tested positive for Covid. Is there an easy way to bring our grandchildren home with us while their parents remain for the 14 days until the isolation period ends sothey can re enter Canada. Stressful times right now

You should be fine. While it's not fully required, it's probably best you have the parents write/sign a consent letter as per Gov. of Canada. See the below link.

https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/children/faq
 
Agreed with the other poster. Bring a consent letter. While it should normally be motorized I don’t think it will be an issue. You are bringing the kids back to Canada. It would be a bigger deal if you were traveling to another country.
 

If you did need something Notarized most Banks in the USA have this service for free, or at a very reasonable cost. They have Mobile Notary's too that might come right to you given the circumstance.
 
My cousin has taken her niece a couple times - and I don’t even think they asked to see the paperwork 🤪
 
I agree with the consent letter although I haven't ever gotten it notarized. I've only ever been asked for it when returning to Canada (i.e. not when bringing my niece to the States). Pro tip: if the customs agent asks a question to the child(ren), don't answer it for them - let the child(ren) answer. The agent is likely gauging the child's comfort level to make sure that everything legit.
 
we've always got them and notarized,when we've taken our grandkids,though we've only been asked once for the paperwork.Better safe than sorry,but under these circumstances they might be understanding if they ask for the paperwork.
 
I agree with the consent letter although I haven't ever gotten it notarized. I've only ever been asked for it when returning to Canada (i.e. not when bringing my niece to the States). Pro tip: if the customs agent asks a question to the child(ren), don't answer it for them - let the child(ren) answer. The agent is likely gauging the child's comfort level to make sure that everything legit.

Oddly enough, the ONLY time I was ever asked to produce the notarized consent letter for my daughter was on the return to Canada from a Disney trip. Never once got asked to show it on the way out of the country (and I always made sure I had my ex provide a notarized letter for this purpose - so I always had one on us). Seemed odd to me to have to show it when I was clearly returning back home with her lol.
 
My kids travelled often with my mom....they went to many different countries. It was 50-50 as to having to produce the letter. She was grilled more returning to Canada than leaving. I would never travel with minors without proper documents. We had our lawyer draw up a document that stated the dates of travel, passport numbers of the kids, my mom and us, it contained airline info and hotel info. The document also gave her permission to make medical decisions in the event of an emergency. I also travelled solo with my kids (DH prefers to work...crazy, I know) and carried the same document.
 
It is better to have the document, my son went with my husband to pick-up his two sibling at a summer camp in Maine. We did not think about the document and they could not reach me. At the end it was ok because he was 16 and they has the proof of the 2 kids passing the border one month earlier.
 
Used the document that Tommy JK so kindly provided. Parents signed it and we came home last Friday night. We were never asked once for any documentation. We were all flagged for a Covid test upon re-entering Canada while at the airport. Thank You everyone for all your help and re-assurance. Happy New Year
 
The govt of Canada recommended consent letter - signed by both parents - is critical. I've traveled with my niece a number of times and every time I was grilled returning back to Canada and always required to show the signed letter. I was a middle aged aunt traveling with my pre-teen then teen niece to WDW. Never a pleasant experience and officer always growling and hostile. I was never asked leaving Canada or entering the US. I would recommend that the parents have your full itinerary and know approx what time you should be passing through the airport/customs so they are available by phone if required.
 





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