Consent Letter when travelling solo with children

[Kat&Dom]

I just wanted to post this FYI to everyone because I have seen several posts asking if one really needs a consent letter to take their child out of Canada.

One of my co-workers did not give a consent letter to his wife because they didn't think that they would need it - they have travelled several times without him and never been asked for the consent letter. They went to get on a flight this morning in Columbia and were not allowed to board the flight because they did not have a consent letter from the husband. The daughter is 13. This is a very stressful situation for everyone. The husband was racing around today calling the embassy, calling lawyers, calling the airline. He ended up having to go to a lawyer to get a consent letter done up, drove to Calgary to hand deliver to airline to forward to Immigration in Columbia. They are hoping that the letter will arrive tomorrow so mom and daughter will be able to fly home on Tuesday. They don't know the cost of flight since they "missed" their flight home - not sure what kind of penalty or if they have to buy new tickets.

Yes, they are all Canadian citizens holding Canadian passports - the only thing they didn't have was the Consent Letter.

So please make sure that you always get a Consent Letter so that you do not have a stressful situation like my co-worker and his family. I feel so bad for them. Apparently, you have to have consent letters if travelling solo with children until your child is 18. Do your research and make sure you have the proper documents when travelling with your children so that you are never in this situation.

 

[aristocat65]

Good advice! I've always had one when we travelled without my husband and never been asked for it. But you just KNOW that it will be the time you don't have it that you'll get asked. Better safe than sorry.

 

[2gr8DisneyKids]

I agree! Always take one. It seems like they care more about it when driving across the border than flying (at least for us) but we always have one. We also always have it notarized... some say you do not need to have it done, but we figure that way they know it is not a "fake".

Sorry to hear about your co-workers family. I hope it gets solved soon!

 

[GrtWtNorth]

Better safe than sorry. Especially since the government web site about travelling with children not only highlights this requirement, but provides sample letters for parents. They wouldn't do this unless it was important.

In your friend's case, I'm surprised that airline staff talking to the girl was not sufficient. That's a harsh thing to learn the hard way.

 

[Littleprincess2010]

You don't need this letter if you have sole custody, but you do need a notarized copy of your court order.

 

[drag n' fly]

What surprises me about this post was that we are asked every single time to produce documentation when I am either travelling alone with the kids or travelling as a family and need to provide custody papers. How did these people manage to travel several times without ever being asked for documentation? Kudos to the Columbian govt. for doing their job. This is incredibly unfortunate and a very expensive lesson to learn for them.

 

[Littleprincess2010]

What surprises me about this post was that we are asked every single time to produce documentation when I am either travelling alone with the kids or travelling as a family and need to provide custody papers. How did these people manage to travel several times without ever being asked for documentation? Kudos to the Columbian govt. for doing their job. This is incredibly unfortunate and a very expensive lesson to learn for them.

We went down to the states about 2 years ago, drove across and had no problems with taking my daughter. I did have all my documents but was never asked for them.

 

[MamaLema]

DH took the kids to South America. We paid $75 for a letter from a lawyer because I didn't want him to have any problems.

He said that when going through the States, he was asked why the mother wasn't travelling and my DH said he responded "because she didn't want to come" That was enough for him and the letter wasn't shown but I'm glad he had it.

 

[Kat&Dom]

Better safe than sorry. Especially since the government web site about travelling with children not only highlights this requirement, but provides sample letters for parents. They wouldn't do this unless it was important.

In your friend's case, I'm surprised that airline staff talking to the girl was not sufficient. That's a harsh thing to learn the hard way.

I know, you would think that at age 13, talking to the kid would be enough but you need a notorized letter. My co-worker spent $120 to get the lawyer to notorize 2 letters and $180 to courier the 2 notorized letters to Colombia - the letters should arrive on Tuesday then they have to get a flight - the airline is only charging $150 per person to change the flight so a $700 lesson with an additional week stay in Columbia if all goes well.

We found out today about another family from Red Deer - mom travelling with 3 kids was also detained in Columbia because she did not have letter of consent from husband - children are in year round schooling so missed first day of school today - not sure how long they will be delayed.

It is definitely not worth the risk of being detained if you don't have a notorized letter with you while travelling. The 13 year old daughter is crying constantly because she just wants to get home - the mom is trying to hold it together and the dad is so stressed and hoping that the notorized letter is okay and that he will have his family home next week. I feel so bad for them.

 

[drag n' fly]

They are very strict in Calgary and I have often noticed on this board how lax the rules are in certain parts of the country. I feel really bad for the families affected however common sense should prevail here and travelling to Columbia is not a quick jaunt across the border. Crappy situation for sure.

 

[Littleprincess2010]

They are very strict in Calgary and I have often noticed on this board how lax the rules are in certain parts of the country. I feel really bad for the families affected however common sense should prevail here and travelling to Columbia is not a quick jaunt across the border. Crappy situation for sure.

Thats a very good point. Going to Disneyland is not going to Columbia and different precautions have to be taken.

 

[Belles2girls]

I am a widow and I was traveling to Newfoundland last Easter. I ALWAYS carry a death Cert. with me. When I went through customs I couldn't find it as I had switched bags before we left. They pulled us(myself and 2 DD's 3 & 7at the time.) aside and made us wait for Immigrations. Now this flight had gotten in at 11:30 pm. My Sister was outside waiting and I needed to get my car that had been reserved.(Somebody went out and told the agent what was going on). They sat us down and asked a few questions about why were we here...where were we going what happened to Dad... It was a pain but I was a bit relived to see it wasn't so easy to take the kids. And PS after we got home I found the death cert. mixed in with the coupons in the pocket of my purse...have since moved it to the packet with passports and such.

 

[EEYORERULES]

We were just at Disney July 31- Aug 4th ...my neice & I. I had the notorized letter but was never asked for it. I think where we have the same last name they just assume that she is my daughter. I live in Nb & she is from Alberta but they never seem to notice that. We crossed the border by car. Now , I did take her back in 2005 along with her brother & on the way back into Canada in T.O, I was asked for it but only cause the snarky customs lady made the comment that I was cheap for only buying passports for my kids & not one for me (didn't need it then but the only way we could get id for them) & when I responded they weren't my kids & that I didn't buy the passports she rudley asked me if I had a letter which I promtly placed on the counter ... she wasn't ready for that & started to stumble on her words. Besides that, I always have the letter but never have been asked for it. I always get one cause my neice comes here for the summer so in case we cross the border or need to get her medical attention we are covered.

 

[Littleprincess2010]

We were just at Disney July 31- Aug 4th ...my neice & I. I had the notorized letter but was never asked for it. I think where we have the same last name they just assume that she is my daughter. I live in Nb & she is from Alberta but they never seem to notice that. We crossed the border by car. Now , I did take her back in 2005 along with her brother & on the way back into Canada in T.O, I was asked for it but only cause the snarky customs lady made the comment that I was cheap for only buying passports for my kids & not one for me (didn't need it then but the only way we could get id for them) & when I responded they weren't my kids & that I didn't buy the passports she rudley asked me if I had a letter which I promtly placed on the counter ... she wasn't ready for that & started to stumble on her words. Besides that, I always have the letter but never have been asked for it. I always get one cause my neice comes here for the summer so in case we cross the border or need to get her medical attention we are covered.

There are some really fantastic border agents out there I swear some people should not be in jobs where they have to deal with the public.

 

[Remmy]

Thank you for posting the sad situation your friend is in. That is a good reminder to always be prepared. It is too bad they are finding it so hard to come back to their native country.

I just came back from a cross boarder road trip with my mother and daughter. I had asked my husband to phone his aunt who works in a law office for a consent letter before we left and he had forgotten. Luckily she is a wonderful person and whipped one up for us, notarized and good to go in no time flat. My husband had thought I was coo coo for wanting one.

On our way into Michigan, the boarder guard looked and scanned all our passports, asked a few questions for myself (the driver), the only question he asked concerning all of us and asked only me were --1. What is our citizenship; 2. What city did we all live in (which is the same city for all), and off we went. On our way back into Ontario, same thing and back in our home province quickly. Even though I was not asked I was still grateful for reading previous posters and their reminders to have the letter when not traveling as a family.

Never had we been questioned paternity when traveling as a family. I wonder how often they do that.

I would like to kindly respond to the poster who wished that rules were enforced strictly across the country. In my experiences it is the job of the boarder guards to use their discretion on how many questions, what documents are required, etc. Yes, passports are a must but at times we have been only asked 3 questions and waived on, some it seemed like much more. My DH and I traveled to Port Huron 3 weeks ago and I truthfully answered on my arrival back into Ontario I had purchased $125.00 worth of items in about 3 hours in Michigan. I was then waived through. Thus if it is not a must have, just something they could ask for; such as a notarized letter or if they wish you to pay duty, I think that is up to them and not always a requirement. I could be wrong on the letter not being a strict requirement. If so, oh well; I will always carry a letter if my DH is not with me. Possibly too, it depends on the wait times, and how much a bother it will be for them or other co-workers.

I wish the best for the family that is stranded so far away from each other.

 

[Mickey Fanatic]

Last year I took my year old daughter to the World with my parents and my sisters and their families. Because DH had just got a new position he couldn't come. We paid the money for a consent letter drove across the border to Buffalo on the way down and just her and I flew direct back. No one asked us for the letter or questioned why a baby was traveling without both parents. I really would've preferred that they looked at the letter. It is scary that they didn't, especially with a child that can't talk yet!

 

[Kat&Dom]

Update on my co-workers family - they received the Consent Letter today in Columbia by courier and went to airport to try and catch flight out. They will not accept the Consent Letter because it is not in Spanish. Now, my friend has to get the letter translated and witnessed by a lawyer again and send a Spanish Letter of Consent.

I can not believe the hoops that they are making this family jump though. The wife went to a translation store to get them to translate the English Letter of Consent into Spanish and they said that the husband has to be be in there in person showing identification before they can translate the document. They are so frustrated. I feel so bad for them. Talk about Red Tape!

The other family from Red Deer that are stranded there had a letter of Consent but it is in English and that is why they have been detained. Husband is trying to catch a flight in order to fly back with his family. Unbelievable what these 2 families have been through.

 

[Northstar]

I hate to say this, but I wonder if the obstructive officials in Colombia are looking for a $$$ bribe.

It is beyond belief that, if the letter must be in Spanish, that fact is not blazoned across all travel information sites that deal with Colombia. And it seems likely that the Canadian government would have a travel advisory posted about this.

Have they contacted the Consulate? Might be a help with the translation issue... one thing that consulates typically do is provide notary-type services (like certifying a translation) for citizens abroad.
The Consulate would definitely not be very sympathetic if you just neglected to bring a consent letter, but now it's beyond that point.

 

[squirrel]

I have found just crossing from Canada into the US and back that they do question you much more coming home.

I have taken my niece on Disney trips the past 3 yrs and I have had to show a consent letter twice I believe. Last year the boarder guard asked when I would be returning my niece to her mother. It was late at night/early morning when we were crossing. I ended up lying to him because by the time we got to my house my niece was still too tired to want to get in the car and go the 5 blocks to her house. I wasn't arguing, I was exhausted too! My neighbour dropped us off at my house so I would have had to drive her home.

 

[jrmorrison]

Yes, we are taking our (almost) 2 year old grandson on a cruise and on to Disneyland. We have done the complete legal thing in regard to getting parent consent signed, sealed and notarized by a lawyer.