Do I really have to bring my entire divorce decree?

[crackerjack]

My DS's father is my ex-husband. I have since remarried, so my last name and DS's last name are different. I have sole legal custody of DS and therefore do not need ex-husband's permission to travel. Am I really going to have to bring my entire divorce decree to prove this point. Anybody else experienced this problem?

If I do have to bring it, will I just have to show it once? Please tell me that I won't have to carry it on excursions! Help!

 

[wovenwonder]

Have you considered just getting notarized permission from the childs biological father. If your sons last name is different than yours there always is that slight possibility that there could be a problem. Will anyone demand to see the notarized letter? Probably not. Would I take that chance and have it ruin my vacation. Definitely not.

Many people will reply saying that nothing is needed. But, is it really worth it to take that chance?

 

[crackerjack]

I plan on taking the decree to avoid a show-stopping problem. I wondered, though, if anybody else had been asked to show the actual papers. And, once shown, do I have to carry them everywhere?

 

[IrishCowboy]

We had a similiar situation with my step-daughter (11) who has a different last name than the rest of our family.

We've cruised twice and we've never been asked for any divorce decrees, or letters from her biological father.

 

[Michelle]

You would only need them, if at all, when you check in at the port. Once your Key to the World cards are issued all you would need is that and your photo ID (for those over age 18) when disebmarking and returning to the ship at the various ports of call.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[sandee]

I have cruised twice with my adult DD and DGrD who have different last names. Nothing at all was ever said, no explanation asked for,etc. You'll have no problems.

 

[iloverags2]

We traveled with DH's daughter, who he has joint custody of and she has the same last name as us. When mentioning this to Disney at the time of the reservation, they didn't think it would be a problem (which in fact no one asked us for anything), but suggested getting a notarized letter from her mother just in case. It never hurts just to be on the safe side.

 

[shmoogrrrl]

When my Parents and my husband and I went cruising with my 6 year old niece, they took along the court order that gave then sole custody of her. They were never asked to show the papers and they didn't really need them but they did take them jsut to be sure.

Of course in this case my niece's last name is the same as theirs so that might have been why they didn't have any problems.

Kathy

 

[crackerjack]

Thanks so much to everybody who responded! I'll take the papers just in case, but I'm glad to know that I won't have to carry them on excursions! We have applied for passports, which would solve this problem, but we're not sure that they will arrive in time. That's a BIG TIP for anybody else with the same situation: you are required to prove legal custody (when divorced) of your child when you apply for his/her passport. The post office actually mailed my entire divorce decree to the passport office with all of the other documentation! Thankfully, my lawyer's office quickly mailed another copy to me just in case the passport doesn't arrive in time. Frankly, I'm relieved (and kind of surprised) that the government has such stringent requirements! Once the passport arrives, it won't ever be a problem again.

Thanks, again, for your input!

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Originally posted by crackerjack

you are required to prove legal custody (when divorced) of your child when you apply for his/her passport... I'm relieved (and kind of surprised) that the government has such stringent requirements!

This is a relatively new requirement and is in response to the growing problem of non-custodial parents "kidnapping" their children across international borders.