Minor authorization form???

[3xthecharm]

Does a mom traveling with her children need to have the minor authorization form filled out by her exhusband? Her last name is different than theirs.

 

[SueEllen]

No, only an adult traveling with someone else's children needs to have that form filled out. If the children are yours then you will not need it.

Sue Ellen

 

[gydell]

Double check that because my DD is traving with me and my DGS (his dad is not coming but they are married) and we were told that she has to have the form filled out since she is leaving the country.

 

[SueEllen]

I can assure you that they will NOT need the form. I am a TA and have a lot of experience with this. This is directly from the Disney Cruise website.
Sue Ellen

Minor Authorization Form:
If you are traveling with a child of whom you are not the parent or legal guardian, please complete and notarize this form. Bring the notatized form with you to the Port Terminal upon embarkation.

 

[mom+3girls]

I will be cruising with my 3 DDs, my ex had to sign an authorization form, had be notorized, the form was included with the docs when they arrived
I don't know if I will need it but I am not taking a chance on getting to the port and not being allowed to board.

My TA told me early that I would need this form.

I do have custody of the girls. there wasn't anything included in my document that said anything about custody or a child traveling without their parents/parent. Form was just in each one of their boarding pass booklets.

 

[gydell]

My TA told my DD to make sure and have it also.

 

[LCTsMom]

I have no way to contact my ex... I sure hope I don't have any problems!!!!

 

[SueEllen]

That form is included in everyone's travel documents as a standard inclusion.

I'll just say this--if you are more comfortable having the form notarized by all means knock yourself out--but it is not required unless you are not the parent or guardian of the child traveling with you.

Sue Ellen
(below is a copy of the form that DCL uses--the text of it anyway, and at the bottom you can see that DCL asks the form to be completed for minors under 18 traveling without their parent or legal guardian)

I, ____________-, hereby authorize ______________to have care, custody and control of my (print name) (print name) minor children (age ), (age ), and to act and contract on their behalf in connection with the Disney Cruise Line vacation commencing on (Date)
Date:
Signature of parent or guardian print name of parent or guardian
State of ___________
County of________________
Subscribed and sworn to before me this day of (month) of (year), by
Notary Public

THIS FORM MUST BE COMPLETED FOR MINORS UNDER AGE 18 TRAVELING WITHOUT THEIR PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN
Revised 10/10/03

 

[3xthecharm]

Thanks SueEllen. That is how I read the form on the disney site. My SIL has full custody and is adamant about not asking ex for anything.

 

[barkley]

i believe this is an issue where "legal custody" is the driving factor. in california (i can't speak for any other states) dual custody is the legal assumption unless a court of law has established otherwise. i am basing this information on many years of work in social services wherein i witnessed many instances of an absentee parent taking off with a child, the distraght other parent (usualy the mother) calling social services and the police and learning that because no court had determined "legal physical custody"- no recourse (i.e. the parent had to race to the local courthouse and file for custody to enact police involvement).

on the issue of disney's release for children traveling with a non parent. i happened to be at a notary office recently where i observed an individual attempting to have a similar document notorized (their child was going to travel out of the country with a non-parent). the notory clearly asked why only one parent was signing. the adult replied that she and the father of the child did not live together. the notary advised that while she could notarize the document she wanted the parent to be advised that unless the adult who was traveling with the minor had some verification that the "parent" on the form had full legal custody to authorize travel out of the country there could be a denial of crossing at non-u.s. borders. disney can have any boarding regulations they wish, these do not however supercede any boarder crossing laws (which are very strict regarding u.s. minors due to many highly publicized child custody battles between the u.s. and countries which recognize the children as thier citizens due to parentage). i would suggest you check with the i.n.s. and u.s. passport sites-both offer excellent information on this topic. as a side bar-if your children are traveling anywhere with non parents, take the cue from the disney release and have a paper notorized to give that adult permission to get medical treatment for the child-it can be a godsend if your child gets ill and needs assistance (attach the notorized letter to a front and back copy of any insurance card you might have-but check with your insurance company to make sure that they will honor any services you have authorized a non parent to secure).

on the issue of your having a different last name than your children. prior to getting a passport, i was instructed to carry my birth certificate and marriage certificate in addition to my children's birth certificate along on my last disney cruise-i have a hyphenated last name. although disney did not seem to have a problem with the difference in last names, the airlines did want to see why my name differed on the children's birth certificates from my then photo i.d.

my suggestion-find out what u.s. law says-follow it.