passport rant

[Maleficient]

I would think not. As sole custodian you can make all decisions without anyone else's approval.

Thank you!

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Thank you! I am having the kind of day where I really needed some good news, and saving $300 on passports is very good news!!

I wouldn't count on that being true, now. As of June 1, 2009, all Americans over the age of 15 need a passport to enter Canada. However, I read that many border crossings were making exceptions for the first few months last summer because a lot of people didn't know about the rules, or didn't have time to get a passport (there was quite a backlog at that time and it was taking a long time to process applications).

I wouldn't count on being able to just use your drivers license now, a year after the rule went into effect. I cross the border frequently (live in Seattle but all my family is in Canada) and have always been asked for my passport, since June 1, 2009.

OMG, I'm so sorry...I forgot. We got the limited passport cards for ourselves, but DSs did NOT need a passport. The limited cards are much cheaper than a full blown passport.


"Bottom Line: U.S. and Canadian citizens ages 15 or younger with parental consent will be allowed to cross the borders at land and sea entry points with certified copies of their birth certificates rather than passports. "

http://gocanada.about.com/od/canadatravelplanner/f/childrenborder.htm

Again...so sorry, I got kids and adults confused.

 

[focusondisney]

Actually, a passport is not necessarily the only document you can use to cross the US/ Canadian border. I am in Western New York. A New York State " enhanced drivers license" is also acceptable.. to get this we have to provide additional proofs at the DMV. I'm sure there are other states that offer this option, too. It is slightly cheaper than a passport but if you are only needing something for a land crossing into Canada, this works. So maybe check your dmv. Also, they could use your current drivers license photo, or they would take a new one if you wanted. Many Western New Yorkers got these new licenses last summer just for crossing to Canada. Just another idea.....

 

[NotUrsula]

My sister has done nothing through the courts. She put the father's name on the birth certificate and then left it at that. I don't think she'll go to court to fix this either.

Trust me, whether or not she gets the kid a passport, she still NEEDS to go to court to formalize her sole custody. There are all kinds of situations in which having inconclusive custody status can be a major PITA. A member of my family found this out the hard way. Worse, if anything happens to her (God forbid), there will be issues in terms of her granting guardianship to someone else without his consent.

If she has not had any contact with the man in over a decade, it should not be hard to get him to formally relinquish parental rights. She just needs to try to find him. If she uses what the court considers reasonable diligence to find him and cannot, then they are likely to award sole legal custody even without his formal relinquishment papers.

Also, note that even in situations where the child HAS a passport, permission to enter another country may not be given if the child does not specifically have permission from both parents to travel to that destination on that occasion. Canada is one of those countries that sometimes insists on a notarized permission letter in addition to the passport. Sole LEGAL custody eliminates that issue.

 

[kaytieeldr]

On your aunt... It isn't because she has only one eye. She needs to get the photographs taken without the eye patch so her whole face can be seen. If she refuses to be photographed without the eye patch, they can refuse to issue the passport.

I can't see (no pun intended) how an eye patch is a medical necessity for a missing eye. I don't see how it would be detrimental to her health if she took off the eye patch for the duration of a photograph. But, I might be missing something (again, no pun intended)

It has nothing to do with her disability. She doesn't need to wear the fake eye. She just needs to take off the eyepatch for the duration of the photograph (less than 60 seconds).

One's mental health is a medical necessity too. She should just go for the "letter from the doctor" option.

 

[Piglets Mommy]

So if i have sole custody (with court paperwork) I don't need their father there to get my kids passports, do I? TIA!

No, just take the court paperwork documenting the sole custody along with your child's Birth Cert. when you go to apply. My aunt is a TA, and she advises her clients to also travel with a copy of this paperwork as well, in case you are ever questioned.

 

[taximomfor4]

No, just take the court paperwork documenting the sole custody along with your child's Birth Cert. when you go to apply. My aunt is a TA, and she advises her clients to also travel with a copy of this paperwork as well, in case you are ever questioned.

Are you sure? I have to get dd16 a passport for dance competitions, and have sole custody. HOWEVER, it states that BOTH parents must come to the passport office, to apply IN PERSON.

And then, I get written permission to take her across the border, from her dad. Even though I have sole custody.

 

[bumbershoot]

The state dept's page about passports is so so so helpful for parents without a co-parent!

* Appear in person with the minor
* Sign Form DS-11 in front of an Acceptance Agent
* Submit primary evidence of sole authority to apply for the child with one of the following:
*
o Minor's certified U.S. or foreign birth certificate listing only the applying parent
o Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) or Certification of Birth Abroad (Form DS-1350) listing only the applying parent
o Court order granting sole custody to the applying parent (unless child's travel is restricted by that order)
o Adoption decree (if applying parents is sole adopting parent)
o Court order specifically permitting applying parent's or guardian's travel with the child
o Judicial declaration of incompetence of non-applying parent
o Death certificate of non-applying parent

NOTE: If none of the above documentation is available, the applying parent must submit Form DS-3053 stating why the non-applying parent/guardian's consent cannot be obtained


That bold is the "if all else fails, here's this" part.

That form has to be filled out in front of a notary public; generally, banks have them. If you bank with them, they will usually have no fee.

On that form, you explain why permission cannot be gotten from the other parent.

 

[Stacy9402]

I took my daughter to Europe last year so I had to get her a passport. What I did since her father could not be there since he lives in another state was send him papers that are on the us passport site and he filled them out and had them notarized along with a form that I could keep on me that said she had permission from him ( I never needed this).... So you do not have to have both parents there as long as there is a valid reason and you can get the forms notarized by the parent not there..

 

[Fire14]

Actually, a passport is not necessarily the only document you can use to cross the US/ Canadian border. I am in Western New York. A New York State " enhanced drivers license" is also acceptable.. to get this we have to provide additional proofs at the DMV. I'm sure there are other states that offer this option, too. It is slightly cheaper than a passport but if you are only needing something for a land crossing into Canada, this works. So maybe check your dmv. Also, they could use your current drivers license photo, or they would take a new one if you wanted. Many Western New Yorkers got these new licenses last summer just for crossing to Canada. Just another idea.....

I know MI has or is in process of getting.

 

[DizBelle]

One's mental health is a medical necessity too. She should just go for the "letter from the doctor" option.

If she can find a doctor to write such a letter, then good for her.

Is there any update on this? Did you manage to get the real story out of your aunt?

 

[amez]

If she can find a doctor to write such a letter, then good for her.

Is there any update on this? Did you manage to get the real story out of your aunt?

I passed on the info to my mom and she is letting my aunt know as well. This just happen to my aunt a few years ago and she is not comfortable going around without her eye patch on -I'm sure once my mom lets her know she can just talk to her doctor about it and look into it more. I live several hundred miles away-so once I let them know what I've leanred from everyone it's up to them to decided what to do.

They live in IL and mom said she checked on the enhanced drivers license and that IL said they don't do it.

thanks everyone for your help.

Amy