Taking a child with a different surname??

[Queenie]

Hi all,

I am currently booking a trip for my mum, sister and my soon to be 7yr old neice to go to WDW but I have a query I'm hoping someone could advise me on.

My sister isn't married and so she and my mum both have the same surname, however her daughter took her dad's name and so has a different surname to the two adults she'll be travelling with. With the cases of people attempting to sneak children out of the country, I'm wondering if they might encounter any problems?

I'm not sure what to advise them in terms of taking documents to prove my sister is her mother and has the right to take her out of the country/is taking her with father's knowledge and permission. Any ideas?

 

[higgy66]

Unless you sister has changed her name since giving birth to her daughter I'm sure a copy of her daughter's birth certificate should be fine as both parents names are on there. Just an idea but i'm sure a TA should be able to give her some advise.

Good luck!

 

[susan_b]

Hi, my personal experience is that on both occasions we have travelled to Orlando we have had absolutely no problems with taking children with different surnames.
The 1st time we went in '04 my husband and I weren't married and we took his 2 children who had a hyphenated surname and my niece who has a different surname to me so 5 people and 4 different surnames!
We went last year and took my niece and again, no problem. I think the man at immigration just laughed and made a comment about "the modern day family!)

Don't worry

Susan

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Ive taken my niece(dif surname) for years with no probs, I always have a letter from her mum just incase, but have been all over the world, inc usa several times since she was 3 and never been asked.

 

[debbyLL]

my eldest daughter had a different surname to the rest of the family ( hyphenated) and it meant we could book the two seaters on the plane. if we were a family of four they would have seated us together four across but due to the name difference we could book two seats behind each other. that was in the good old days when i used to book a year in advance

debby

 

[wayneg]

There is nothing to stop anyone taking any child to US, no documentation is required but there is a remote possibilty questions will be asked. We took DS's school friend last Easter not questioned once either at UK checkin, US immigration or checkin for Disney cruise, unless their name is flagged as a missing child there is no problem.

 

[fulles]

Our kids have a different surname to us as they are my wife's from a previous marriage and still have their dad's name.

We always fill out two of the white forms on the plane as you are supposed to fill out one per surname. However all 4 times the immigration officer has ripped up the kids form and put us all on the one form because we are travelling together as a family.

 

[madmumof2]

Oh this is a relief. I'm a single parent and my children have their dad's surname.

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

I was worrying about this esp as my daughter is bi-racial and im white and she has her dad's surname.

 

[wideeyes]

Hi, my DD has a different surname to me as I am not married and her Dad doesn't travel with us and on our last trip I got asked for evidence that I my DD was mine, I didn't have any and the immigration man said "I will let you in this time however next time you will need to bring birth certificate or divorce papers".