Traveling with "not-yours" kids

[lalasmama]

We are in the stage of life where we are starting to take our grandkids to DL by plane. Our daughters have taken their husbands' last names, so our grandkids' names don't "match" ours.

With a note from their parents, will TSA want anything more? Does the note need to be notarized?

 

[fivehourdisney]

I travel with my daughter quite often and we have different last names, never had an issue. You may want to call the airline and ask which, if any, specific requirements they have for traveling with "not yours" children.

 

[Tinkerbell19672]

We flew with our daughter’s friend to DL and never got questioned. Her parent gave us a note just in case but we never needed it.

 

[Winnowill]

Heck, we've sent our daughter on planes all by herself before. Security usually asks her some questions (who are these people who are with you, where are you going, who are you meeting there), but once she answers them (and she has to answer - we cannot answer for her), there's never any other issue.

 

[tink89]

Last year we took our god daughter by plane her last name does not match ours. They did not ask for anything except for her ticket and asked her and my daughter their name and where were they going. As long as you are flying domestically. We still took a paper with info of who we were were we were going and for how long signed by her parents. Just incase.

 

[pharmama]

We usually give the grandparents a signed note (even though the last names do match). They have never been asked for it. When my oldest DD went to Mexico with a friend, we sent her with a notarized authorization to travel with the friend's family since it was international. They were asked for it on one end (I can't remember if it was departure or return).
The other thing you should have is a medical authorization form for the grandkids along with medical insurance information etc. If you google there are lots of templates available for this. Usually they can be specified to be for a specific date range or a blanket authorization.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Nothing is needed. Not even a note.
In today's world even many parents don't have the same last name as their own biological children.

 

[Filipina]

I take my Godson on many trips, including overseas. Totally different name from me. We have always brought a note from the mom and even had it notarized, but it’s never been requested.

 

[HerbivoreMom]

My son and I have different last names. We travel all the time just the two of us. Never an issue.
They just ask a few questions every now and then - like his name and age and "who is this person to you?"
But I bring digital copies of his birth certificate and adoption decree on my phone just in case.

 

[SG131]

Took my foster daughters last year, 3 people, 3 different last names, no one questioned it

 

[smartlabelprint]

I agree about getting medical POA and insurance stuff. You never know when an accident will happen.

 

[Indiana Scott]

I agree about getting medical POA and insurance stuff. You never know when an accident will happen.

Good advice!
It doesn't even take anything serious like an accident. Just needing medical assistance for a cold or simple boo-boo will require you have legal standing for the child. Parents are automatic, anyone else isn't.

 

[lalasmama]

Original poster here Thanks for the assurance all will be good! Already have medical releases as we have the kids a weekend every month. Just wasn't sure if TSA would be a goober about anything!

 

[nikkislaght]

I was told by TSA, they will question the kids.. ask what the name is etc and who you are flying with.. the only time it will pose an issue is if you are flying OS.. you will then need a letter of permission with dates etc signed in from of a notary.

 

[tink89]

I agree about getting medical POA and insurance stuff. You never know when an accident will happen.

Yes definitely get the medical POA. Make sure you have contact info for both parents.You never know what can happen.

Our god daughter who we see every other week or at least monthly and who is our niece would tell people that we were not her family. lol Characters would ask if she was having a nice time with her family or something like that and she would almost always say " oh, they're not my family".she would sometimes follow with their my godparents or she's my cousin,but other times we just had a random child with us. When they would ask where we were from and my daughter who is 10 would either say the Bay Area or SF our goddaughter would say "I'm not from there" or "I don't lie with them". We live about 20 min from SF so technically she was right.

Kids can and will say the most random stuff so I say be prepared with all kinds of documents.

 

[Lm3js]

My mom and sister take my kids (different last name than theirs) on trips overseas every summer. We give them a signed/notarized letter with passport info with consent to allow them to travel and for permission for medical treatment. There is nothing legally required for travel within the us, but the medical treatment is a good one to have if there is an emergency. You can google 'minor consent to travel' and there are a lot of templates you can use and then you can just add a sentence for medical permission.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I was told by TSA, they will question the kids.. ask what the name is etc and who you are flying with.. the only time it will pose an issue is if you are flying OS.. you will then need a letter of permission with dates etc signed in from of a notary.

Maybe TSA will ask, maybe they won’t. We fly with our grandson 1-2 times a year and I think they only asked his name once. We took him to Mexico in February and security in the US and in Mexico didn’t give him a second glance.