Travelling alone with daughter - letter needed?

JKCDA

Earning My Ears
Joined
Sep 25, 2018
I’m travelling alone with my daughter next April (thank you to my ever patient husband). I understand I need a signed and notarized letter to do so, stating something to the effect that her dad knows, and I’m not kidnapping her. So two questions:

1. What is it supposed to say more exactly??

2. When should I get it done? Is now too early? Should it be closer to the date?

Thanks!
 
I would never take the chance of not having this letter with me, even when I cross border shop with my kids. However, some of my friends do it all the time with no issues. Don't get it. I would hate to get all the way there and be told to turn around for the sake of a quick consent letter.
 
Thanks for the link!

I agree that you should travel with the letter (especially if the kids don't have your last name) but being cheap, I would accompany the letter with a photocopy of your spouse's passport or drivers license rather than getting notarized (which I think the cheapest places in Ottawa charge $100+ for). IMHO, I think a copy of the passport is worth more than a notary stamp anyway (how hard would it be to fake a notary signature / stamp?)
 
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Thanks for the link!

I agree that you should travel with the letter (especially if the kids don't have your last name) but being cheap, I would accompany the letter with a photocopy of your spouse's passport or drivers license rather than getting notarized (which I think the cheapest places in Ottawa charge $100+ for). IMHO, I think a copy of the passport is worth more than a notary stamp anyway (how hard would it be to fake a notary signature / stamp?)

I would get it notarized if the parents are not together. I got our letters notarized when we went overseas with DD and I came back early and she stayed with her grandparents for a couple more weeks, (silly job cutting in to my holiday) before returning home. I had 2 letters done, one for me to take her to the UK. Europe and one for the grandparent to keep her in the UK for a couple more weeks. We just wanted them to not run into any issues by not having the letter. DH's grand parents had issues bringing the kids back from disneyland in the 1980's and Granddad had put the letter in this checked bag and was asked for it at customs. DMIL was waiting to pick them up at arrivals. Good thing DBIL(8) had to pee and the customs officer walked him out the door right past DMIL. After that it was all sorted quickly, but that stuck in DH memory. We carry the letter ON us at all times.
 
I travel alone with my daughter and I always take a letter. I've never been asked for it but I still take one every time. I use the one in the link posted above.
 


My ex is in Ottawa area he makes me pay him back when he gets them for me I pay him 10 and the fed ex costs
You might want to shop around yikes


QUOTE="michelb, post: 59977344, member: 457201"]Thanks for the link!

I agree that you should travel with the letter (especially if the kids don't have your last name) but being cheap, I would accompany the letter with a photocopy of your spouse's passport or drivers license rather than getting notarized (which I think the cheapest places in Ottawa charge $100+ for). IMHO, I think a copy of the passport is worth more than a notary stamp anyway (how hard would it be to fake a notary signature / stamp?)[/QUOTE]
 
My ex is in Ottawa area he makes me pay him back when he gets them for me I pay him 10 and the fed ex costs
You might want to shop around yikes


Thanks for the link!

I agree that you should travel with the letter (especially if the kids don't have your last name) but being cheap, I would accompany the letter with a photocopy of your spouse's passport or drivers license rather than getting notarized (which I think the cheapest places in Ottawa charge $100+ for). IMHO, I think a copy of the passport is worth more than a notary stamp anyway (how hard would it be to fake a notary signature / stamp?)

Thanks for the info. The last time I did it (probably about 10 years ago) was with RedSealNotary and they charged around $90+tax but a quick Google seems to confirm that you can get it done for $15-25 which is much more reasonable.
 
I travelled with my 7 year old by myself in September. He has a different last name than me and we had no letter and nobody asked for one or even asked if I was his mom. We had no issues whatsoever.
 
I would always take a letter. I have used the link above when I travelled with my niece. I now carry a copy of my adoption paperwork with me when I cross the border because I adopted as a single mom. I need it for proof (if ever asked) that there is no father.

I would never risk travelling without a letter as it's not worth the stress.
 
Thanks for all the answers...my husband and I are still together and live together and our names all match. I’ve already filled out the form, but you’re right - I may just get it witnessed and take a copy of the passport.
 
Thanks for the info. The last time I did it (probably about 10 years ago) was with RedSealNotary and they charged around $90+tax but a quick Google seems to confirm that you can get it done for $15-25 which is much more reasonable.
Most banks here will do Notary for free if you have an account with them.
 
A friend of mine who is originally from the US but now a Canadian citizen took her 6 year old son - who was born in Canada and was travelling with a Canadian passport - to the US to go to her mother's funeral (her husband wasn't able to go). It was obviously somewhat unexpected and she simply didn't think about a letter, notarized or other. She was challenged at the airport and the agent started giving her trouble about not having it, threatened not to let her proceed, demanded to know how he could possibly know that she wasn't kidnapping her son, etc. She was having a bit of difficulty in holding it together. Then, when the agent asked her son why they were travelling, he responds with "We're going to grandma's funeral, you're making my mom cry and that's not nice". He let them through pretty quickly after that but it definitely made her aware of the need to have such a letter. Of course, since then, she's never been asked for one. But, if you get the wrong agent....
 
I highly recommend travelling with the letter. We have always carried it with us and was asked for it about 50% of the time. If their is a custody agreement in place, carry a copy of that with you also. It saved us many delays.
My youngest son who is 16 recently travelled to London alone. It wasn't his first trip. On the second trip flying inbound to London, UK security almost didn't let him into the country because he didn't have a letter from us authorizing him to travel alone. Lesson learned. It was the second time letting him fly alone and we were unaware he needed one.
 
I would definitely get a notarized letter. I travelled with my teenage daughter after my separation and divorce and I always carried a notarized letter AND a copy of my separation agreement that outlined custody arrangements. I was never asked for it, but my lawyer shared plenty of horror stories of people who were asked for a letter and didn't have one.
 
In Ontario, your Member of Provincial Parliament is a commissioner of Oath. I'm assuming other provinces as well, but not sure. You can get it commissioned and sealed by him/her for free. Many have at least one staff in their office that also is a Commissioner or Oath as well.
 

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