Brits travelling with children this summer warned over crucial document
Parents have been urged to bring one key document with them when travelling abroad this summer, or risk being turned away at the airport. The school holidays are rapidly approaching, meaning millions of Brits will be getting ready to jet off for some much-needed Vitamin D.
If you're heading abroad with your kids, you'll inevitably already have a long list of essentials to pack - from spare clothes to games and lots of suncream. However, experts over at law firm Richard Nelson LLP have warned that divorced /separated parents should also bring an important letter with them to avoid any 'unwanted disruptions'.
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In a statement sent to the Mirror, the firm explained that for a child to be taken abroad, all people with parental responsibility need to agree to the decision.
Mothers are automatically granted parental responsibility at birth, while fathers acquire parental responsibility upon marriage. It's not widely known, but taking a child abroad without permission is actually classed as child abduction - a serious offence.
"With that in mind, a consent letter from the non-travelling parent is critical," the experts said. "[This is] a signed letter which provides proof that your ex-partner has agreed to you holidaying abroad should you ever be challenged while travelling. "
The letter should include the other parent's contact details as well as information about you're holiday, including the address of your accommodation. If your child has a different surname from you, the letter must also explain this.
However, if you've not been able to get permission from your child's other parents to take them abroad, you may have to seek permission from a court. "If you're relying on a court order to take your child abroad it's imperative to allow as much time as possible for the case to be heard," warned Ann Owens, consultant solicitor at Richard Nelson LLP.
"While you can request an urgent court order these can take more than a week to go through the courts. For those who have been successful in gaining permission this way then you must travel with a sealed copy of the Court Order with you."
Ann explained that border officials may ask for proof of your legal right to take the child abroad at the airport. "If you can't provide it, you may be turned away at customs," she added.
The legal firm also advised bringing your child's birth or adoption certificate with you to be safe, to provide additional proof of your relation to the kid. If you do have a different last name from your child due to a divorce or new marriage, it may also be wise to bring your divorce or marriage certificate along with you as well. Of course, travelling with all of your family's passports is a must too.
"While, like the UK, many countries have the legal age of adulthood standing at 18, some have it set as older or younger," said. "It is important to check the age of adult responsibility in the location you are holidaying in. For instance, you may also need documents for a 19-year-old child when travelling to some Canadian territories."
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DIVORCED parents could be at risk of being turned away when at the airport if they are missing vital documents about their children. A divorce lawyer is warning separated parents about six crucial documents they need to travel with this summer to avoid a holiday nightmare. 4 According to Ann Owens, a consultant solicitor in the divorce law team at Richard Nelson LLP, separated and divorced parents need to get signed permission from anyone else with parental responsibility for the child, which in many cases is the other parent. Taking a child abroad without permission can be classed as child abduction, and consequently a serious offence. Here is Ann's advice to parents this summer. A consent letter from the non-travelling parent According to Ann, for a child to be taken abroad, all people with parental responsibility will have to have agreed to the decision. While mothers automatically get parental responsibility at birth, a father will acquire parental responsibility upon marriage. Ann said: "With that in mind, a consent letter from the non-travelling parent is critical. "A signed letter provides proof that your ex-partner has agreed to you holidaying abroad should you ever be challenged while travelling. "The letter will need the other parent's contact details as well as the details of your holiday, such as where you're going to be staying." She added that if your child doesn't have the same surname as you, the letter should also explain this. A birth or adoption certificate Whilst you will take a child's passport on holiday with you, Ann also recommends taking either your child's birth or adoption certificate. The Sun's Travel Editor Lisa Minot shares her top tips when flying This helps to prove your relationship to your child, which is crucial if you are asked to provide proof of parental responsibility when leaving the UK and entering another country. A divorce or marriage certificate It isn't unusual for parents to have a different surname from their children as they may have gone through a divorce or remarried. In this case, if your last names differ to your child's due to a divorce or new marriage, Ann suggests taking your divorce or marriage certificate on holiday with you to prevent hold ups at the airport. A court order Sometimes, there might be a situation where you have been unable to get permission from your child's other parent to take them abroad. However, you could still be granted permission from a court. Ann explained: "If you're relying on a court order to take your child abroad it's imperative to allow as much time as possible for the case to be heard. 4 "While you can request an urgent court order these can take more than a week to go through the courts. "For those who have been successful in gaining permission this way then you must travel with a sealed copy of the Court Order with you. "Border officials may ask for proof of your legal right to take the child abroad at the airport, and if you can't provide it, you may be turned away at customs." Check a country's legal age of adulthood Countries often have different legal ages of adulthood - both older and younger than the UK. Ann advises that it is important to check the age of adult responsibility in the location you are holidaying in. For example, if travelling to some Canadian territories you may also need documents for your 19-year-old child. 4 Your child's passport Whilst you frantically search for your child's birth certificate, it may be easy to forget the one document that allows your child to travel in the first place - their passport. Ann said: "As well as carrying the passport, you must also ensure it's valid for the specific country you're travelling to. "In the majority of instances your passport will need to be valid for at least three months after your intended return date but for countries like Dubai, Thailand and Australia it must be valid for at least six months from your date of entry into the country." What are the passport rules? The Sun's Head of Travel Lisa Minot has explained exactly what Brits need to know. "Travellers used to be able to roll over up to nine unused months from their old passport onto a new one. "But post-Brexit, anyone wanting to travel to the EU can no longer rely on those extra months. "In order to travel to the EU, all passports must be no more than 10 years old on the day you arrive in your European destination. "And you'll need at least three months on your passport on the day you head back to the UK. "Figures have shown up to 100,000 holidaymakers a year face being turned away at airports if their passport is more than 10 years old. "The 10-year rule only applies to countries in the European Union but every country may have different rules on what is accepted - some countries like South Africa, for example, insist you have at least six months left on your passport when you travel and a full clear page." These are The Sun travel team's best tips for flying with budget airlines from 'free' legroom seats to cheap food hacks. Plus, the three bits of travel advice that people should always ignore. 4
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And when heading away, rolling up clothes to save space, bringing snacks to the airport to avoid overpriced food and carrying a portable charger were tricks respondents had up their sleeve. The research was commissioned by Virgin Red, which has teamed up with Alfie Watts to reveal travel tips, while sending him off on a trip around the globe armed with the brand's reward points. Advertisement Alfie, who visited three continents in 72 hours using them, said: 'Travel doesn't have to break the bank, especially if you are using travel hacks and this trip proves it. 'I flew 9,000 miles across three continents in just 72 hours and stayed in incredible places using points that can be earned through everyday spending like shopping, commuting, and booking holidays. 'But it's not just about the flights – it's the little hacks that make a big difference. 'I normally pack light to avoid pricey hold luggage fees and I also use an eSIM to stay connected without needing to switch out my physical SIM. Advertisement 'I learned from previous experience that sometimes a long-haul flight pays off when the cost of living at your destination is super low, which help to balance out costs. 'Hiring a car and asking locals for recommendations also allows me the freedom to explore beyond the usual tourist spots. The five-star hotel in Turkey where waitresses in rollerblades serve ice-cold beer 'These are the ultimate travel hacks that lots of people can use when planning a trip or already abroad. 'The beauty is, they are open to anyone." Advertisement According to the research, travellers utilise an average of three hacks on a typical holiday, with 57 per cent getting tips from friends and family. While 14 per cent look to social media for guidance on ways they could benefit when heading away. 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More than eight in 10 (83 per cent) of younger travellers aged between 24 and 44 were found to trust travel advice from people who are 'in the know', compared with only 58 per cent of those aged 65 and above. Advertisement Of those to utilise travel hacks, 20 per cent like to keep them to themselves so others don't benefit, but 33 per cent like to share the love. Interestingly, 26 per cent of all respondents said certain hacks have influenced their decision on where to travel. Finding more affordable options, discovering lesser-known destinations and choosing somewhere with lesser visa requirements were some of the influences. Vicki Simpson from Virgin Red added: "The research has shown that travellers are always keen to utilise hacks where possible. Advertisement 'Alfie's trip shows how far loyalty points can get you. 'Reward points give travellers the chance to fast track their travels while slowing their spending. 'Whether it's a short weekend away or a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, these smarter ways to travel can undoubtedly make a difference." Top 10 hacks when on holiday Rolling clothes to save space Bringing snacks to avoid expensive airport food Always having paper versions of your documents Using a portable charger Packing a small first aid kit Using public transport instead of taxis Saving digital copies of travel documents Booking accommodations with free breakfast Notify your bank to avoid card blocks Downloading offline maps to find your way around 4 Flying long haul can sometimes be cheaper overall if its to a bargain destination Credit: SWNS Advertisement
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