Latest news with #AnnOwens
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Divorced parents could be stopping from flying without six important documents
Separated parents going abroad with their children have been warned about six crucial documents they need to bring with them this summer, or they may be denied travel. Divorced parents face the prospect of being refused entry at airports without the proper paperwork, experts have cautioned. Separated mums and dads have been alerted about six essential documents required for summer travel. Travelling without the consent of the other parent could be considered child abduction under UK law. Therefore, it's essential to carry a signed consent letter and supporting documents whenever travelling abroad to avoid problems. Ann Owens, a consultant solicitor specialising in divorce law at Richard Nelson LLP, explained that estranged and divorced parents must obtain a consent letter from the parent staying behind, a birth certificate, a divorce certificate, a marriage certificate, the child's passport and a court order (where relevant)." As reported by Birmingham Mail, Ann said that a consent letter from the non-travelling parent is very important. She said: "A signed letter provides proof that your ex-partner has agreed to you holidaying abroad should you ever be challenged while travelling." Exceptions may apply in different cases. As explained by if the person has a Child Arrangement Order stating that the child lives with them, then they can travel up to 28 days without the other parent's consent, unless the court has said otherwise. Ann added: "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. 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." Ann warned: "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. 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." But most importantly, besides having all the paperwork in order, parents are responsible for ensuring that their child's passport is valid and accessible.
The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
Divorced parents risk being turned away at the airport without these documents
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
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Brits travelling with children this summer warned over crucial document
Legal expert have urged Brits travelling abroad with their kids not to forget one key document this summer - or risk facing 'unwanted disruption' before they board the plane 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'. Having one common drink on holiday could make you sick warns expert 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."
