travelling alone with LO, who can sign consent forms?

[erikab922]

Hi all, it's been forever since I've been here! My LO and I are travelling back to the States in December, my DH can't come with as they can't take any holiday in December (he works for Royal Mail). I have to do a parental consent letter and the US and Canadian websites say you should get them notarised but that's not as common a thing here in the UK as it is back home, where you can basically go into a bank and get something notarised for like five bucks. Some of the places I've checked out here want like £100 just to notarise the consent letter!

Just wondering if anyone from the UK has had to produce a parental consent letter to travel alone with their LO and if so who witnessed it for you? Thanks!

 

[dgirllamius]

I've travelled alone with my lo and never been asked to show anything. I would have thought I needed something as she holds a German passport and mines British.

I did look into a consent letter and was told a solicitor could witness it but I bet that costs a fair amount.

Sorry that was no help whatsoever.

 

[erikab922]

I've travelled alone with my lo and never been asked to show anything. I would have thought I needed something as she holds a German passport and mines British.

I did look into a consent letter and was told a solicitor could witness it but I bet that costs a fair amount.

Sorry that was no help whatsoever.

No that was helpful as I was wondering if anyone would even question it!

 

[Tess.ie]

I have travelled through america, but not to America if that makes sense?! I took lo's birth cert with me because at that stage we had different surnames. And a letter of consent, but it wasn't witnessed or notarised or anything, and no one ever asked to see it.
I just googled notarising uk, and it does seem crazy expensive for a signature! Can you try getting a justice of the peace to sign it/witness it instead? Might be cheaper? Or ask how much a solicitor would be?

 

[kwood]

I took my LO back to the U.S. when he was 6 months old and didn't take a letter of consent (never even occurred to me to have one tbh). I travelled without my DH on my American passport with my son on an American passport so nobody even batted an eyelid.

If you happen to be in London you can get letters notarised at the Embassy but not sure if that is helpful as you are in Yorkshire and I think it is still $50.

 

[hel_5]

I only travel between Ireland and uk, normally by myself often I don't even get asked for their passport let alone anything else and my surname in my passport is different to the kids, never been questioned once xx

 

[Gingerspice]

I wouldn't have thought you'd need permission unless there was a court order in place because you and FOB had split/disagreed that prevented either party from taking them abroad unless consent was in place from the other party. (I know of friends where one wanted to move back to america so in court n order was made that prevented them from moving or going abroad unless the other one also agreed to it)

 

[jett]

I thought you only needed a letter if that's something you put down when you got your LO there passport, it was an option for us when we did our little girls US passport, we did not do it and i have traveled to the US,CANADA and UK with her on my own with LO on her US passport and me on my UK one. no issues

 

[lozzy21]

Do you know anyone who's a teacher, doctor , nurse etc?