Q&A
Posted on Sunday, May 4, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Travel/224771/
Mother-daughter trip Q: My daughter, who is 7, and I are traveling to Paris for a week. My husband is not joining us, and my daughter and I have different last names. What are the requirements for one parent traveling with a child out of the country ? A: The main requirement is that you pack your patience along with documents that other mothers probably don’t need. This question, on the surface, might seem like an overreaction. But travel these days is all about the unexpected. What is actually a lovely mother-daughter trip in your eyes could appear to be a kidnapping to some authorities. Here’s what Cy Ferenchak, a U. S. State Department spokesman, advises: “Carry a photocopy of the child’s birth certificate, which I assume matches the name on the parent’s passport. Also, prepare a notarized power of attorney authorizing one parent to travel out of the country with the daughter.” You also might carry a copy of your marriage license, just in case.