Border Crossing Concerns
Anyone have experience with crossing the Can/US border with stepkids?
We want to go for a one month holiday and my skid has SOs last name and we would have a note from BM saying we can cross but won't have exact dates on the note as we may come back after 3 weeks or stay the full month depending on family and friends along the way. Will the border guards have concerns that there are no dates on the note? Will they even ask if skids have same name as SO?
The big problem is that we would cross late at night and BM would be at work so if they tried to call her she would not be able to answer and I don't want to end up getting grilled until she's able to get to her phone.
I am scared they will be denied entry, I will be crossing earlier to meet a friend before we start the big family trip.
So basically how often are you asked to present the note from the other parent and do they usually call other parent to check on things?
Thanks in advance for your tips and advice!
I would just put the dates
I would just put the dates for the full month, that way you're covered even if you come back early.
Also, make sure it's notarized with both parents' signatures.
We're going through this right now with BM1 and BM2 because we want to take the two youngest on a cruise in June.
Hadn't thought of putting
Hadn't thought of putting both signatures, thank you!
Have you crossed before? I've been told by some they've never been asked for the letters and some saying they got grilled until the other parent was able to confirm the info.
I haven't, no. But the
I haven't, no. But the information about getting it notarized came both from the US Gov't and people who have done it before with no problem. Having both parents sign it and have it notarized makes it an official legal document that, apparently, can't be argued with.
Notarization does not make it
Notarization does not make it a legally enforceable document - it only verifies that those signing it are who they say they are. However, it should be adequate for the required purpose.
US customs has information on
US customs has information on this site
https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/268/~/children---child-trav...
Canada information
http://canada.usembassy.gov/traveling_to_canada/entering-canada.html
This says "proof of custody"
This says "proof of custody" I'm wondering if the custody agreement saying primary custody would be enough? I may have to call them tomorrow to see.
Thank you for the link!
I used this when my kids were
I used this when my kids were younger.
http://travel.gc.ca/docs/child/consent-letter_lettre-consentement-eng.pdf
I had it notarized and never had a problem. In fact I only ever had to show it to customs once and that was in Mexico. They glanced at it and that was it, no questions or anything.
I would put the full month on it as the travel dates. If you go home early, just explain that you are going home early. The problem is usually when you leave the county not when you come home.
We were able to go to Canada
We were able to go to Canada for a week a year and a half ago. We had a written note from BM allowing it. However DP got third degree because it wasn't notorized.
They let us in but think it may not have happened if SDs were nervous, they didn't have same last name or I wasn't there (they noted my presence as good).
We had no prolems with Can/US
We had no prolems with Can/US crossing with SS in 2007. He and my bride did not at that time have the same last name. We all three had passports and had no issues crossing into Canada. Interestingly, when we returned to the US they put him through a bit of a wringer (he was 15yo) because he had a Saudi stamp in his passport. My wife and I had renewed ours and did not have that stamp.
When we got SS's first passport it was a seamless process that my bride navigated cleanly without any interface, permission, or documentation from the Sperm Idiot. When we renewed the Skid's passport things had changed and we had to have a signed, notarized, letter of permission from the Sperm Idiot for us to even get the Skid a passport.
I would go to the .gov website and do some research but if you have birth certificates, or better yet a passport or passport card (good for US/Canada/Mexico/some other South American country travel) for each of you you should have no issues...... unless the beurocracy that has overcome getting a Skid a passport has also infected the border crossing process.
IMHO of course.
Good luck.
Thank you all very much, I
Thank you all very much, I feel like I fell into the internet trap of reading the worst stories and got concerned we would miss a fun family trip. I will get the notarized letters and book our trip woohoo!
We just took the SS's to
We just took the SS's to Canada this past summer. We didn't get the notarized note from BM until the day before we left. When I was filling in the dates, she left off information about SS17 (specifically the hospital he was born in because she couldn't remember), only had one witness signature when there should have been two. We were worried that we wouldn't be able to cross. The border control never asked for the letter going in or coming out. The boys have his last name and it may have helped because both kids have passports.