Traveling with Toddler Internationally Without Other Parent

Since you need permission from both parents to get her passport, you shouldn't need additional documentation. But, you can always contact the airline and ask.

I took my daughter to Mexico with a passport and had no issues.

Unless there is a divorce, custody problem or some kind of domestic dispute or questionable citizenship situation going on, you shouldn't need notes from the other parent. If there is any kind of legal action going on between you and your husband, then you might need additional documentation but your lawyer could tell you that. But you posted that "your husband" won't be coming pretty casually, so it sounds as though he'll be staying home for work and you're just taking your child for a family event. So, you won't need a letter because there's no dispute. If you are not a citizen of the US, or if your daughter is not, consult an attorney before traveling.

What you do need to bring with you, along with your passports, are photocopies of your passports (both yours and your child's), photocopies of both your birth certificates, and of all other pertinent documents, including medical prescriptions. Also, leave a copy with your husband and make sure he knows where they are, and make sure they're safe and secure. If your husband works a lot and might be unavailable frequently, leave copies with a trusted friend or relative. Make sure your photocopies are in your checked baggage and also in your carry-on. A photocopy place can photo all your documents at once and then reduce them so they're pretty small and easy to carry with you.

And consider putting some kind of ID on your daughter. Here's a good idea: http://www.amazon.com/Travel-Child-ID-Wristband-Friendly/.... Have her practice wearing her new "bracelet" before the trip.

Don't try to limit tv time like you would at home. Too many traveling parents say "I don't like my kid to watch a lot of tv" but in my opinion that rule, while it's a good one, should be thrown out the window when it comes to airports and planes. Download some fun movies and include favorites and new ones, on your phone or tablet.

I took my kids overseas many times while they were very little due to my husband's military service. What I found to be most helpful were: bringing a small bag of small wrapped surprises, and allowing them to have a new surprise every half hour or so. Silly Putty was a fun one! And the wrapping made it harder for them to discover what was in there and it ate up time. I used lots of tape! On one 8 hour flight, I wrapped a whole bunch of plastic farm animals individually and let my youngest unwrap one at a time, instead of giving her the whole bag at once.

Also, and I think this is my number one tip: Have a dedicated place (pouch worn around your neck, or secure inner pocket on a cross-body bag, or something similar) where you ALWAYS place the passports, IDs, boarding passes, money, wallet. It is just my opinion, but I think that most losses occur because the traveller, especially the one with a baby or squirmy toddler, is rushed and hurriedly jams the passport or boarding pass or ID into the book she was reading, or shoves it into a back pocket, or in a magazine, or in the diaper bag - who knows? By taking the extra 10 seconds to ALWAYS put the precious documents in the EXACT same secure place every time, the chances of loss or missing the flight due to not knowing where the documents are are lessened. Places like Magellan's catalog sell good secure travel cross-body purses with secure pockets. It's easy to throw the magazine away, forgetting that your boarding passes were in it, and it's also easy for pickpockets to realize that this person is disorganized, probably very distracted, and therefore an easy target.

Hope you have a great flight!

Call the airline you are going on and ask them what you need.

Here's a start:

http://travelwithkids.about.com/cs/carplanetips/a/crossbo...

You shouldn't need to bring her birth certificate because of her passport. When we took my daughter to Austria at 15 months, we just used her passport. When I got her passport, I needed to get a notarized letter signed by my husband saying it was okay because he was not with me when I took the paperwork to the post office. It wouldn't hurt to get a notarized letter to take with you. It's always my belief it's better to have it and not need it than not have it and need it.

When I use to travel a lot with my daughter I would always bring kit kats. Every 20 minutes or so, I would give her a half of stick (now I would just buy the bite size minis) if she behaved. She looked forward to getting candy. Also, a DVD player may help, but my daughter preferred arts and crafts. I got one of those etch a sketch type boards that you write on and she loved it. A brand new toy just for the airplane may help as well.

As for the airport, I always tried to find an empty space to let my daughter run around it and I always boarded the plane last so that she didn't have to spend as much time sitting on the airplane waiting. I only bring a diaper bag with me on board and check everything else. It was worth it to me to not have to deal with extra bags and my daughter.

When I flew from the UK to the US and back again with our infant son all I needed was his passport, but my uncle (who is middle eastern) needed a note from the mother, so it appears to not be equally applied, but I would prepare for it just in case.

If you don't already have the passport, that is where you're going to need the notarized letter, or your husband will need to be with you when you apply for it. I raised my daughter alone, and her father's rights were terminated. When I got her passport, I had to provide the termination papers that were granted to me by the courts. If you go the the USPS website there is a section on how to obtain a passport for a child and what kind of paperwork you will need if both parents aren't there. If you are a US citizen, the airline will only require the passport because they know that the proper parental paperwork needed to be submitted in order to get it. That's not to say that having a notarized letter isn't a good idea. As someone else said better to have it and not need it.

You should bring proof of your relationship to her and also a form notarized just before the trip that provides you permission to travel with her without him.

As far as traveling with her, scope out the airports and see if there are any family lines (some do not have any), if there are any play areas, etc. I would take a stroller and some limited snacks. Will someone on the other end have a car seat for you? If not, consider using a wheelie thing for the seat and checking the car seat at the gate. If you don't need the seat, then just bring an umbrella stroller for her. You can gate check them. You will also want a cover for it to keep a car seat clean but we did not use a cover for our stroller. You can take a small amount of juice (I use juice boxes) with a child in tow. Children under 13 do not need to take off shoes. For us, the problem was more the wait to board vs the flights themselves (which can be exciting for kids). Take a small comfort toy, a blanket and something quiet she can play with. She may enjoy having her own "big girl" backpack with treasures in it.

Yes, would have that note notarized. Don't think you can be too careful and bring her birth certificate as well. Did this back and forth from Russia with an infant and it was a nightmare. Your child is older and the trip is shorter so I would bring a small ball you could play with at the airport. Small chalkboard and chalk to draw on and play games, maybe she can play games on an Ipad? Not sure if it would be allowed with regulations and such but an unopened small container of bubbles?? If they won't allow them, you're only out a dollar but I did this before 9/11 and it was a lifesaver. Have fun!

I'd suggest getting a court registered note stating what you want it to say....legalese included.

I'm a grandparent raising grandchildren. We've had an attorney from an OKC law office come to our grandparents meetings several times. She is on the committee that writes laws to be sent to law makers to vote on and they become laws that regulate a lot of different aspects of guardianship, custody, and permissions. My daughter can go to court at any time and request the court terminate my guardianship and if she's not breaking any laws they don't have any reason to keep her children from her. SO I would lose guardianship.

There are laws that give grandparents legal but specific rights. This is the one that I think you should research.

In the instance of a parent leaving the kids with a grandparents for an extended period of time the parent can sign a court order giving those grandparents specific rights to do certain things.

Like seek treatment for an injured child

Enroll that child in school if that time comes while the parents are not there

Take that child out of state for vacation

Anything that might come up

This paper is more than "a note" you have in your pocket that might or might not be from this child's parent. It could be this child is not even your child and the person signing the other paper could indeed be your husband and the right name on the paper but it could be completely fake.

So this is why those Permission to treat letters have zero power and if a child is hurt when someone else is caring for them the hospital will not treat them until they call a judge and get a court order. Those papers mean nothing. They are so out of date and just aren't worth anything except to keep a parent from suing the establishment.

If you're taking your child out of the country you need a legally binding document that states you have the father's permission to take this child to XXXX country via this route and to stay in that country until XXX date then return with said child via this route.

This way if you deviate from this plan you are defying a court order and your husband is still protected, his rights are still in effect. If you were injured or died while out of the country with your child your husband would have the right to come in and get his child.

These are things I'd go to my attorney and get him to do for me so there would be no mistakes and my child would be protected completely.

If something happened to you while in this other country what might happen if your family refused to turn your child over to her father? Isn't that what happened with a child in a Spanish speaking country a few years ago? The family refused to turn him over and it became a National incident.

So please get a legally binding court order so your child and you will be protected completely. A signed not has no legal value of any sort. Really, a note from daddy? Keeping a foreign country from taking a child if they wanted to?