By Jennifer Doncsecz

Ever since January of 2007 when the government made it mandatory for every US citizen flying to the Caribbean, Mexico and Canada to now have a valid passport, single parents have felt much more at ease when taking their custodial or non custodial child out of the country.

However, just because you carry your child’s passport doesn’t mean you no longer have to get a notarized letter of permission to travel by your child’s other custodial or non custodial parent.

In most circumstances, airlines will ask where the other parent is. If you are traveling to a heavily used route for single parents to “disappear ” with their non custodial child (Mexico, Dominican Republic, Aruba) you will be asked to produce a letter that is signed by the other parent and notarized.

This letter should include the other parents name, the dates of travel, the locations you are traveling to, the other parents phone number and signature with a notarized seal. If you do not have this, the airlines could refuse you board the planes or even worse, you could get to your destination only to find that customs/immigration will make you turn around and not enter the country.

Many of my clients sometimes call the airlines ahead of time to check to see if this is necessary, however, the airlines do not operate customs/immigration and may tell you the wrong information.

Play it safe and always have the other parent sign this very important letter. Even if you have joint custody or full custody and the court awarded you ownership of your child’s passport, customs wants to know that both parents are aware of the child’s leaving the country.

In some cases where bad feelings are present between the parents, this can prove to be a bit tricky, but isn’t it better than spending thousands of dollars on a vacation on a beautiful island and being turned away from entering the country?

If your child’s other parent is deceased, it is also a good idea to bring a copy of the death certificate. I once had a client, who in a panic, had to call their in-laws for a copy of the obituary of their deceased spouse to be faxed to the airline’s counter because they were being denied boarding.

In the ever present world of parents abducting their children and taking flight, the airlines are being held under much more scrutiny. So, don’t get burned before you even arrive at your destination–be prepared and know what is required!

If you want more information on single parents vacations, please feel free to email me at Jennifer@travelbyvip.com

Jennifer Doncsecz
President
VIP Vacations Inc
www.travelbyvip.com

#1 in the Nation for Group Sales to Sandals and Beaches Resorts!
Winner of the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Romance in Travel Award in 2007!
Fox Philadelphia’s Travel Expert. Tune in each Friday to Good Day Philly and learn about the latest travel news!
Look for my new show on the Travel Channel every Sat. night at 10:30 pm-Cruises We Love!

Picture courtesy of Alex

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3. When are You No Longer a Single Parent?

Question:
My wife just left with our 3 daughters. She is an unfit mother and when I told her that I was getting a divorce because she is negligent and constantly endangering the lives of our kids, she waited until I went to work and left to go to her Mother’s house. Or at least that is where she says she is going. I called her Mom and she knew nothing about this. This seems like kidnapping to me. What should I do to correct this situation?

Answer:
If it is your wife’s intent to remove the children from your custody and purposefully fail to disclose her whereabouts and the whereabouts of the children in an effort to deprive you of access to the children, then it is possible that you have a kidnapping case on your hands. To correct this situation, you should first contact the police and advise them of the situation if for no other reason than to document your wife’s actions. Further, you should make arrangements to follow through on your concerns about the custody of your children by filing your petition for divorce and seeking temporary custody orders if they are available to you in you jurisdiction. As your litigation progresses, I would caution you against unnecessarily sharing information with your spouse or advising her of your future plans until you have consulted with your attorney.

Turning to your more substantive concerns, it appears that your wife stays home to care for the children alone while you are away at work. I am concerned that your allegations that she is unfit and negligent may be somewhat diluted by the pattern of conduct you appear to have established, namely, that you allow her to watch the children unsupervised on a regular basis. My clients often tell me that they have left their child(ren) with a spouse whom they claim to be unfit at the time of the divorce because the family could not afford daycare. While I am sympathetic to that situation, your children’s safety should come before all other considerations, financial or otherwise. Find alternative childcare.

Question:
I want to see my kids. My ex and I separated (never married) and she will not let me see my kids I cannot afford to pay for a court case. I have been having a hard time and I was in jail for a time and I am behind on support. I am trying to get back on my feet and I will pay her for support as fast as I can. She will never allow me to see them willingly. I have never been acused of any abuse and everyone knows I am a loving father. I do not have a place nor money. I want to see them and work to be a provider again, My kids are the most important thing in the world to me and I will do anything to be a dad again. Where do I start?

Answer:
Without an order providing you with custody rights, you can enforce visitation with your children. Although most jurisdictions do not allow a custodial parent to refuse the non-custodial parent access to the parties’ child(ren) because the non-custodial parent is behind on child support, you must first have an order establishing your custodial rights. If you do not have the funds to seek a private attorney, your city or state may provide free or reduced rate legal aid services for qualified applicants.

Jill Best is an attorney with Cordell & Cordell, PC, a family-law firm focusing on men. She writes for DadsDivorce.com

Submit your questions to sdladvice@singledadlife.com

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1. Will a Court Favor the Ex-Wife When Unemployed?
2. Can I Use Erratic Behavior Of Ex To Obtain More Custody?
3. My Wife Wants a Divorce, I do not