Holiday Travel: Important Passport Information For Parents and Children

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

01 Dec 2006 10:32 PM

In a previous blog I shared with you the lesson my friend learned the hard way about applying for a passport for a child: There is absolutely no chance (despite any begging, pleading, or "rationalizing") that you will obtain a passport for your child unless he or she is present. Simply put: f you are applying for a passport for your child you MUST have the child with you. All first-time passport applicants must apply in person, regardless of age.

You'll find that the information will be especially vital come January 2007. That's when nearly all air travelers entering the United States will be required to show passports-including returning Americans and people from Canada and other nations in the Western Hemisphere. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff recently announced that the department had not set a specific date for enacting the new passport requirement for air travelers, but he did say a tentative date of January 23rd is in place as a way to push the start past the holiday season.

The current passport rules state that U.S. citizens returning from other countries in the hemisphere are not required to present passports but must show other proof of citizenship such as driver's licenses or birth certificates. Chertoff said the current process of examining thousands of different licenses and birth certifications puts "an enormous burden" on Customs and Border inspectors. He said requiring all travelers to present a passport would make the system more uniformed in nature.

One more note about international travel. If you are a parent traveling with your children alone-regardless of whether you are married and just flying with your child and your spouse had to stay home, or you are divorced or widowed---you need to have a notarized authorization from your spouse to take your child out of the country, or a notarized copy of a death certificate or other proof that you have permission for your child to leave the United States with you. All major airlines are enforcing this policy to combat the problem of international kidnapping.

Related Articles:

Traveling With Children-Learn From My Mistakes

Passports For Children--What You Need To Know

Electronic Passports

E-Passports--UPDATE

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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