A senior lawyer has issued a warning to parents travelling abroad with children with different surnames.
Families across the UK will be preparing for a break away during the school half term. It's not unusual for parents to have different last names to their children, but a partner at Stowe Family Law urged parents to ensure they have the correct documentation to avoid ruining the holiday.
Matthew Taylor said: "Having a different surname to your children means you need certain things to take the children out of the country without the other parent. With the news across the country at the moment of ridiculously long queues for security, plus the changes Brexit has brought about, like new passports and the need for a GHIC, not an EHIC, more documents can seem overwhelming.
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"However, it is essential that parents are prepared with the right things to help them and the children pass smoothly across borders." Additional checks are in place at airport to help protect a child's safety - so parents with different last names could be subjected to extra questioning to prove they are the legal guardian.
The government warns taking a child abroad without permission is child abduction. The official advice explains you automatically have parental responsibility if you’re the child’s mother, but you still need the permission of anyone else with parental responsibility before you take the child abroad.
Mr Taylor said: "Certain controls are in place to prevent child trafficking and kidnapping - obviously a good thing and sadly necessary. However, this does mean that getting into a foreign country can be difficult if you have a different surname and haven't got the right documents for your children.
"In this situation, unless you have a Child Arrangements Order confirming that a child “lives with” you, to take children abroad, you do need written consent from the other parent, saying they give you permission to take their child/children out of the country.
"You will also need the child's birth certificate and proof of your name change if you changed your surname since the birth of the child. It is also likely that the children themselves may be asked some questions by immigration, so it is vital that parents prepare the children and make sure they understand that this is serious and no time for a joke!
"With the right documents in place, plus your extra early arrival at the airport to ensure you get through those queues, you won't miss your flight and will sail through border control. One less stress."
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