BajaNomad - do children still need notorized permission from abcentee parent to enter Baja?

do children still need notorized permission from abcentee parent to enter Baja?

nancita - 11-27-2008 at 05:03 PM

woody with a view - 11-27-2008 at 05:08 PM

most likely. why would the law change? to make it easier for parents to kidnap their child and take them across the border?

movinguy - 11-27-2008 at 06:11 PM

Yes

cabobaja - 11-27-2008 at 06:44 PM

By air, no! My 10 year old son flew into San Diego from Los Cabos. He only needs to show his US passport entering US and his Mexican passport entering Mexico. He flew Alaska Airlines. They, US Immigration and Mexico Immigration requires no other documents.

But, if the child is flying the airlines will advise you. If the child is crossing at a US/Mexico border crossing, check with US/Mexico Immigration.

If the child

Mango - 11-27-2008 at 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cabobaja
By air, no! My 10 year old son flew into San Diego from Los Cabos. He only needs to show his US passport entering US and his Mexican passport entering Mexico. He flew Alaska Airlines. They, US Immigration and Mexico Immigration requires no other documents.

But, if the child is flying the airlines will advise you. If the child is crossing at a US/Mexico border crossing, check with US/Mexico Immigration.

If the child

Was the childs mother with you? From my understanding.. the child does need written permission for the absent parent to enter Mexico with only one parent.

Perhaps you have outlined a loophole in the law that allows "rich" people (that can afford a plane ticket) to kidnap their children? :lol:

fdt - 11-27-2008 at 08:27 PM

Quote:

Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why misslead the people.

Any child traveling "alone, with only one partent or with whoever" MUST HAVE a notarized afidavit from the non present or both non preset parents giving permision to travel.
If whoever is traveling with the child has legal custody, he/she must present documentation stating that.

[Edited on 11-28-2008 by fdt]

fdt - 11-27-2008 at 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cabobaja
He only needs to show his US passport entering US and his Mexican passport entering Mexico.

And his Chinese passport entering China?

Ken Bondy - 11-27-2008 at 08:39 PM

Yes, of course they do. Any child entering Mexico with only one parent needs notarized permission from the other parent.

Mango - 11-27-2008 at 08:45 PM

Thanks Ken and FDT for setting this straight.

fdt - 11-27-2008 at 08:50 PM

Just google "International child abduction".

This is very delicate.

cabobaja - 11-27-2008 at 11:29 PM

fdt, please......I have not mislead anyone. I gave you the truth. My 10 year old son flew here to San Diego for Thanksgiving ALONE from Los Cabos. Not the first time. NO, I repeat, NO notarized affidavit was required.

If you want to question me, call Alaska Airlines and they will also tell you.

Ken, I know your intentions are good, but you are wrong also.

I gave nancita the truth by air, and also advised him/her to contact US/Mexican Immigration if the child enters via the border.

cabobaja - 11-27-2008 at 11:34 PM

Mango, your assuming I am rich? Read my post. If you have further questions U2U me.

Packoderm - 11-28-2008 at 12:27 AM

It is hit or miss. Even if they did not ask for the affidavit a particular time or two, that doesn't mean that it is not required. I wouldn't think of going into Mexico without it. It's only ten dollars for the notarization.

Katiejay99 - 11-28-2008 at 07:18 AM

My children visited me almost every summer and they always had a signed and notarized letter from their father giving his permission but the airlines never asked them for it. Then came the exception. My 16 year old was flying alone and this one time he forgot to get the letter from his dad. I got a phone call from him when he was in LA waiting for his connecting flight. He was in tears. His dad could not be found by phone (he was in MS) and I had no way to get anything notarized (it was a Sunday and the consulate office was closed). The airlines held him up until the final call for his connecting flight and then, with me on the phone pleading that they allow him to get on the flight, they did so.

It was very traumatic for my son. It is just much easier to have the proper paperwork at hand, whether they ask for it or not.

Ken Bondy - 11-28-2008 at 07:49 AM

cabobaja I advise that you be very careful with this, before you call experienced individuals wrong. As others have pointed out, the fact that you are not asked for the notarized permission form does not mean it is not required. My kids have accompanied me into Mexico (via private aircraft) more than fifty times without their mother, but I ALWAYS had her notarized permission form with me. I was asked for it only three times, once in Tijuana, once in Mexicali, once in La Paz. It would have been extremely stressful for me, the kids, and others on the trips if we would have been detained or refused entry for lack of the permission slip. I realize we could have begged, looked sad, and tried mordida if the officials insisted on the missing permission form, and maybe they would have let us pass. But maybe they wouldn't. The permission form is so easy to obtain it is difficult for me to see why you are so adamant that it is not required. Why don't you just check with a Mexican consulate office and see what they say.

movinguy - 11-28-2008 at 08:30 AM

I was denied boarding an America West flight from Phoenix to Guaymas with my daughters because I didn't have notarized permission from their mother.

fdt - 11-28-2008 at 09:18 AM

Sorry cabobaja if you feel ofended, that is not the intention, the truth is that international child abduction is a very serious matter and it's usualy the other parent that is the abducter. Who is this nancita? Asking if children "still" need notarized permision? Needs storage in Los Barriles? Said also that a "friend" wants to fly from Canada but not land in the US?
I have personal experience with stuff like this and the red lights are flashing.
If Alaska Airlines personel are not following the rules, I think it should not be condoned.
http://www.crnjapan.com/prevention/en/airlines.html

http://apostille.us/news/continental_airlines_sued_for_negli...

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-132045949.html

Marie-Rose - 11-28-2008 at 10:15 AM

We also had an experience with Alaska Air requesting a copy of notarized permission in LA when we were traveling with friends. The father of the children was booked on a flight that was leaving earlier so he had been checked thru and when we went thru with the mom and kids... they wanted a notarized permission slip. At that time, Carol actually got the paperwork done in the LA airport. Cost her $100 and a very close call on making her flight. Don't chance it!!!!!

David K - 11-28-2008 at 10:18 AM

It is better to HAVE IT and not need it, than to NEED IT and not have it!!!

As a single parent, with dozens of driving trips to Baja with one or both of my children... as well as taking one of their friends south on occaision... (to 2006) I can tell you all that I have NEVER, NEVER been asked to show the permission slip...

In fact, the only time I was asked... when I was driving south at 16 years of age, with friends (1974) was at Mexicali. The border gaurd asked our ages, then said we were too young to enter Mexico. To that I replied, "WE have the necessary papers!"... The gaurd responded, "YOU have the necessary paper?"... I repeated, "YES, we have the necessary papers!". With that (and not asking to see them), he waved us into Mexico and said, "PASA, HAVE A GOOD TIME!!"

Gotta love the place!!

capitolkat - 11-28-2008 at 10:20 AM

Rules do change-- I for years went through the notarized permission process and still would do so if I still had minor children-- but a few years ago a friend asked me what to do as the airline advised her she did not need the notarized form. so I checked the Mexican Embassy here in DC and with Alaska airlines to confirm their practice. They faxed me the Mexican immigration directory about the traveling children requirement and it clearly stated no notarized letter was required for travel on Alaska- so being a reseacher I went to Continental who also confirmed no letter was required. The Mexican Embassy also- after a lot of time and several calls to different representatives- said the requirement had been repealed. this was about 2006-

So before everyone blows a gasket- I said if I was still doing the minor transport thing I would get the letter- because sure as you don't the kid will have a cut foot requiring a stitch or two and the hospital will ask for your authority or the dopey 16 year old will be caught drinking beer or riding the ATV on the beach and to get him out of jail some local yokle will ask for the letter- and no amount of explaining that the Embassy said I don't need will make any difference.

so for me the answer is clear - It's no longer required but is really a good idea-- Norm

Other way round

Dave - 11-28-2008 at 10:36 AM

do children still need notorized permission from abcentee parent to enter Baja?

It's my understanding that permission is needed from the custodial, not non-custodial parent.

Paulina - 11-28-2008 at 12:12 PM

Dave,
That puts it in a different light for me. I've never had one, nor have I been asked for one in over 20 years of traveling alone with my kiddos. I was about to email the X asking him to provide one, but if he is the non-custodial parent, then it's not necessary?

Can anyone provide a link to the offical ruling?

Thanks,
P.

Ken Bondy - 11-28-2008 at 12:20 PM

Paulina, I just emailed the LA Mexican consulate asking the question. Will post the reply when I get it. May be a long time since I did it in Spanish

Paulina - 11-28-2008 at 12:22 PM

Thanks Ken,

Cody may be going with us for New Years. I wanted to have all my patos in a row (for a change).

Dave - 11-28-2008 at 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Paulina
Dave,
That puts it in a different light for me. I've never had one, nor have I been asked for one in over 20 years of traveling alone with my kiddos. I was about to email the X asking him to provide one, but if he is the non-custodial parent, then it's not necessary?

My source is my son-in-law who does everything according to Hoyle. He has three kids. One lives with his ex in Chicago and the other two with him. Says he only needs permission for the one child. I don't know if the requirement has been rescinded, though. Wouldn't make much sense to me. But then again...This is Mexico.

[Edited on 11-28-2008 by Dave]

Sharksbaja - 11-28-2008 at 03:01 PM

Ok, here's the way it doesn't work. My wife and son were to join me in Baja. They were taking a Alaskan Airlines flight with a stop-over in San Diego.
At the Portland check-in desk they were asked for a notorized affidavit from me stating our minor child could travel to Mex with my wife.

They did not have one so they drove the three hours to get home and contacted me to arrange getting one.

Meanwhile....
I waited for three hours in Loreto but no wife and child appeared and I went back to Mulege.

The airline said they/she needed one from me and it needed notorizing so I wrote the letter then drove to Sta Rosalia and had it translated so the notorio could understand it then I faxed it to my wife in Oregon.

This time the airlines said a notorized paper from Mex was no good. My wife was in tears as they refused to accept the paper. Then at the last minutes before the flight the recommended they have a "resident" notorio at the airport sign off on it. They warned however that it may not be accepted at the San Diego airport but would not call them and said "you can take a chance".
They flew to San Diego and onto Loreto. When they arrived at the airport in Loreto the immigration folks held them there for two hours while questioning the validity of the notorized paper.
Finally they said the document was worthless and eventually let them in the country anyway.

Subsequent complaints and calls to Alaskan Airlines confirmed the idiots knew squat about how the law works, in either country.

It cost me two days of driving back and forth to Loreto and Sta Rosalia and my poor wife and child were put through hell in the US airports. They were all extremely rude and unhelpful. Jerks in both airports.

Needless to say, there are just about the same number of marooons on both sides of the border and my family will NEVER unless an emergency happens, fly into Loreto/Mexico again.

All I can say is; make and get the letter notorized in the U.S. Then absolutely DO NOT show it to anyone unless it's demanded. Why ask for trouble.

bajalera - 11-28-2008 at 04:36 PM

It seems pretty obvious that Mexican law regarding the need for permission from the absent parent is interpreted in different ways.

Does this really s urprise anyone?

Ken Bondy - 12-1-2008 at 10:42 AM

The Mexican consulate just responded to my email question by referring me to "legal assistance" at 866-587-4639. I called the number and talked with a lady who spoke reasonably good English. She told me that if one parent accompanies a minor child into Mexico, a notarized letter of permission IS REQUIRED from the other parent.

bajaandy - 12-1-2008 at 01:00 PM

I've made many, many trips to Baja with my minor son, and as others have stated I've never once been asked to show a permission slip. But that does not mean I don't have one...

I've attached a msword doc that does a pretty good job. (You still have to get it notorized.)

Attachment: AUTHORIZATION FOR FOREIGN TRAVEL WITH MINOR.doc (22kB)
This file has been downloaded 287 times

Skipjack Joe - 12-2-2008 at 09:35 PM

If you're driving to Guerrero Negro or beyond, the people at the immigration booth will always ask to see the notarized permission and will not let you pass without it.

bajaguy - 12-2-2008 at 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajalera
It seems pretty obvious that Mexican law regarding the need for permission from the absent parent is interpreted in different ways.

Does this really s urprise anyone?

***********************************************

From Ken Bondy:

The Mexican consulate just responded to my email question by referring me to "legal assistance" at 866-587-4639. I called the number and talked with a lady who spoke reasonably good English. She told me that if one parent accompanies a minor child into Mexico, a notarized letter of permission IS REQUIRED from the other parent.

**********************************************

Does this contradiction really surprise anyone????? This is Baja......get the authorization.......if you need it, you have it. If you don't need it....so what.........why take a chance????

[Edited on 12-3-2008 by bajaguy]

Martyman - 3-17-2009 at 11:22 AM

One more question. My kid is 17 and we are headed down next month. Is he a minor or an adult in Mexico?
Do I need to get Mamas permission?

fdt - 3-17-2009 at 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Martyman
One more question. My kid is 17 and we are headed down next month. Is he a minor or an adult in Mexico?
Do I need to get Mamas permission?

No Espolon Reposado until he's 18

Paulina - 3-17-2009 at 11:43 AM

http://www.globetrektravel.com/minortravelforms.pdf

Here's the form I gave my ex to fill out back in November when this thread began. Now if I could get him to return it to me, that would make my day. :lol:

P<*)))>{

Martyman - 3-17-2009 at 12:44 PM

Thanks for the reply. I'll get the notarized copy although sometimes I feel like leaving him to fend for himself. He sometimes drives me loco!!

His older bro is 20. He'll be buying the Espolon!!