Permission for travel

slits

In two weeks I'm taking my two sisters (15 and 17) to Blackpool by ferry and train I'm 19 and I haven't really seem much about permission for my younger sister as she is 15 would I need to get something signed to bring her?

fdevine

We took our son's firnd with us on holiday last year and just brought a letter signed by his parents giving permission to travel with us;

"To Whom It May Concern:

We, the persons named below;

Name:
Address:

parent(s)/legal guardian(s) of the following minor;

Name:
Date of birth:
Passport number:
Date of issue:
Place of issue of passport:

hereby give our consent for NAME to travel to PLACE with the person(s) named below during the period from DATE to DATE inclusive;

Name:
Passport No.:
Date of Issue:
Place of Issue:
Telephone:

Flight No./Transport Details

During this period NAME will be residing/travelling with NAME to

DESTINATION(S)

Any questions regarding this consent letter can be directed to the undersigned:


Signed by parent(s) or legal guardian(s)

Signed by Accompanying adults

You may not need anything but better to have it and not need it than vice versa.

coylemj

Seriously doubt that the OP (who at 19 is an adult) being stopped and questioned about a 15 year old accompanying him, especially a girl of that age, most of whom could pass for 18 or 19.

If they all have ID (recommended, regardless of this issue) then anyone will see that they all have the same surname so how could there be a problem?

Riskymove

coylemj wrote: »

If they all have ID (recommended, regardless of this issue) then anyone will see that they all have the same surname so how could there be a problem?

While I agree - especially ferry to UK as there is limited immigration - it is always better to be safer rather than sorry - for the sake of writing a letter I'd get it done.

coylemj

Riskymove wrote: »

While I agree - especially ferry to UK as there is limited immigration - it is always better to be safer rather than sorry - for the sake of writing a letter I'd get it done.

Nonsense.

Thousands of fathers and sons (and a few daughters) fly and take the ferry to England and Scotland to go to football matches every year, have you ever heard of any of them being stopped and asked for that type of letter?

If that girl is with a family member who is over 18, there is no basis for stopping her from travelling - none. 'Just in case' can be used to justify anything.

EverythingGood

coylemj wrote: »

Nonsense.

Thousands of fathers and sons (and a few daughters) fly and take the ferry to England and Scotland to go to football matches every year, have you ever heard of any of them being stopped and asked for that type of letter?

If that girl is with a family member who is over 18, there is no basis for stopping her from travelling - none. 'Just in case' can be used to justify anything.

My daughter spends her summers in Poland with her grandparents (she's 9 now, and has been doing this since age 4) and we always provide a letter like above. She has once been stopped in Dublin, and questioned in private (very nicely and safely) and at least 3 times in Poland(in Polish and again on her own).

coylemj

EverythingGood wrote: »

My daughter spends her summers in Poland with her grandparents (she's 9 now, and has been doing this since age 4) and we always provide a letter like above. She has once been stopped in Dublin, and questioned in private (very nicely and safely) and at least 3 times in Poland(in Polish and again on her own).

Which proves exactly what?

The OP's sister is 15 (and like most teenage girls nowadays, probably looks older) and is travelling to the UK with an adult family member.

How is there any similarity between the OP's situation and yours?

EverythingGood

coylemj wrote: »

Which proves exactly what?

The OP's sister is 15 (and like most teenage girls nowadays, probably looks older) and is travelling to the UK with an adult family member.

How is there any similarity between the OP's situation and yours?

Children (under 16) travelling with an adult that is not their parent/guardian to a foreign country.

coylemj

EverythingGood wrote: »

Children (under 16) travelling with an adult that is not their parent/guardian to a foreign country.

There is nothing on the Irish Ferries website about young people travelling on the ferry, with or without an adult.

On the Aer Lingus website, they say the following.....

Children under 12 years of age can only travel with us if accompanied by an adult aged 16 years or older, who will take responsibility for the child.

Aer Lingus will accept unaccompanied young passengers aged 12-15 years inclusive subject to the Form of Indemnity requirements below, but unfortunately we can't provide special assistance for these passengers.

https://www.aerlingus.ie/travel-information/travelling-with-children/unaccompanied-minors/

So a 15 year old girl travelling with her 19 year old brother requires no special booking or documentation to fly with Aer Lingus. There appears to be no special requirements with Irish Ferries, the topic is not covered at all on their FAQs.

The 'Form of Indemnity' required by Aer Lingus (for unaccompanied minors) is, as it's name suggests, nothing to do with permission to travel but is rather a legal waiver absolving Aer Lingus of liability.

Riskymove

coylemj wrote: »

Nonsense.

Nonsense to agree with you? perhaps...I do think its unlikely anything will happen...but....as I say its a letter from his folks in his pocket just in case....why so up in arms on the matter?

coylemj

Riskymove wrote: »

Nonsense to agree with you? perhaps...I do think its unlikely anything will happen...but....as I say its a letter from his folks in his pocket just in case....why so up in arms on the matter?

Because as far as I'm concerned, telling someone to do something 'just in case' (with no factual backup and/or zero attempt at research on the topic) is far too common on this forum and wastes people's time.

But clearly you are as free as anyone else to chip in your tuppence worth - lest I be accused of backseat modding.

EverythingGood

coylemj wrote: »

Because as far as I'm concerned, telling someone to do something 'just in case' (with no factual backup and/or zero attempt at research on the topic) is far too common on this forum and wastes people's time.

But clearly you are as free as anyone else to chip in your tuppence worth - lest I be accused of backseat modding.

Typing and printing a letter takes 5 mins and gives peace of mind. And in my experience, it has been required, on more than one occasion.

fdevine

coylemj wrote: »

Because as far as I'm concerned, telling someone to do something 'just in case' (with no factual backup and/or zero attempt at research on the topic) is far too common on this forum and wastes people's time.

But clearly you are as free as anyone else to chip in your tuppence worth - lest I be accused of backseat modding.

Nobody is/was telling the OP to do anything. The OP asked for advice and advice was given. Some of said advice was from people with personal experience of the same potential issue.

The issue relates not to the the travel provider but to the outside chance that the authorities may, repeat may, look for proof that the child (regardless of how old they look) has permission to travel with an adult that is not their parent or legal guardian. Fathers &/or mothers with sons &/or daughters is completely different.

None of us can say for sure that the OP will be stopped but nor can you guarantee that they will not.

Daisy 55

I'd bring a letter. Was questioned at Dublin airport when returning from holiday with my daughter, because we don't have the same surname.

coylemj

fdevine wrote: »

The issue relates not to the the travel provider but to the outside chance that .....

The issue does relate to the travel provider because (1) Irish Ferries has nothing on their website about young people travelling to the UK, with or without an adult and (2) there are virtually no immigration checks on people travelling between Ireland and the UK on the ferries. In the 70s and 80s, the cops at Holyhead used to pull over a lot of young men (especially with beards), ask them questions and look for ID but those days are long gone.

I agree that if you are going to end up at an immigration desk in Poland or wherever that such a letter may be required but there is no way it is needed for a 15 year old girl travelling on a ferry to the UK with her 19 year old brother.

fdevine

coylemj wrote: »

The issue does relate to the travel provider because (1) Irish Ferries has nothing on their website about young people travelling to the UK, with or without an adult and (2) there are virtually no immigration checks on people travelling between Ireland and the UK on the ferries. In the 70s and 80s, the cops at Holyhead used to pull over a lot of young men (especially with beards), ask them questions and look for ID but those days are long gone.

I agree that if you are going to end up at an immigration desk in Poland or wherever that such a letter may be required but there is no way it is needed for a 15 year old girl travelling on a ferry to the UK with her 19 year old brother.

The question the OP asked, or the issue the OP raised, was about permission to travel which I don't think was related to "will be be allowed on the ferry" but rather "will I get hassle from the authorities on disembarking".

Yes, there is perhaps a minuscule chance or being stopped but there is "no way" you can guarantee that there won't be an issue. The UK, despite the travel arrangement between us still a foreign country like "Poland or wherever" and it only takes one jobsworth to cause problems.

Still think it's better to have a letter and not need it than vice versa however slim the chance of being stopped

deisemum

Daisy 55 wrote: »

I'd bring a letter. Was questioned at Dublin airport when returning from holiday with my daughter, because we don't have the same surname.

Same happened with my sister and her 15 year old daughter when travelling to the UK, they have different surnames.

Jim2007

It is not just about actual travel, it is also about having authority to make medical decisions in the event of an emergency.