This is important if you want to avoid the hassle
The school year is almost over and Summer is fast approaching which means; it’s holiday time.
Of course, this is a very exciting time for families across Ireland but going abroad can also be very stressful.
As you edge closer and closer to jetting off, remembering where the kid’s passports are and making sure they’ve the right clothes packed is a major challenge.
However, there’s another thing parents must remember because this passport rule applies to parents who have children with a different surname than them.
This brings on a whole pile of new problems in itself including the possibility of a parent being questioned at the airport on whether their child is actually theirs – it’s scary.
Parents can be asked to provide additional proof that the child is in fact their child, so it may be a good idea to bring extra documentation.
Not many families bring birth certificates with them on holidays but to avoid delays and questioning at terminals, this could be a good call.
This problem affects more mums than dads
To people who have children with different last names, it’s a normal scenario for so many people.
However, it can raise red flags for officials because their priority is protecting minors, so they’re always on the look out for tell-tale human trafficking signs.
This can often affect more mums than dads. That’s because the child is more likely to have its father’s surname than its mother’s.
Many parents have experienced questioning at airports because of this issue and some have shared their stories in order to warn other parents about it before they head off on holiday.
Eddi Fiegel, an award-winning Journalist with The Telegraph shared her story with the publication.
She was returning to the UK from a trip to Paris with her nine-year-old daughter.
Eddi wrote: “On handing over our passports at the UK Border Force control booths before boarding the Eurostar, the officer looked us up and down before demanding, ‘And what is your relationship to each other?'”
She went on to say that Boarder Control asked for Georgia’s birth cert and her birth father’s passport before finally letting the pair pass through security.
Definitely some food for thought ahead of your trip out of the country this Summer.
