A tweet issued by the Home Office s yesterday caused outrage amongst the travelling public yesterday. https://twitter.com/
The tweet alerts travellers to bring birth or adoption certificates to the airport or ferry terminal if they children have a different surname to the adults they are travelling with.
It has attracted comment such as:
“Get through passport control quicker? Don’t target women who don’t use their husbands name then! This is a disgusting assumption!! On Saturday I was stopped by UKBA on ARRIVAL back in UK and separated from my 3 sons. I’m married woman with her birth name.”
“I am fundamentally against this. My husband and I have different surnames. And our son bears my husband’s. Not unusual for parents to have different surnames in the 21st Century. Appalling stuff by @sajidjavid and the Home Office.”
“And back to the patriarchy we go. Women do not belong to men. Therefore we are under no obligation to change our name should we choose to marry. Have you any idea how sexist this is!?”
“Many families have different surnames to each other. It’s 2018.”
“Seriously? I am not taking my entire family’s birth certificates with me every time we go abroad. What exactly is it that you are trying to establish? Surely all that matters is that we have valid travel documents?”
Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association (SPAA) chairman Ken McLeod has the following advice for Scottish travellers: “This is not a new piece of legislation which has just been introduced by the Home Office. It’s been a requirement for several years and it’s in place to prevent child abduction.
“It’s not compulsory to take proof in the form of official documents. However, you can be stopped by Border Control staff and questioned about your relationship if you are travelling with a child or children who have a different surname.
“It’s helpful, and can speed up the process, to take the following documentation with you – a birth or adoption certificate showing your relationship with the child or a divorce or marriage certificate if you are the parent but have a different surname to that of the child.
“If you are travelling with a someone else’s child then it’s advisable to take a letter with you from the child’s parent or social worker which gives you permission to be travelling with the child.
“It’s common for people to book their own travel online, and in doing so they can miss out on the valuable advice which a travel agent can offer. Professional travel agents provide up to the minute advice and a human voice rather than an online chatbot.
“The Home office tweet related to general travel out of the UK with minors, but there are some very specific regulations in particular countries. For example, if you are travelling to South Africa as two biological parents of the child you are with, you must also bring the child’s birth certificate listing both parents and these must be the original documents or certified copies of the original.
“If the child is travelling into South Africa and is accompanied by only one parent then you must also present a parental consent affidavit which less than four months old.
“For children under the age of 18 travelling with only one parent or guardian to or from the USA, a notarised letter from the absent parent or legal guardian is a requirement. In Canada the age for this rises to 19.
“Anyone concerned about these regulations who has booked with a travel agent should talk to their agent who will be able to provide them with country specific information as well as the general UK advice about families travelling with different surnames.”
The SPAA was founded in 1921 and currently has 120 member companies and 92 associate members representing a wide cross section of the travel and transport industry. It is run by an elected council made up of industry representatives. Further information is available at www.spaa.org.
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