Parenting post-divorce will undoubtedly be far more complicated than co-parenting in the same household. Most parents know this, and they plan to make the situation easier by accounting for potentially tricky situations in their Michigan child custody agreement. However, one consideration many parents fail to make is international travel. If you want to take your child on vacation overseas or one of the U.S.’s neighbors, you may wonder, is it possible to travel internationally with your child? According to TravelDailyNews, the answer depends on a few different factors.
First and foremost, you must look to your parenting agreement. If you have joint legal custody of your child — which is the most common type of parenting scheme — you and your former partner must make all major decisions pertaining to the child together. International travel is a major decision. Your shared parenting agreement may or may not contain information regarding holidays and travel. For instance, it may stipulate during which periods each parent has the right to take the child on an out-of-state or international vacation (during summer break, spring break, Christmas vacation, etc.). If your parenting agreement does not contain provisions regarding out-of-state or international travel, then you must obtain the other parent’s permission before scheduling a vacation.
Once you sort out permissions, you must then jump through the bureaucratic hoops. Traveling with children of divorce is difficult, as you must prepare all the required papers, documents and permissions. For instance, you must specify precisely where you plan to go, with whom you plan to stay and any travel companions outside of your children. You must include contact information, addresses and any other details of the trip you have planned. The other parent should receive all this information before your departure.
Next, you must ensure your child has all the requisite travel documents. When you travel domestically, your child does not need identification. However, for international flights or cruises, he or she will need a passport. When applying for a passport on behalf of your child, you must have the other parent’s permission.
This article is not meant to serve as legal advice. It is for informational purposes only.
