[PeteSpencer]

.......after a great day trip with 16y.o. grandson:

No customs on arrival, no taxis, so hired a couple of bikes for a great lunch, walk on the beach and obligatory coronary pinching (for me) ice cream.

Customs presence on departure: looked at passports: much huddled discussion behind the glass: Although he changed his surname same as mine last year after his parents married (don't ask) , his passport was still in his mum's name.

'He can't leave the country without written authorisation from his parents'

'I had no idea it was necessary'

'It's recent'

'How's about I telephone his dad? (gone away for anniversary break)'

'Non, we must 'ave a letter in writing''(I'm lying really: the entire conversation was conducted in French)

6pm flightplan time coming up fast.

'So what do you suggest I do?'

'Douanier(e) looks at her watch: 10 minute stern telling-off then: 'We'll let you depart this time but next time you must bring a letter'

So now I know......

Oh, and if the pilot of the cream/red striped stubby CAP like a/c that was doing aerobatics 8NM East of Headcorn at 11.58 L this morning is on here could he perhaps drop me a PM please?

Peter

[Rob L]

..'Non, we must 'ave a letter in writing''(I'm lying really: the entire conversation was conducted in French).....

I laughed out loud; thanks Peter!

[matthew_w100]

My then-16 year old nephew ran into this last summer. We'd had a family holiday in Italy but he was returning early on his own (to go to the Reading Festival). Immigration in the UK took great exception to his unaccompanied arrival and hauled him off to their little white room for interrogation. He had a passport in his own name but apparently he needed a letter from a parent (or perhaps both parents) declaring he wasn't a sex slave or some such. None of his adults had ever heard of this requirement, nor of the terrifying (for a 16-year old with booze in his back-pack...) consequences.

[Flyin'Dutch']

No doubt the same officials would be vilified on here should a minor have been found to have been allowed to travel on their own or with an 'uncle' and come to harm......

Had the same scenario when I took one of my daughters and her girly friend to the UK, yup there were a few questions but really no big deal.

We want these people to do their job or not?

[johnm]

No doubt the same officials would be vilified on here should a minor have been found to have been allowed to travel on their own or with an 'uncle' and come to harm......

Had the same scenario when I took one of my daughters and her girly friend to the UK, yup there were a few questions but really no big deal.

We want these people to do their job or not?

Well yes but it's the triumph of form over substance, just how hard would it be to forge a parental letter??? A gentle and friendly interrogation of the youngster might be sensible.

[PeteSpencer]

Two additional thoughts : they had my grandsons passport details on my customs request:
I wonder what would have happened if they had bothered to turn up in the morning?

Prolly wouldn't have let us enter .....

Frank: I'm not vilifying anybody , just reporting a totally unexpected occurrence which could have ruined our day.

As they say -ignorance of the law is no excuse- I certainly learnt that lesson.

Peter

[skydriller]

My Ex-Wife (French) makes a huge fuss about the fact that part of our divorce *agreement* is that she must give her written permission for our kids to go abroad with me despite them both having individual passports. On every single trip back to the UK, I have never, ever, been asked for any kind of letter by anybody - yet then both my children have my family name. She seems to have forgotten about Shengen not having any borders and that she decided to change her name back, so though I have never had a problem, she has...

Regards, SD..

*not really*

[James33]

Sounds like bow locks from an overzealous official to me.

The authorisation letter is only for children who live in France.

Source : https://www.service-public.fr/particuli ... oits/F1359

Un enfant étranger qui vit à l'étranger et qui séjourne ou transite par la France n'a pas non plus à présenter d'autorisation de sortie du territoire. Il devra être muni des titres d'identité et de voyage exigés par son pays de destination.

[PeteSpencer]

James:
Do you dare me to print that link off and take it with me next time?

[Flyin'Dutch']

James:
Do you dare me to print that link off and take it with me next time?

I will dare you - and look forward to the posting afterwards!

[Irv Lee]

I think the 'recent' means they have been enforcing it recently, I am sure this 'permission' for kids thing has been around for decades. I certainly mentioned it in PPL Masterclasses fifteen years ago for french trips

[dublinpilot]

Well yes but it's the triumph of form over substance, just how hard would it be to forge a parental letter??? A gentle and friendly interrogation of the youngster might be sensible.

The same thought crosses my mind. What controls are there to catch a forged letter? It's even easy to put a phone number on the letter and have someone available to answer it, who might not be the parent.

Or indeed, how do they know that the pilot isn't the parent? Surnames can be different for a whole load of reasons. Or they can be the same, but not be the childs parent.

Even school kids can forge parental letters! It's hardly beyond the wit of a child kidnapper.

And the most likely case for a child being kidnapped is by one of its parents! (After they have seperated/divorced).

[matthew_w100]

No doubt the same officials would be vilified on here should a minor have been found to have been allowed to travel on their own or with an 'uncle' and come to harm......

Had the same scenario when I took one of my daughters and her girly friend to the UK, yup there were a few questions but really no big deal.

We want these people to do their job or not?

Well yes. But none of us know what the requirements are. For our own country, let alone leaving another's. My nephew had trouble with UK immigration; Peter had it with French Customs.

This may be of use:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... -to-the-uk, though it is uninformative about unaccompanied children.

None of my colleagues had ever heard of the issue.

[Gertie]

And the most likely case for a child being kidnapped is by one of its parents!

When I took our three (very small at the time) children to the other side of the world on my own (my wife having gone ahead on business) I took a letter with me giving me her permission to transport the children on my own.

Nobody asked to see it. I can't remember on what advice we thought this a sensible precaution.

[patowalker]

I think the 'recent' means they have been enforcing it recently, I am sure this 'permission' for kids thing has been around for decades. I certainly mentioned it in PPL Masterclasses fifteen years ago for french trips

The requirement for children resident in France to have permission to leave without a parent was withdrawn in January 2013 and reinstated wef 15 January 2017.