Kids and passports?

[Andy and Kayla 45]

Andy and myself are doing what a lot of people do and having a small, civil ceremony for K1 purposes and at a later date having a bigger, more traditional wedding (although I guess it would technically be a renewal of vows but you get the idea) and we would like to have the traditional wedding in Niagara Falls, ON.

Andy has children under the age of 16 though, and we were wondering if anyone knows whether kids that young need passports. We've been looking on the US Travel website and it's very conflicting and vague. I know laws like this change all the time, but I was hoping someone had experience with this. They'll likely be flying into Buffalo and we'll be arranging for a travel bus for everyone coming from out of town, so I guess they would technically be entering the country by land.

The website goes back and forth between whether or not they need passports or just a birth certificate as well as written consent from their mother and also on how to apply for the passports (both parents need to be there or just one).

Here is the US Travel link, if anyone can make sense of it for us. This will be awhile away, but we were just hoping to find out what we needed so we weren't rushing at the last minute.

[Inky 1,110]

Before You Start, Please Note:

Minors under age 16 must apply in person

All minors regardless of age, including newborns and infants, must have their own passport when traveling internationally by air

In the first paragraph it says that from the link you posted, the rest of it basically says they have to apply in person and the parent has to apply for them/ be with them throughout the process.

to enter canada by air it is required to have a passport regarless of where you are coming from now too as of last january.

[Canadiandggal 49]

Hello,

From what prior experience from last year if you are traveling via land a birth certificate and a letter From the mom allowing the trip. However a passport is needed for all air trips and would be a benefit. The father can go get the children the passports if they have joint custody and on the pasport from there will be a place for the mom to sign as long as she signs it he can get the passport. He should always have a letter stating the children can travel on such dates

[Andy and Kayla 45]

Before You Start, Please Note:

Minors under age 16 must apply in person

All minors regardless of age, including newborns and infants, must have their own passport when traveling internationally by air

In the first paragraph it says that from the link you posted, the rest of it basically says they have to apply in person and the parent has to apply for them/ be with them throughout the process.

to enter canada by air it is required to have a passport regarless of where you are coming from now too as of last january.

Yes, but they'll be flying into Buffalo, NY and crossing the border by shuttle bus. Technically their flight won't be an international one.

[Andy and Kayla 45]

Hello,

From what prior experience from last year if you are traveling via land a birth certificate and a letter From the mom allowing the trip. However a passport is needed for all air trips and would be a benefit. The father can go get the children the passports if they have joint custody and on the pasport from there will be a place for the mom to sign as long as she signs it he can get the passport. He should always have a letter stating the children can travel on such dates

Yeah, when I was a kid going to Florida for vacation I needed written consent from my other parent (they were divorced, too) so I'm familiar with that part of things. But does that mean, then, if they're not entering the country via air they won't need passports for this? It'd be good to get them passports, anyway, but for the timebeing we're taking things in steps and don't want to throw in their passport applications with everything else going on if they won't need them to enter by land in 2012. I know the laws can change, but for right now am I to understand they won't need a passport to enter by land?

As far as custody, their mother has them most of the time and he gets them every six weeks/every school holiday plus alternating calendar holidays due to distance. I don't know how they would need to apply for the kids' passports in that situation. I guess we could just call someone next week but I was hoping someone had done this recently.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

I remember years ago taking my new born to Argentina that I got him a passport. Applying in person means going with the child to the passport office and submitting the application with the child there. His passport photo was taken of him sleeping more or less in a baby carrier with a white sheet as the background( under him above the carrier he was about 6 months at the time )

[sdw 10]

Correct. By land kids under 16 need there birth certificate and a permission letter.

This is what we use for my step kids when we visit my family in Canada.

[Hugglebuggles 60]

If you're flying into Buffalo and driving across the border, then they do not need a passport.

"Beginning June 1, 2009, U.S. and Canadian citizen children under age 16 arriving by land or sea from contiguous territory may also present an original or copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, a Naturalization Certificate, or a Canadian Citizenship Card."

That's from: WHTI

[Andy and Kayla 45]

Thanks everyone!

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Doesn;t hurt to have one though - just makes traveling easier in general...plus the note from the other parent of course.