Solo Parent Travel

[Lemon_Party]

I'm travelling in a month with our toddler, and my partner isn't able to join. Visiting Thailand and Malaysia. I'm finding it hard to get clear information on whether it is as straightforward as our previous trips as the three of us have been or otherwise.
Some articles I've found suggest stat decs, birth certificates and other supporting documents may all be needed.
Has anyone done this recently and can give some advice on whether exiting AU and entering other countries needs additional documents?
thanks!

 

[flyingfan]

No issue with exiting/entering Australia whatsoever unless there have been custody issues.

 

[JohnK]

You may encounter immigration officers in Thailand that insist on birth certificates but I cannot see that you'd have issues anywhere else.

 

[Gremlin]

Whenever Mrs G or I travelled internationally with the kids without the other parent, we took a signed letter from the other parent stating that we understood they were travelling with the child(ren). It included contact details for confirmation.

Most of the time we were waved through. On two occasions the letter was reviewed by border officials and the other parent was contacted to confirm (once leaving Australia, once leaving South Africa when travelling onwards to Europe).

We have friends who have two kids and regularly travel where they each take one kid with them (often meeting up at their destination). He is on an British Passport, she is on an Irish Passport and the kids both travel on Australian Passports. Mum and Dad have different surnames, kids have Dad's surname. They always travel with a letter from the other parent. They have had a few questions at times, but their documentation and a couple of calls have been all it took to wave them through.

 

[tdimdad]

This is something that applies with young kids, right? We started to travel solo with kids when the youngest one was in pre-teen years, and not a question at any of the borders. Though, we all share the same family name which would probably make it more logical for the border officials to link us together.

 

[xt_20]

I travelled to Malaysia alone with my young son without the Mrs. No issue at all. Can't comment about Thailand.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

For Aust, unless there is family court action, ie, no taking kids out of Aust, no worries.