intltraveller

A few years back I was visiting the UK and I was a few months short of my 18th birthday when I walked up to the immigration by myself (my dad was just behind but did not accompany me to the desk). The lady immediately asked me if I was travelling by myself despite my age and I indicated to my dad who she asked to come forward. Being inquisitive, I asked why did it matter if I was accompanied or not seeing as I'm an EU national (Irish) and she replied that they are on the look out for trafficking of minors ? Not sure if this remains a worry for the UK Border agency but thought I'd share the experience..

guessaaa

I was asked by CBP @ YVR pre-clearance for a consent letter many years ago when I was 15. The Canadian government has always recommended a letter when minors travel abroad alone, especially when not under the custody of the airline. http://www.voyage.gc.ca/preparation_...tement-eng.asp

wind-blownmind

Friend of mine got divorced when his daughter was 5, and has shared custody 50/50 with his ex-wife ever since. Whenever she flies out of YVR with either parent, both Canada and US border agents require a letter signed by the other parent stating she has permission to travel. Too many kids abducted by non-custodial parents it seems.

Next year she will be performing at the Edinburgh Fringe with her improv troupe, and won't have either parent along. I am going to send my friend a link to this thread so he can make sure she has her paperwork in order. Getting one letter signed by both of them is probably going to require lawyers...

mcgahat

I am assuming said letter needs to be notarized?

nufcrule3

I flew solo with BA at 15 (transatlantic) and I was never asked. The following times I flew solo I took a note just incase. They never asked me to see it. The only time I told them I had one was when I was at the US border (never asked in the UK).

AmericanFlyer777

I am 15 and flew AA to Heathrow in June. I am a UK national with a UK passport but a legal resident in the US and the immigration officer gave me an odd look but didn't say I needed to be 16 to enter without permission, just asked who was picking me up.

matthandy

A friend of a friend is an immigration officer (the kind that goes on raids, rather than working on the desks at an airport). I asked her if there was any reason that they could refuse you entry into the country as a British citizen. She said no, except where you are not able to satisfy the officer that you are a British citizen. She listed out examples such as lost passport, damaged passport etc. There is also no need to answer any questions such as where you have been, where you are going and why as you do not need to provide this information, except, I suspect if you are being questioned by the police under caution.

Unless the officer was concerned about human trafficing, which doesn't make sense if you are a British citzen entering Britain, I'm not sure what right that officer had to question your son.

wind-blownmind

Strictly speaking, yes it does, but my friend hasn't bothered for the last several years and its not been a problem. However, he does put his contact number on the letter, and he has received calls on more than one occasion.

Lucifer UK

I imagine some concern, particularly over UK citizens travelling to certain parts of Asia to be lured into marriage, is reasonable. However, this is on the return to the UK, which seems bizarre.

BA6501

My son (15) often travels alone (come to think of it, I can't remember the last time he was with someone). His experiences of arriving back into the UK vary quite a lot:

- no questions whatsoever
- where are you coming from
- are you travelling alone
- who is picking you up
- do you know how to go through (baggage, green/blue/red channel, etc)
- only once (sister picking him up), said sister being called

One of us are always at the airport when he arrives as a precaution, but he is of course able to come home alone! (That's how he gets to the airport on departure)

srbrenna

I had not been aware of this before and have travelled with Master srbrenna's friends without being challenged.

However about 6 months ago there was quite a large teenager (6'+) travelling with a teenage girl (about 5' 5") and what I assumed to be her mother (smaller). The mother was given the full nine yards by immigration as to why a letter was needed and this was not helped by them not speaking very good English. When my turn came I enquired about this and was given a big lecture about child abduction and how they have to ask everyone. I didn't want to point out that:
a) In this case the young lad didn't look that he was being abducted
b) Letters from parents / guardians in foreign countries would be difficult to verify
but I noticed that passengers in the long non-EU queue had overtaken me.

fredandgingermad

I flew to Canada at 16 with Air Canada alone and didnt get any questioning either going or coming back about entering without parental permission, that was 8 years ago however.
The notarized letter is all very well but if you have no contact with the absent parent then it makes life rather awkward, then again i've got no real rush to take my 4 year old to Canada or anywhere else asking for one

stifle

I was going to suggest registering for IRIS and avoiding interaction with UKBA in future, but they now block under-18s from using IRIS (and the ePassport gates too)

LTN Phobia

My guess is that they need to question some British citizens because they supposedly have to treat EU citizens equally at UK Borders, so they cannot single out any particular EU countries where child trafficking is rife.

In some EU countries, child trafficking is a serious issue. I remember reading about approximately 100 children from a certain EU country having been discovered in one instance to have been trafficked to the UK by a criminal gang.

rafigold

I was picking up my 17 year old (6 foot tall) nephew last year. I got a call while I was on my way to the airport from UKBA stating that he had to be met by a family member and they wouldn't let him through immigration until I called them from a phone in the arrivals area to confirm that I was at the airport. I have no idea what would have happened if he had been getting a cab or the tube home.