Originally Posted by
Eclipsepearl
Don't just write up a letter for the sake of it. You won't have any "peace of mind" if it doesn't meet the country's requirements.
Only a few countries require these letters and the few that do, are very picky about what they want it to be and say. Chile, Canada and Mexico come to mind (is Mexico off the list??) Get the latest information. How current should the date be? Should it be notarized? Which language does it have to be in?? Don't write up any letter before getting the facts!
France knows that U.S. passport holders need both parents' signatures so they honor that. No letter (in addition to the permission given when the passport was applied for) needed. I travel in and out of France and Germany and have never been asked for a letter, even before I became a French citizen. I've also taken my children to the U.K. alone twice without problems.
Hopefully, there will be fewer and fewer countries requiring this, since is does absolutely nothing to prevent international abductions.
This hasnt been my experience - I've carried a letter to Canada, and been asked for the letter to Canada, but they were not picky about it. It wasn't even notarized. I may have saw some gears turning in the guys head about whether or not to GET picky, but in the end, he let us through after only 30 seconds of thinking about it.
In my experience, it is far far better to be safe than sorry. Typing up a simple letter (by the other parent saying how long the trip is for, what the trip is for, the dates, the names and birthdays of the kids, the destination address and the full awareness of these plans, etc etc) and getting the other parent to sign it takes 5-10 mins. Getting it notarized is even better, but in some places (germany, ahem), its a hassle so better SOMETHING than nothing.
For your last statement, I sorta agree. Its a good idea in principle but I wish they would think more smartly about how they are doing this. Canada is ... backwards - checking only kids that COME into the country, not kids that are being taken out. They are relying on other countries to be doing the same, but none of them do. I am not sure why - it would be a matter of a simple question to single parents coming through the US, Germany, etc.