Regarding documentation of minors coming down to Cancun. My wife will be flying down in late May and meeting up with a friend of ours (our friend recently purchased a new car and received a free trip to Cancun in doing so). We (myself, my 17 year old son, and approximately 5-6 others) will be arriving in early June. My question is, do I need to have my wife sign some documentation and have it notorized allowing me to take our son to Mexico without her (even though she will already be in Cancun at the time)? We are going to contact the airline that we are using (my wife is also flying the same airline... just four days earlier), but would appreciate any info from those who are on the ground there in Cancun. Perhaps RiverGirl, since her hubby works with Immigration/Customs. I appreciate any info that you locals can provide. Just trying to ensure that our trip is as "snag-free" as possible. Thanks!
If you are traveling with a minor child alone you should bring along a notarized letter of consent. Here's a link to a thread with a standardized letter you can copy. http://www.cancuncare.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20470&highlight=notary child
Minor Children My daughter brought a friend with her. We had her parents complete a notorized letter. Funny thing! NOBODY ASKED FOR IT!! The child was 12 years old...traveling under a different name...had her own passport, immigration forms... NOBODY ASKED FOR ANYTHING!!! I thought that was strange and it bothered me a bit!
Have there been any recent developments about that issue? It came up almost two years ago, but I hadn't heard much since then: http://www.cancuncare.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12704
From all reports, sometimes they ask, sometimes they don't. I wouldn't take the risk of not having it, just in case.
You should definately bring a notarized letter of consent. I deal with companies to get visas for my travelers and it has a section on there for it. I traveled with my daughter back home to Canada in December and even got questioned there at the border so don't take any chances, it's really not worth it ruining your trip.
also, if you are traveling with a minor that's not yours, (your child's friend in most cases) it's a good idea to also have in the consent letter something about giving you authorization for medical care if needed.
Thanks for the information folks and thank you for the link CancunCanuck. We contacted the airline and they said that it wasn't necessary, but we have already drafted an authorization letter and will have it notarized. Better safe than sorry/Better to have and not need, than need and not have!
Sorry I missed this question, the subject line didn't clue me in to what it was about, and I don't always have time to read every post, especially when so many are about beer and boobs and stuff...grin. Technically Mexico no longer asks for the missing parent consent letter. So the Immigration agents in Cancun will not ask for it. But a lot of airlines don't believe this and will ask for it anyway, at least they did when the law changed at the beginning of 2006. Here's the critical issue. If the child has a passport it is assumed that BOTH parents allow the child to travel internationally. This is because BOTH parents must sign to get the child a passport. If the child has a passport you don't need the letter. My 12 year old travels alone between the US and Mexico. No permission letters, no nothing, just her passport and Mexican FM3.
