I wonder if anyone can tell me the answer to this.  If a couple are divorced and the father of the child who is just 13 years old, wants to take the child on holiday abroad does he need the mothers permission (who the child lives with) or does he not need it.

If the child hasn't got a passport already then the father cannot get one issued without the mothers permission. The mother would have to sign the application.
Angela

Hi Gabrieldobe,

Thanks for the prompt reply.  Well my daughter was 13 last week and me and her dad have been divorced nearly ten years, he left in 1995 when my kids were just 3 and 4.  He hasn't paid any maintenance for over 4 years to the CSA and I have been on to them but they do nothing except to say they are looking in to it.  He and his family want to take my daughter to Florida in August this year against my wishes, they say its nothing to do with me and that they don't  need my permission at all.   They have applied for the passport which should be arriving at our address any day now and I have not signed anything at all.  Do you think they have forged my signature and is this against the law if they have?

She has never had a passport before.

This seems strange :(

I had all sorts of problems getting my daughter a passport. Her father died when she was a year old (we weren't married) and I sent a copy of the death certificate, but still I got a call from them and had to provide a letter from her paternal Grandmother stating that there wasn't any court orders in force. I'm surprised in view of this that the passport has been approved - seems like the whole truth has not been told!

Hi Malakai,

Apparently being married makes all the difference and he has as many rights as I do.  Its just a shame that he doesn't think these rights mean contributing towards her upkeep and going to her School parents night (he has never been interested in her school life at all)  He just gets to give her the nice holiday in Florida which I cannot afford to do (probably with all the money that he owes the CSA)  How I wish I had never married the louse. :-(   :-(

This happened in my family and the only way they managed to stop dad taking off with the kid was to make sure the passport was applied for and the form signed by both parents but have it delivered to mums address. She then took the passport to her mums and it was put in a wee safe. That way, just to really make dad mad, Granny took the kid on holiday without even consulting him!!! lol

I thought of this too, I am so angry that his family didn't even think to ask me before they asked my daughter to go with them.  She really wants to go though so I suppose there isn't much I could do to stop her anyway, just worried that they wouldn't look after her properly because he is definitely not what you call a good father and lets them down a lot.  They didn't even buy my son and daughter any Christmas presents at Christmas this year because the kids (aged 13 and 14) were angry at their dad because he won't pay towards them and refused to go down to see him until he paid (although daughter has started going again but son blatantly refuses to see him)

Well, if you didn't sign her passport application as her mother, Anna - who did?   It could well be that the application was fraudulent!!!

You could phone up the passport office or check the website, which is www.ukpa.gov.uk (sorry have never mastered links :( ) - just to set your mind at rest.

Margot

Hi Lokis mum,

No I haven't even seen the passport form at all because I disagreed with her going with him and his family especially as he hasn't paid a penny in maintenance for years or bought them any school uniform or ordinary clothes even though he comes home with about £700 a week according to what his own brother was telling my daughter.  The passport will be arriving at our house though and I am wondering whether they will query that although he has signed her passport, why the passport is going to a different address to his.  I wouldn't trust any of his family personally and one of his brothers is in prison for attacking someone with a hammer and that was eleven years ago and he is still in although we were told he would come out after 7 years, they are rather an unsavoury family and thats why I am worried about my daughter spending two weeks with them.  They wanted my son to go to but the won't go although they tried to pressure him into it.

Hi Anna

I've got a passport application form and information guide in front of me and it says - "For children aged 12-15 we also need the signature of the parent or guardian who has parental responsibility for the child. They must complete and sign Section 09".
However, it also says "that a custody or maintenance order does not automatically remove parental responsibility from the other parent. If you require further advice, please call the passport adviceline on 0870 521 0410".

I think your ex sounds pretty irresponsible if he has made these arrangements without first consulting with you. It sounds like you should ring the adviceline when the passport arrives.

This is the kind of situation we all dread after a divorce or separation.

Angela x

Not a nice thought, but does your ex have a new wife, in which case she may have signed the form as a stepmother.

Hi kayc,

No he isn't married at the moment.  He left me in 1995 for someone else and then married her in 1997 and it only lasted 3 years and he is now divorced and single as far as I know.  Wouldn't put it past his mother to sign the form though.

If so, then the application would be fraudulent, and the passport invalid.   I would definitely contact the Passport office.

Margot

Thanks Margot,  I am going to phone them tomorrow and god help him if he or his family has forged my signature!

Thanks to everyone for all your help, I will let you all know tomorrow what they say ;-)

Thanks for that Information Angela.  The form seems a bit confusing in saying that the parent has to have parental responsibility to sign the form but then saying it doesn't automatically remove parental responsibility from the other parent.  Seems a bit confusing doesn't it?  Thanks for getting me the number, I will give them a ring tomorrow and see what they say.

No problem Anna :)

It is pretty confusing - I hope they are helpful on the adviceline, I'm sure that he just can't pop back into her life and decide to get her a passport without your consent.

Please let us know how you get on,
Angela x

Hi Angela and everyone who tried to help me with this problem last night.
I have phoned the passport office this morning but apparently because we were married when she was born and the details of the marriage are on the form then I don't have to sign it, only him.  Its seems ridiculous that one parent who only stayed around for 3 years of the childs life and doesn't upkeep her in any way can do this but thats the way it is apparently.

Thanks again. :-)