My daughter traveling to Mexico with her dad by land. What docs does she need?

Question

She is a U.S. Citizen. I just want to make sure what she needs so she has no problems. She does not have a U.S. Passport though. Where can I get more info? We live in Illinois.

Answer 1

She'll need her birth certificate (certified copy is best). She should also have a notarized letter from you giving permission to her dad to leave/enter the country without you. You can find samples of this on the Web. There's a sample letter here:

http://www.abriggs.com/high_level/travel...

If you can get a passport for your daughter in time for the trip, that would be ideal. But apparently, it won't be required for reentry until sometime around mid-2008.

Answer 2

You didn't mention the date and that's very important. At the moment, she needs a birth certificate. A certified birth certificate is recommended. "Certified" means that it must have a raised seal. Some countries don't accept copies. Later this year (the date has not been announced but it will be in the summer), she will need a passport. It's better to carry a passport even when it's not required.

The following is from the U.S. State Department website and is extremely important:

Mexican law requires that any non-Mexican citizen under the age of 18 departing Mexico must carry notarized written permission from any parent or guardian not traveling with the child to or from Mexico.  This permission must include the name of the parent, the name of the child, the name of anyone traveling with the child, and the notarized signature(s) of the absent parent(s).  The State Department recommends that the permission should include travel dates, destinations, airlines and a brief summary of the circumstances surrounding the travel.  The child must be carrying the original letter – not a facsimile or scanned copy – as well as proof of the parent/child relationship (usually a birth certificate or court document) – and an original custody decree, if applicable.  Travelers should contact the Mexican Embassy or closest Mexican Consulate for current information.

If you don't have the proper documentation, your husband and daughter will be refused admission to Mexico.

For more details, see www.travel.state.gov

Answer 3

Michelle is correct.

Here's more info:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbp...

Answer 4

are you seperated???if so she will need a note from you stating he has your permission to take her out of the country...i think it may even have to be notorized...then just a copy of her birth certificate

Answer 5

Yes, she needs that letter...and send more than one copy to be safe.  Also, she should have a certified copy of her birth certificate to prove she is a U.S. citizen when they return.  It really is BEST to have a passport, even tho it is not yet required for land travel.  What if she or her Dad got sick or there was an emergency and she had to fly back?  I have brought my grandchildren to visit in Mexico and made sure they had passports to be safe.  See site below for passport info.

Answer 6

She needs a passport. All US citizens now need a passport to travel in and out of Mexico and Canada.