Traveling Solo: Documents You'll Need

-

 

If you’re traveling with your grandchildren’s parents, you don’t need to worry about packing or special documentation for the kids. If you’re traveling solo with the young ones, though, you may need to take special actions.

Passport? Birth Certificate? Letter of Permission?

As long as you are traveling by car or train, you shouldn’t need any special documentation. However, if you are traveling by plane, especially internationally, a few things may be necessary. If you are traveling outside of the U.S. (by any mode of transport) every person, regardless of age, will need a passport valid for at least six more months. People under the age of 18 won’t need identification traveling in the U.S., but it’s not a bad idea to take passports if you have them (especially if your last name is the same as theirs). You also won’t need birth certificates unless you are traveling with an infant-in-arms.

Nothing special should be required when traveling solo with kids, but getting a letter of permission from their parents can add a little extra peace of mind. This is notably true if your last name differs from theirs, the parents are divorced (so each parent is aware of the trip), or if medical care may be needed on the trip. A letter of permission needs to state who the children are, where you’re going, and that both parents are aware of the vacation. It can include as little or as much information as you’re comfortable with. You can even have it notarized for an extra layer of security.



Making Copies

I regularly travel with a 12-year-old that has severe allergies, and not just the common ones. We have to avoid soy, tomatoes, nuts, dairy, eggs, beef, squash, shellfish, dust, and cats. When we first started traveling together, it was hard for me to remember that list. I typed up her allergies and the medications she takes, both regularly and in case of emergencies. I printed that list out and kept it with me at all times when we traveled. If you’d like to make your own list of medical considerations for your traveling companions, include the following for each child:

·         medical conditions

·         allergies (food and environmental)

·         daily medications and refill information

·         emergency medications

·         primary care pediatrician contact information

·         things to avoid (if one of your companions is on the autism spectrum, for example)

·         medical device information in case you need to replace batteries or parts

Medical List

I never want to think about what I’ll do on vacation if I get injured or sick; I just want to think about relaxing on the beach or taking a hike. But I do need to be prepared for emergencies, especially when I’m responsible for others. One way to prepare for that is to keep photocopies of their insurance and other information with me. I take copies of

·         medical insurance card

·         dental insurance card

·         prescriptions

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Finding South Dakota

-
Image
As I mentioned in the last post,  Christian Living in the Mature Years Magazine,  the inspiration for this blog, will no longer be published.  Today you can read the Winter 2021 travel story, which features a road trip through South Dakota. I hope you enjoy it. We entered South Dakota in a cloud. We drove across the plains where snow blanketed the fields. The sky was bright white, and a curtain of fog hung around us. It was the perfect introduction to the winter wonderland vacation we had planned.   Falling for Sioux Falls As the fog cleared at dusk, we began our adventure in Sioux Falls, the largest city in South Dakota. We arrived just after the holidays, and the city was still festooned with brilliant light displays. We drove through downtown, near Washington Pavilion where skaters glided across a seasonal ice rink and the giant Christmas tree held court over the square. Then we drove to Falls Park (home of city’s namesake waterfalls). The entire park was lit up with twinkling
Read more

What's Blooming in Virginia's Blue Ridge?

-
Image
If you've been reading the blog for a bit, you know that I was the travel writer for Christian Living in the Mature Years Magazine,  which was actually the inspiration for this blog. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, the Summer 2021 issue will be the final printed issue of the magazine. You can pick up your final copy here . Since stories are written a year out from publication, the articles in the Fall 2021 and Winter 2021-22 issues were already created. Most of the stories can be found for free in upcoming blog posts at www.adultbiblestudies.com . The travel articles, however, didn't quite fit the format of that blog, so they will be featured here! Today you can read the Fall 2021 travel story, which features a road trip through Virginia's Blue Ridge region. I hope you enjoy it. Thousands of yellow-faced sunflowers danced as the breeze blew through their ranks. I squished through the muddy field, broad smile on my face, and posed for the perfect selfie. I had come to the
Read more

Making the Most of a Short SF Visit

-
Image
This past weekend, the little and I traveled to my favorite city in the world: San Francisco. I'm a little biased because I used to live there, but the city is an amazing place to be with kids. Still wary of Covid since the little can't be vaccinated, we spent most of our time outdoors. We wandered Chinatown and Fisherman's Wharf, which were far less crowded than I've ever seen them. We found playgrounds tucked in quiet neighborhoods and had picnics with some of San Francisco's amazing food. We spent a lot of time in Golden Gate Park since the weather was so cooperative. In order to maximize our time, I purchased us both CityPASSes . The passes included entrance into the California Academy of Sciences (my favorite place in the park), a Blue and Gold Fleet bay cruise, and entrance into one other attraction from a list. We chose to visit the San Francisco Zoo, but I know the little would have loved any of the other options: Aquarium of the Bay, the Walt Disney Family
Read more