For most people getting a passport for your kids is really just a matter of filling out the forms getting a photo taken and paying the money.
For single / divorced parents it is not always that easy.
For this girl, it’s been a long time of waiting.
Waiting till she turned 18 so we could apply for a passport as an adult.
I have had three very different experiences of getting passports for my kids
1. Easy
This is when you have a fairly good relationship with the other parent of the children and they sign the forms, no real questions asked in fact they also use the passports to take the kids on their own adventure with them.
2. Difficult
This is when the other parent isn’t happy with signing the forms, for no particular reason, argues the point, puts off signing so you just give up and wait till they turn 18years old and they can apply for an adult one.
3. Very very Difficult
This is when you wake in the middle of the night in a panic because you realise that you have booked flights (it was a great deal! ) and the child you are taking will be two months short of being 18 at the time of travel (child has same father as point 2) Shit. So you seek legal advise, decide to self represent, stand in family court about to cry, finally get the OK for passport for said child, then you restrain yourself from jumping over the bench yelling “yes!, yes!” at the top of your lungs and approaching the judge to give him a big kiss….
So as you can see getting passports for your child as a single parent can be quiet easy or a really big pain in the arse, depending on your circumstances!
But enough of that…… I am so happy that finally all my children now have passports! Yeah!
Bring on more adventures!
Whats your experiences been like?
Safe travels!
Kerrie
Please share!;
Im at number 2 so the Passport office has advised me to apply asking for special consideration for miss 14 miss 13 and me 8. We have court consent orders that allow for overseas travel so we should be good. Fingers and toes crossed.
With the court orders in place i would think it should be all good! My advise would be to follow the advice of the passport office and maybe get legal advise and good luck!!
Oh that sounds really stressful. I don’t have kids and haven’t actually had a passport for over a decade. But… I think I’m going to get one soon.
I used to travel quite a bit for work and had a ‘few’ passports as I had an official one and diplomatic one at one point. And then when I moved out of that field of work I didn’t want to travel and haven’t bothered with a passport ever since.
It can be stressful! I suppose it doesn’t make sense to have a passport if you don’t travel much….and doesn’t that 10 years go so fast.. before you know it your passport has run out!
Gosh I am glad you got through this but why oh why does this non-peaceful stuff have to happen? Just chatting with my hub about it now as it seems not too many break-ups survive with everyone getting on. Sigh. Anyway, enjoy the travels!!
I know! Its exhausting and quiet stressful sometimes when its not amicable. All good now!
My neighbour had a similar problem when her former partner wouldn’t sign the papers for her daughter to take a school trip to Vanuatu. It can be difficult sometimes, but I’d pleased to hear your children now have their passports.
Thanks Lyndall! I can sometimes understand the other parents concerns that they might take off with the child and not return, but your neighbors child was going on a school trip! They were definitely not taking off!
Oh wow. I have organised a passport for my step daughter before which was tricky enough. So many extra papers to sort through and so much to’ing and fro’ing and that was with a cooperative other parent . Can’t imagine how hard it must be to do it with someone who is difficult. I’d have kissed the judge for sure! Happy travels!!!
Oh don’t worry!!!! I was ready to kiss everybody there!!!
Great that they got their passports. Good of you to get it done.
Thank you so much Rachel! Its a relief!