Families warned about little-known passport rule for parents travelling with children this summer
Callum Jones
Featured Image Credit: Pexels
Summer holidays are suppose to be a time of fun and games, but there is no questioning they can bring a lot of stress as well.
Whether that is the strict baggage allowance or remembering to put all your hand luggage liquids into plastic bags for security, there really is a lot to remember.
Now, families who are planning to travel abroad with their kids this summer are being reminded of a little-known passport rule.
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The rule is applicable to parents travelling with children who have a different surname to their own.
Some parents have actually found themselves in the position where they have been questioned by officials to ensure the child they are travelling with is actually their own.
In a worst case scenario, a whole summer holiday could be put on hold if parents are unable to prove the kid they are travelling with is their child.
While proof will only be asked in some cases, parents could be asked to provide documents like birth certificates to prove relationships.
Obviously, the majority of us do not take birth certificates with us on holiday - but it may be something to think about for parents who do not have the same surname as their children.
You are probably thinking why having a different surname to your child would raise red flags for officials.
Well, it is all to do with protecting minors against child trafficking and child abduction.
While it is common, two passports of people from the same family with different surnames raises concerns at border control under Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009.
The warning has been particularly aimed at mums who are more likely than dads to not share the same surname with their offspring.
Eddi Fiegel found this out the hard way, as she returned to the UK with her nine-year-old daughter Georgie after a trip to Disneyland Paris.
She told The Telegraph: "On handing over our passports at the UK Border Force control booths before boarding the Eurostar, the officer looked us up and down before demanding 'And what is your relationship to each other?'"
After a lot of back and forth where border control asked for Georgie's birth certificate, a photo of the girl's father's passport - who has the same surname as the nine-year-old - was seen as sufficient enough for them to board the Eurostar and return home.
Nonetheless, it was a stressful experience, and one many families will want to avoid when on their travels this summer.