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Traveling with Children
Compiled by Matthew Berry, Vice President, Vineyard Insurance
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When is a good time of day to fly with children?
- Consider your child’s habits. Like adults, children tend to be morning or evening people. If you try to travel too far away from their daily schedule, you could both suffer.
- Check into flying during non-peak hours, which are usually late midday and midweek. You’ll have a better chance of getting the free separate seat for your child, and you might also find more room to stretch out.
- Consider booking a flight during the child’s naptime so some of the flight will pass while the child is asleep. But, the timing is critical. You’ll want to make sure naptime hits when you’re already on the plane. Delaying naptime can cause a real headache if you are trying to make it through an airport with a fussy child.
- If you have a long flight, consider an overnight flight. Maybe your child will be able to sleep through the flight.
What type of documentation will I need if I’m taking my child out of the country?
- They usually need the same identification that is required of an adult. If the travel requires an adult to have a passport, the child will also need a passport.
- If a child is traveling out of country with only one of the child’s parents, you’ll probably have to provide written permission from the other parent that the child may leave the country. You’ll probably need a notarized statement from the other parent, but you’ll want to check with the Airline for their policy on this matter.
- Without the proper paperwork, the Airline may refuse to board your child. All travel documents are the responsibility of the passenger.
How can I find out if my children will need a passport or visa for their trip?
http://ww.travel.state.gov/foreignentryreqs.html
The U.S. State Department, Bureau of Consular Affairs’ Foreign Entry Requirements web page. This site lists the entry requirements of foreign countries. It also includes the addresses and telephone numbers of foreign embassies and consulates in the United States. This web site is a good starting point, but since the information presented is subject to change, you should also check directly with the embassy or consulate of the country you a planning to visit.
http://www.embassy.org/embassies/
This page contains links to many foreign countries’ Embassies and Consulate Offices located in the United States. Each Embassy’s web site is different, but they all contain contact information and other helpful information for anyone planning on visiting their country.
http://www.state.gov/www/travel/consular_offices/
The U.S. State Department’s Foreign Consular Offices web page. This site contains an updated listing of contact information for foreign countries’ consular offices in the United States.
