This time of year, a lot of people are going on family vacations while the kids are on spring break. Others are making plans for summer vacation.
If you’re traveling by air alone with your child, it’s important to be prepared for a little more scrutiny than a couple traveling with a child might get. TSA agents and other airport security professionals as well as airline personnel like flight attendants are trained to watch for potential child traffickers.
Differences in race and ethnicity can raise suspicions
A lone adult fits a potentially problematic profile more than a couple tends to. A single adult with a child who is biracial or of another race or ethnicity is going to raise even more red flags. For parents of biracial children who look more like their other parent than them and parents of adopted children who look nothing like them and may be of a completely different race, ethnicity or national origin, that can mean added scrutiny, questions, accusations and possibly even the involvement of law enforcement.
Multiple parents have gone on social media (and other media) with their stories of their children being questioned by flight attendants, or of being detained and questioned by law enforcement or security personnel. One parent who has shared her story says, “I hear all the time from parents that this is happening to. The only commonality…is that the parent has a different skin color than the child who is involved.”
Prepare before you leave
It’s important to keep your cool if you’re questioned by those authorized to do so and, if your child is old enough, to prepare them for questioning. You can minimize this questioning by bringing plenty of documentation, including:
- A copy of your child custody agreement, with the section that addresses travel
- A copy of your child’s birth or adoption certificate
- Your divorce decree
- Identification for your child
- Photos on your phone of you, your child and your co-parent
It’s also wise to get a travel consent letter signed by your co-parent if you’re divorced or separated, even if it’s not required under the terms of your custody agreement. These letters are a smart thing to get and bring (along with the other documents listed) whenever you travel with your child, even if it’s by car. Not only can they help to keep the other parent informed about where their child is, but they can also be helpful if you’re stopped by law enforcement as you’re traveling.
With legal guidance on travel consent letters and more, you can help make your travels less stressful for you and your child.
