Required Travel Documents for Minor

Hi. I posted this same message on Debbie's Dominican board AND the General Thread of this board...(just found this "Legal" thread.

Thought I would see what input I could get here as well.

The last two vacations with our children were in Mexico. Our daughter (now 18) has always taken a friend and I had all of the required documents notorized by the parents.

This year we are heading to LaRomana and I just found out the friend she is taking this year will not be 18 till next year. So....after looking up the info it seems documentation for minors traveling with out parents must be in Spanish AND notorized before a Dominican Notary. I found an email address to a consulate in/near Philadelphia, and am awaiting information. I am certain the parents of this girl are NOT going to want to travel 3 to 5 hours to get a document notarized. (Another poster replied to me that it she found out it could be sent to the consulate and they would do this for $75!) = Wow...what a money maker!!!
I was just wondering if anyone else - taking friends of their children might have some information to share on this subject.

I have also read that Dominican immigratioin authorities have recently begun restricting the ability of children to depart the country with only a birth certificate.

Again...any experience about this or input from anyone from this board?

Thanks! - Kathy D.

jskr1us said:

Can not answer yur question but can give you the following information;
The Consulado General dde la Republica Dominicana Philadelphia
Lafayette Building, Suite 216
437 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Tel215) 923-3006
Fax: (215) 923-3007
Hope this helps you get the answers you need. :nervous:

Click to expand...

Thanks....I have sent an email and am awaiting a reply...I will try phoning in the AM and will post what information I can. Thanks!

Here is some information that Sue....from Debbie's board sent Me:....then read below for what I found out after getting a call from the Washington Consulate's office. I am trying to keep up on this for both boards as I am sure it will affect others./Kathy :cross-eye


Debbie has also been doing some checking on this. The information she received from the Dominican Consulate in Toronto and she also checked with the Dominican Republic Tourist Board in Miami, Fl. They both state that a child over 14 does not need this documentation. I am curious as to what the Dominican Consulate in Maryland will have to say. I am going to contact the Tourist Board in Miami as Debbie gave me the e-mail address and let them know of this problem that we are having. Let me know what you hear on your end. Thanks, Sue

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Re: Authorization for Minor to travel without Pare
Post by bronkrdr1 on Today at 10:52:12

Sue,
Well....I have made several phone calls to various consulates and finally received a return call - I THINK it was from the office in Washington D.C. At first I was told about having to get the documents legalized at the consulate's office - THEN....when I mentioned what Debbie had learned from the Toronto consulate as well as the Miami tourist board...she said...."oh well...they are changing the laws all of the time..." and If Debbie found out that information from those areas then I would not need to send it to the consulate. She was familiar with this web site and when I asked once again how do I find out for sure what the law if it is changing all of the time....she said that if that's what they told her in Toronto and Miami....then that was true.
I will probably make a few more calls to see if the stories jive. What do you think?
- Kathy
P.S. Man...I sure am glad I started checking on this early!

Re: Authorization for Minor to travel without Pare
Post by bronkrdr1 on Today at 12:41:27

This is bordering on rediculous....but I expected nothing less.
I now have spoken to the consulates office in Miami, the office in Baltimore, and the office in Philidelphia.

Every answer is different. The office in Miami says the parents MUST COME IN PERSON to have the documents legalized.

The office in Baltimore said to go with what ever Debbie's information was. (It was Baltimore...not Washington....I never could contact anyone in Washington....)

The office in Philidelphia says to send the documentation listed below and a check for $50 (beats $75!) and they will mail out the legalization paper. When I asked did I need to add a self addressed stamped envelope...he said "no....I'll just send it to you.".......

Here is the number (215/923-3006_ - Ask to speak to Jose Mota

Send to the following address:

Attention Jose Mota
Lafayette Building
Suite 216
437 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106

Letter of Authorization plus a photocopy

Two copies of IDs of the authorizing parent(s), child and authorized person. (Drivers Lic. works)

Copy of the Birth Certificate

Two passport-size pictures of the child (school pictures are also acceptable)

Legalization fee is US $50 payable in cash, certified check or money order.

The only thing I forgot to find out was to WHOM we needed to have the check made out for.

I know that others have traveled with not problems and by not getting this done....but I'd hate to have something go wrong.

I will say that two years ago we traveled to Mexico with a friend of my daughters'....I was STACKED with documents as it was a legal nightmare......Name on Birth Certificate as father was NOT birth father....Birth father had legal custody....Birth mother divorced from birth father AND the father on the Birth Certificate was no where to be found.

BUT I WAS PREPARED!!!- Not ONCE did anyone ask to see the papers...She did not have a Passport but used her Birth Certificate and Drivers Lic. Both had different Last names. NO ONE NOTICED>>>OR DIDN"T CARE....hummmmmm
BUT....better to be safe than sorry - Right??

Just IN...from the Domincan Republic Tourist Board!!

OK....I just received this email from the Dominican Republic Tourist Board!!!!!....and I am printing it and taking it with us !


Good morning Kathy,

Like I said before ?just to keep it in the safe side?, bring a NOTARIZED LETTER from the parents, but she is a grown up, therefore she just need a consent letter.

"One office stated that if the child was over 14, a legalization form from the consulate of the Dominican is NOT required - we would just need the usual Birth Certificate with raised seal, photo I.D. and a Notarized (within the states)Travel Authorization from her parents." THIS IS CORRECT!
Hope this information is good enough.

Wishing you a nice vacation,

Mercedes

Mercedes G. Perello
SE Regional Director
Dominican Republic Tourist Board
248 NW 42nd Ave. St. 100
Miami, FL, 33126
PH: 305-444-4592; FAX: 305-444-4845
E-mail: mperello@sectur.gov.do; www.dominicana.com.do