Infants Need a Passport For International Travel

Any parent that is going on an international trip and that plans on taking their child should get familiar with infant passport laws immediately. If you think that just because the child is a newborn or a minor that they can freely pass between borders, you are sadly mistaken. The process itself is almost identical to what an adult has to do, with provisions in place because of the age of the young international traveler.

For a parent to raise their arms and question the fact that they have to have an infant passport is not uncommon. However, many people forget that it is still about people leaving and coming back to a country. To allow random children to enter or leave the country without accountability could lead to some very serious issues.

Something else to consider are such horrible things as human trafficking and kidnapping. Believe it or not, this happens with parents of children who are trying to get away from another parent. The angry mother who has just lost her child custody case or perhaps the father that has disappeared to another country and suddenly shows up and wants his child back.

The infant or child will get their passport in much the same way that an adult does. It goes without saying that the child will not be able to do this on their own, so mom and or dad are going to have to do all of the work in order for a valid passport to be obtained. In addition to the forms, do not forget to get the passport photos of the child.

Since an infant cannot sign their own name, mom and or dad are going to have to handle the task for them. It is actually a co-signature that goes on the passport until the child can sign the passport by themselves. When the child is able to sign their own name, the passport can be renewed with their actual signature on the passport.

For the parent signature to be valid on the passport, it has to be done in a very specific way. The parent will have to sign the child's name and then sign their name right next to it. After that, they need to put their relationship next both signatures in parenthesis stating their relationship to the child. If only one parent will be going on the trip with the infant, it is best if that parent is the one that signs the passport for the baby.

If a child is not yet 16 the passport can only be obtained if consent is given by the parents. The obvious reason for this is so that one parent does not get the passport and take the child out of the country without the knowledge of the other parent. This will not be a problem for parents that are still together, but if there has been a divorce or separation, make sure time is allotted to get everything together so there is not a problem in securing tickets or making the trip.

It may have seemed a little silly before reading all of this as to why an infant passport is required, but it should be clear now. Unfortunately, international travel is not always about business or fun. There are a lot of people with ulterior motives that would love to be able to get children in and out of countries with no records being kept. While it can take some time, infant passports are a necessity and always will be.

Why Join a Travel Club?

Do you enjoy travelling in the same way I do?

Some people are quite content, once they have found a place they like, to revisit the same place every year for their holidays. Whilst I understand their safety in going somewhere they are familiar with and know all the ins and outs, the real traveller wants to enjoy new experiences all of the time and this is done by going to a new venue each time they travel.

It therefore depends on whether you are willing to take a chance that the visit to the new place will be to your liking, or whether you would wish to be fairly secure in the new experience.

This is the advantage of a good travel club - I say a good club - if you know that the club is reputable and has an experienced staff who know their business, and then you can expect that they will only make arrangements for you to take your holidays or other visits to recommended places.

What are the advantages of belonging to a travel club?

A good club will have the advantage of enough members to purchase spaces at top resorts in bulk, this will bring considerable savings of cost, which will be offered to members and effectively, you would be able to get a 4/5 star holiday for 2/3 star prices.

These vacations will be at top holiday spots - Mexico - Caribbean Islands - leading American Resorts - Far Eastern Hot Spots and much more; they will be able to offer these exclusive holidays throughout the year, in fact the club I belong to are arranging 500 in 2010 alone.

The good club will offer top cruises on the leading cruise liners.

Additionally to all of the above, you will be able to buy your holidays at wholesale prices and this will show excellent overall savings.

There is nothing better than a recommendation from someone in this field; you should also check whether you can offer these savings to your family and friends.

Another perk to check out is, can you act as a travel representative for the club or its travel agents, if so, you can then also earn a commission by telling others about your great deal.

One point to keep in mind is that you will have to pay a joining fee and possibly a nominal monthly fee - what are their terms and is there a method of recouping this charge. If you are retired and interested in travelling regularly, then a good travel club is the best approach to your needs.

Enjoy your Overseas Travel to the full.

This article is by John J Hoskins John has spent his life travelling the world for over 50 years visiting most continents and most countries, he is also a keen tennis player and coach.