Published on : Friday, January 4, 2019
The heightened directives issued in 2014 requested all parents traveling singly with children below 18 years of age to present an “unabridged” birth certificate at the entry point, along with an affidavit of consent, a notarized document certifying consent from the parent who is not present. (“Unabridged” means that it identifies the names of both parents.)
Under the newly launched relaxed regulations, it is no longer obligatory for parent traveling with a minor without the other parent and produce documents proving consent of the parent not present. For most visitors, only a passport will be required. However, parents traveling singly with minor children still be questioned. Therefore, do carry documents to be sure and enter the country easily. It will not be needed in majority of cases but it’s a good idea to stay prepared.
Fighting human trafficking
To fight the veils of human trafficking, such regulations were put into place. As we all will agree that such an issue generally stays under the radar, perhaps in part due to its appalling statistics. According to the International Labor Organization, there are over 40 million victims of human trafficking worldwide, 81 percent trapped in forced labor, 25 percent children and 75 percent women and girls.