Expat Family Forced To Stay (Almost)

[prettejohn]

A word of warning to people travelling out of Argentina particularly with children. Make sure your paperwork is perfect. We had a very nearly disastrous and expensive departure last month. Flying with LAN to the UK we were asked for all the documentation at the LAN desk which included

1. Passports
2. Permission to travel (a legal document signed to say that we are the parents of our 2 children)
3. Marriage certificate - apostilled
4. Birth certificates for both our children - apostilled and translated
5. DNIs

Unfortunately we had everything apart from the translation of the birth certificates. This was due to them being lost by Migration in the city centre. Part of the reason we were leaving was to get this paperwork. We then were told we weren't able to leave the country due to the fact that our children were Argentine as they have DNIs (despite not being born in Argentina and only having lived here for a year! ).

To cut a long story short we were eventually allowed to leave the country but only after a few phone calls were made., tears were shed and we were made an 'exception'.

A very stressful experience for all of us which I wouldn't wish on anyone.

 

[Crema Americana]

I think everyone agrees that not being able to smuggle children out of the country is a good thing, but when a mountain of evidence points towards being a legit situation, something like a translation shouldn't be the deciding factor. I'm glad that in the end you were allowed to pass through.

I remember traveling with my mom when I was young and not needing any paperwork at all despite having a different last name. Times have certainly changed.

 

[citygirl]

Odd that you needed the permission to travel since you were traveling together presumably. Typically that is only required when one parent is traveling alone and you need permission from the other to leave the country with the kids. But yes, it is quite a bit of paperwork. Sorry to hear about delay.

 

[Girino]

Odd that you needed the permission to travel since you were traveling together presumably. T

Actually, on July 12th, wongjoh reported exactly the same story, with much detail.

This is the link to his post: Flying Out Of Argentina With Kids If They Have Dnis

 

[citygirl]

Actually, on July 12th, wongjoh reported exactly the same story, with much detail.

This is the link to his post: Flying Out Of Argentina With Kids If They Have Dnis

That thread didn't discuss the permission to travel doc which is what I mentioned. That is a document where one parent gives the other permission to leave the country with the children. You don't need it when both parents are traveling with the children on the same flight so I'm shocked they asked the OP for it (assuming they were traveling together). We've never needed it and have flown several times with our kids. We didn't need the DNIs either, just had to show their passports, our passports and original birth certificates (which they do check

 

[Girino]

You don't need it when both parents are traveling with the children on the same flight so I'm shocked they asked the OP for it (assuming they were traveling together).

Actually, wongjoh wrote:

[background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]My wife and I are at EZE with our children and during airport check-in, they ask us for the "libreta familiar" and I say "what?". It turns out that even though we are foreigners with american passports, due to the fact that we are temporary Argentinian residents (with issued temporary DNIs), we need to show them proof that our children are indeed ours.[/background]

It looks like that the Libreta Familiar was all they needed, instead of the birth certificates + translations. They were all traveling together, on the same flight.

 

[RichardP]

Good to know as our daughter (born in the US) will be getting her DNI soon.

 

[syngirl]

I just did flights back to Canada on my own with my Argentine son -- as required used his Argentine passport on exit, my Canadian passport, and showed my DNI. Also showed the letter of permission to travel (which we have up until 18 yrs). I had the birth certificate with me but they didn't require me to show it. I didn't have any further questions asked of me (my son does look a lot like me, so maybe there's also no mistaking he's mine??). The rest of travel we used only our Canadian passports and I didn't get asked for the letter again, not even when we boarded for trip back -- and I only used the Argentine passport and my DNI again when we boarded our flight in Panama to go to BA via Asuncion -- there was some confusion as to whether or not I needed the reciprocity visa but then they (Copa) decided since I was just in transit there I'd be fine with just my DNI. So I guess like the permatourist situation it really comes down to your immigrations agent.

Question -- do the OPs or the poster in the other thread have Argentine DNIs? If not, I wonder if that might be the cause of all the bother? I'm also married to an Argentine and I think that the DNIs mention something like that though not sure? Anyway I've never had to show my marriage certificate or the birth certificate before, in fact I didn't even have our marriage certificate on me this trip, so I guess I really got lucky!

 

[ajoknoblauch]

My wife (Argentine with US passport) and I frequently flew in and out of Ezeiza (separately) with our minor daughter (US passport), and never had any problem. No longer an issue, since she's now an adult.

 

[syngirl]

My wife (Argentine with US passport) and I frequently flew in and out of Ezeiza (separately) with our minor daughter (US passport), and never had any problem. No longer an issue, since she's now an adult.

Adult as in 20s or adult as in 40s? Argentina only signed the convention in 1991 and the USA is not a signatory, perhaps she was already old enough in 91 that it either didn't apply / they couldn't be bothered to ask or (most likely!) it wasn't even being enforced yet.