Traveling With Kids - Passports & Carseats

The countdown is on and there are only 27 more days until we are in Maui for two whole weeks! A part of the reason that I started my new work-at-home business is so we can travel more. We do one big trip per year and I'd like for us to be able to do 2-3 if we choose. I'll be doing a series of Traveling With Kids posts over the next few days so be sure to follow along if you are a traveler or if you plan on traveling with your little one.

I've recently had a discussion with a family member about getting a passport for your infant/child and now is the perfect time to discuss this since this is what you'll need first if you plan on traveling with your kids. The following passport information is directly from Passport Canada. www.ppt.gc.ca/info/16-.aspx?lang=eng

Passports for Children
All children who travel, including newborns and infants, need their own passport.

Persons who may apply
-One of the child's parents
-The custodial parent in case of separation or divorce, or
-The legal guardian

What to include
-Both pages of the application form completed and signed within the last 12 months, and certified by the guarantor
-Two identical passport photos of the child; one certified by the guarantor
-Proof of Canadian citizenship
-Proof of parentage
-The fees required
-Any valid Canadian passport or travel documents issued in the name of the child
-Proof of legal guardianship, if applicable, and
-All documents that refer to custody of, mobility of, or access to the child.

Proof of Parentage
New proof of parentage require for all child passport applications are effective Oct. 1, 2012. (visit site for complete details)
Validity
All children under the age of 16 receive ePassports that are valid for a max of five years.

Replacement Passport for Children
This service will only be available until June 30, 2014
Children who are issued a passport in their first year of life (between birth and their first birthday) before July 1, 2013 are entitled to a one-time gratis replacement passport.
The replacement passport will expire on the same date as the original passport. The original passport will not be returned.

Once the child turns 16
The passport of a child who turns 16 remains valid until it reaches its expiry date.
Complete information, details and forms can be found by visiting www.ppt.gc.ca/info/16-.aspx?lang=eng

Carseat
If you're headed to a destination where a carseat isn't going to be needed, my advice is to leave it at home. We did not bring Brielle's carseat with us to Mexico when she was 7 months old. We took a shuttle to the resort and a taxi back to the airport and that's it. Carseats are typically not required on buses, trains, subways, etc. Alternatives to carseats are things like Cares Harness www.kidsflysafe.com, Safe Rider Travel Vest www.safetrafficsystem.com and for older kids, the BubbleBum Inflatable Booster Seat www.bubblebum.co/us.

If you need a carseat, especially if you are renting a car, I highly suggest not renting one. When Brielle was 10 weeks old, we traveled to Houston, TX and rented a carseat along with our car rental. The first carseat was way too old for her so we requested an infant seat. It was dirty so we wiped it down, the best we could, with baby wipes. It also wasn't safe, in our opinion, but we had no choice. Thankfully we had no incidents but we are not taking our chances with this trip to Maui and will be bringing hers along. If you have no other alternative but to rent, just beware that the carseat may not be up to your safety standards.

The best option when traveling and needing a carseat is to bring your own. You can use it on the flight if you've purchased a seat for your child, but just remember that it may be heavy and tricky to carry through the airport. You can purchase something like the GoGo Kidz Travelmate www.gogobabyz.com or the Britax Carseat Travel Cart www.britax.ca which will turn your carseat into a stroller. Other ideas are to strap it to your stroller, suitcase or even to your back and carry it like a backpack.

If you plan on checking your carseat (which we'll be doing for this Maui trip), pack it well because baggage handlers will not treat it with care. Put it in the original box, if possible. If you don't have the original box, look for a sturdy, water resistant bage and wrap the carseat in a heavy blanket or jackets before putting it in the bag. In a pinch, a 60 gallon garbage bag will protect it from getting dirty or rained on.

Stay tuned tomorrow as we discuss more travel tips for you and your kids.

If you'd like to know more about how I work from home while raising my daughter, visit my website at www.discover-possibilities.com  or email me at crystaldyck@gmail.com. I'd love to chat with you!!