Parents with different surnames to their children may face questioning at UK airports

The safeguarding measure is intended to protect children from trafficking and sexual exploitation, but many parents aren't happy

Those travelling with children who lack the correct documentation could be turned away (istock)

The Home Office posted a tweet on Wednesday advising family members with different surnames to bring birth or adoption certificates to the airport to help them pass through passport control more quickly.

The image accompanying the tweet read: “Families with different surnames may be asked questions to establish their relationship.”

Some parents reacted with exasperation to the tweet, with Labour MP Stella Creasy comparing the UK to Gilead, the dystopian patriarchal society from Margaret Atwood’s novel and TV series The Handmaid’s Tale.

In a follow-up tweet, the Home Office clarified its position: “We have a duty to safeguard children and to prevent people trafficking, child sexual exploitation and other crimes.

“That is why Border Force officers sometimes need to ask additional questions.”

With an increasing number of families holding different surnames to one another, the news may strike some as archaic – but the announcement isn’t a new one.

A leaflet on the government’s website published in July 2013 outlines the situation for those travelling with children who are not theirs or for parents travelling with different surnames to their children.

“Every day thousands of children arrive at the UK border, many return from holiday with their family or with family friends.

“The safety and welfare of every child is of utmost importance to us and sometimes we may ask a few questions if an adult is not the child’s parent, or has a different family name.

“We will always do this as quickly as possible and in a way which is sensitive to the interests of the child and the adult involved.

“We hope you appreciate the importance of the additional checks we carry out for children travelling into the UK and understand the reasons for them should you feel you have been unduly delayed. We do not wish to delay your journey any longer than necessary.”

The guidance suggests that those travelling with children carry evidence clarifying the nature of their relationship. This can be one of the following documents:

• A birth or adoption certificate showing your relationship with the child.
• Divorce or marriage certificates if you are the parent, but have a different surname to the child.
• A letter from the child’s parent/s giving authority for the child to travel with you and providing contact details if you are not the parent.

David Connor, head of Woodcocks Haworth and Nuttall Solicitors family department, told the Daily Mirror that it’s vital travellers with children carry the correct documentation or it could “derail your trip.”

“People need to take extra caution when holidaying with children who don’t share their surname as they could unknowingly end up embroiled in a child abduction case, be refused past check-in, or turned away at border control."

While many people expressed frustration on social media at the announcement, others felt it was a precaution worth taking. Bernadette Spofforth tweeted: “It’s not an issue, it’s a safety net. Takes a bit longer but worth it.”

Martha Hampson added: “The majority of cross-border child abductions are by parents.”