Going abroad this summer on a family holiday? You may need to do some additional preparation, to ensure that your entire party can pass through passport security and border patrol with little to no hassle.

But why?

There have been calls for parents travelling abroad with children who have a different surname than their own to take extra precaution before heading to the airport to avoid disappointment.

While it's far from unheard of for parent and child to have different names, it can cause issues with airport security and border patrols that many are still in the dark about.

There are concerns that parents could find themselves tangled up in child abduction allegations, turned away from check-in desks or denied the right to fly entirely should they fail to provide the correct documentation.

Although fairly unheard of, it's an eventuality that an estimated 600,000 parents have had to deal with, innocent or otherwise.

Leeds Bradford Airport
Leeds Bradford Airport

As reported in the Manchester Evening News, despite being in place to protect children, it can prove difficult to provide the correct evidence out of hand to prove that you are indeed the person you say you are - unless you have proactively taken the correct paperwork along in the first place.

So, what do you need?

If appropriate, you'll need a copy of any Child Arrangement Order you have, which will help prove that you have earned court approval to travel abroad with that child.

For those who've separated, there is need to seek approval from the child's other parent, or anyone else with parental responsibility, which may include grandparents.

It's essential that the evidence you produce matches with the case you're making, which an area in which divorced parents - such as women who've returned to their maiden name - can find themselves caught out. A change of name deed will help cover those bases, which can be sought from a solicitor, and a copy of your child's birth certificate will help underline who you are, and your relationship to the child.

While you wouldn't have to seek permission from an absent parent if they're not named on the child's birth certificate, there might be reason to produce an official death certificate if the absent parent has passed away. If the absent parent does not give their consent, there will be a need to go through court to resolve the matter.

For further details on seeking permission to take children abroad, the government have a website to visit here.