Costa Rica does require a single parent traveling with children to present a letter from the absent parent. This custody issue should have been taken care of years ago...but now, you need to go to a lawyer and at least ask if he can provide a notarized letter that the father is not available and cannot be found. The children will also need passports, and that requires signature of both parents. If the father is not available there is a form you can use...see step 7 of the 2nd site below. As soon as possible you need to get a lawyer and get sole permanent physical and legal custody taken care of. Since it will not be contested, it will be easy...I have done it...once in family court and once in district court...it can be done in either where I live. Family court was faster and cheap[er...ask your lawyer.

're tired of going to work everyday? From always watching big cities and skyscrapers, you have a lot of stress? Want to go on vacation? Here I have an option for you ... Costa Rica is a small country in Central America, with large tracts of forests that run throughout the country, its economy is based on ecotourism, agriculture and technology, has 5% of global biodiversity, 25% of the country are National Parks or Biological Reserves, receiving 2.2 million tourists a year, they are amazed with the beauty of this small country. Costa Rica has been twice named the happiest country in the world "happy planet index", Costa Rica is the safest country in Latin America AND RECEIVED A GLOBAL RECOGNITION FOR BEING THE FIRST COUNTRY TO ABOLISH THE WORLD'S ARMY, "yes" Costa Rica not armed for over 60 years. Costa Rica is the country with better environmental performance of America and the fifth of planeta.El government announced it plans to become the world's first carbon neutral country by 2021. It is the second best country to live in Latin America, second only to Chile and Panama over. After this country decided to abolish its army, economy, health and education benefited. Costa Ricans know the country where they live, is the best country in the world, there is peace and love for nature. WELCOME TO COSTA RICA

Get an Attorney and file for custody based on these issues and IF you tell us you can not afford an Atty then use the damn vacation money and get this settled. Honestly this is NOT rocket scince unless the vacation is more impotant than your children.

You're the mother. You don't need the father's permission. It's a family vacation with kids.

My kids are 15 and 12. I want to go on vacation to costa rica. I have no idea where their father is. Last I know he moved out of the country. So I cant get a notarized letter. And I dont have custody because he hasnt been in there life for over 10 years. What should i do?