A Greenville, South Carolina man was sentenced on Friday to 10 years in prison for illegally taking his child to Thailand. The man, Samuel Lee Horton, forged his wife’s signature, applied for a child passport and took his daughter to Thailand.
The parents had been divorced and his ex-wife had custody of their 2 children. Horton had visitation rights, but apparently he wasn’t satisfied.
Horton, admitted forging his ex-wife’s signature for the purpose of getting the passport for his 3 year old daughter. He told his ex-wife that he was taking his daughter to Disney World, but got his daughter a passport and instead boarded a plane to Thailand. The pair lived in Thailand for over a year where he told his daughter that her mother had died.
Horton pled guilty to falsifying a document for the purpose of getting a passport for his daughter. Not only has he been sentenced to 10 years in prison, his parental rights have been terminated and he still faces further charges regarding the violation of a custody order.
It is important to know that minors under the age of 16 must apply for a passport in person. All minors, including newborns must have their own passport to travel abroad by air. In order to get a passport for a minor, first the application for a US passport (DS-11) must be completed. Remember not to sign the passport application until in the presence of a passport agent. The passport form must then be presented in person by both parents and the minor for whom the passport application is being submitted. Evidence of the child’s US citizenship must be presented with the passport application. Acceptable forms of identification include a previously issued passport, a certified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth or a Naturalization Certificate.
In addition, evidence of the relationship between the child and the parent(s) / guardian(s) must be provided. The parents or guardians must also present and make copies of their identifications. An important step is for the parents or guardians to provide consent. Both parents must provide consent to apply for a passport for a minor under age 16. There are specific scenarios in which both parents do not need to be present at the time the passport application is submitted. One parent can appear in person with a notarized statement of consent from the other parent. A parent with sole custody may appear without the other parent as long as the parent can provide proof of sole custody at the time of the passport application. A third party may apply for a passport for a minor, but the third party must provide authorization from both parents.
The passport applicant must pay the passport application fee and submit one passport photo.
If you need a US passport card or other passport services such as an expedited passport, emergency passport, same day passport, US Passport book or passport photos be sure to contact Rush Passport™. You can visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Miami, Florida