According to the Consul General at the Consulate of Argentina in Toronto, the exit rules for a single mother and her child would depend on whether she has sole custody of the child or whether she shares the custody of the child with the father (20 May 1999). In most cases where the father has acknowledged the child, the mother would show a document, usually issued by a notary, that she has sole custody of the child (ibid.). Upon exiting Argentina, the mother's passport would indicate that she can travel with the child, or the child would have his/her own passport (ibid.).

In a 21 May 1999 telephone interview, a supervisor with the office of the National Directorate of Migration (Dirección Nacional de Migraciones) at the Ministro Pistarini (Ezeiza) International Airport in Buenos Aires stated that a single mother, who is the sole guardian of her child (the name of the father does not appear on the birth certificate), she would only need to show the birth certificate of the child and her passport and her child's passport if he/she has one. According to the supervisor, in this case, notarized permission is not required.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Consulate of Argentina, Toronto. 20 May 1999. Telephone interview with the Consul General.

Dirección Nacional de Migraciones, Ministro Pistarini International Airport, Buenos Aires. 21 May 1999. Telephone interview.

Electronic Sources: IRB Databases, REFWORLD, LEXIS/NEXIS, Internet and WNC.