It is an unfortunate reality that we sometimes hear and read about sensational stories in the media involving international child abduction by a parent. It is not uncommon or outside the realm of possibility during a nasty separation for one parent to remove a child from Australia to a foreign country beyond the reach of the remaining parent. These stories occur frequently in countries with high rates of bi-national relationships and many mistakenly think that their occurrences are rare in Australia.
In recent years there has been a rise in the number of international child abduction cases in Australia by a parent of the child. This means that parents who are going through a separation need to be particularly cautious and vigilant in respect of the other parent’s ability to remove the child from the country. If your partner is from a foreign country, holds a foreign passport, or if your child has a valid Australian passport or foreign passport then your child may be particularly at risk. You need to ensure your partner is unable to remove the child from the country without your consent.
We have put together a mini-ebook that discusses what is international child abduction and the family law around this matter, how the Australian Courts view international child abduction and how to deal with international child abduction.
International Child Abduction By a Former Partner.
International child abduction cases are a growing concern and you need to be on heightened alert especially if you share parental responsibility for a child with your former partner who is from a country not signatory to the Hague Convention. At Owen Hodge Lawyers, we help parents who think their children have been abducted or will be abducted by a former partner and we also advise on the precautionary measures that can be taken to avoid or minimise unilateral relocation to a foreign country. If you have reason to suspect that your child may be taken abroad, please call our team of Family Law professionals on 1800 770 780 or contact us via email at [email protected] to schedule a free consultation.