Minor Children and International Travel Risks

The state of Florida and particularly South Florida, is a melting pot of many diverse individuals from all around the world.

Due to the great diversity of people, you frequently see many Americans marrying people from foreign countries. When these couples have children, divorce can bring about some serious issues regarding the stability of the minor children.

Divorce frequently creates a considerable amount of anger between the parents, and the minor children are often times used as pawns by the parents.

In happier days, family trips abroad were generally wonderful experiences for the family and particularly for the children. Now that a divorce proceeding has commenced, just the thought of a minor child traveling abroad with one of their parents can send shivers up the spine of the other parent.

Parental kidnapping is a real event and it happens every day across this country. Just the other day a child was recovered in Mexico, after having been unlawfully removed from central Florida to that country by her father. This is the story of Cara Cox, as reported by CNN.

These kinds of situations can be prevented, but early action and intervention is required. Passports for children should be promptly removed from the control of a parent who has ever made a threat about kidnapping. Any threat should be considered “real”.

If a parent refuses to surrender a child’s passport, you should seek immediate relief from the court for a turnover of the passport. Additionally, a court order for supervised visitation or time sharing should be considered if the facts support that relief.

Immigration should also be alerted and put on notice of the potential threat.

There are state and Federal laws designed to assist in the recovery of children taken abroad unlawfully. An example is found in the provisions of the Hague Convention, which purpose is to foster cooperation and assistance from foreign countries in returning children.

These laws can be complex and tedious, and could take years to implement and enforce.

The better course of action is to be preventive, and take all immediate precautions as the circumstances warrant. Be proactive, and trust your gut feelings. .

Contact a Florida Family Law Attorney for Help

Family laws and court precedents can change on a regular basis. If you have any family law matter or concerns, you should always consult with a family law attorney who is familiar with Florida law and keeps up to date on any new changes. If you are facing divorce or any other issue in Boca Raton or Fort Lauderdale, do not hesitate to contact experienced lawyer Alan R. Burton for assistance today.