Can I keep my ex from removing our child from the US?
It doesn't happen often, but it scares me when he gets in those moods. He has dual citizenship with the U.S. and South Africa. I just want to make sure there is a legal document so he couldn't take her to South Africa for an extended period of time.
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If you can change the location of the passport, that would be more effective than any agreement. Even with a court order, if he were to leave the country, it would be a lengthy and costly process to bring your child back.
Consider a safe deposit box at your bank.
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I have never set up a parenting plan. Our daughter is 8, and we split when she was 6 months old. We have been able to manage a schedule fairly well over the years. In my opinion, he can be abusive and makes threats when something upsets him.
It doesn't happen often, but it scares me when he gets in those moods. He has dual citizenship with the U.S. and South Africa. I just want to make sure there is a legal document so he couldn't take her to South Africa for an extended period of time.
I understand your concern about your daughter's safety. Have you discussed your worries about your ex-partner's behavior with a lawyer before?
No
Have you and your ex-partner ever had any formal legal agreements in place regarding custody or visitation of your daughter?
No
Is there anything else the lawyer should know before I connect you? Rest assured they’ll be able to help with custody and visitation.
No
Thank you for joining me today. I'm Alex, a lawyer with 25 years of experience.
I see your concern is the father taking your child out of the U.S.
I don't suspect it will happen; I just want to make sure things are in place. There is a history of DV, and he can be unpredictable at times.
Does the child have a passport that he has access to?
I have it in a small safe. He knows about the safe and would just take it if he really wanted to.
If you can change the location of the passport, that would be more effective than any agreement. Even with a court order, if he were to leave the country, it would be a lengthy and costly process to bring your child back.
Consider a safe deposit box at your bank.
That's a great idea. Thank you.
My pleasure
Wishing you the best of luck with your case! I hope you can resolve this issue favorably soon. Have a good rest of your week. If you have any questions or updates, please don't hesitate to reach out. Take care!
