Passport issue

I was under the impression this was an active forum. I would appreciate any insight or to be pointed in the right direction. 🙂

Hi there

Yes a court can order you to hand over the passport. Should you fail to do so you would be in breach of the court order.

Its common for the CAO to contain terms such as child's passport must be handed over 1 month prior to any holidays upon request. It is important to ensure that a term like this is included in the CAO if you wish to take the child abroad as otherwise if the passport is not handed over then an urgent specific issues application will need to be made to the court in order to arrange handover of the passport.

If it is the non resident parent who withholds the passport then there is a risk that the resident parent stops future contact on safeguarding grounds claiming that preventing the child from going abroad has harmed the child which could cause no end of issues and result in going back to court etc..

Hope this helps, all the best. 

Thank you for your reply.

I am some what confused now.

I offered to handover passport to mother solicitors and not the courts this was with cafcass, I was under the impression they had no jurisdiction over foreign passports. From your reply that seems to be incorrect. Could you please point out the the section of law that states this, just for my reference.

I have no issues given it over keeping in mind I am the one who has suggested this but through a court order raises concerns for me, exp given how difficult it was to get my child his dual nationality in the first place. I think I just need assurance. This self litigating stuff is difficult but we try our best.

Will I have to inform the said country embassy that I have given their passport to a UK court?

If it is ordered I give the passport to the courts, how would I get it back?

If I refuse to give the passport what are the possible implications? 

I have no interest of removing our child from the UK I have made this clear to them all on record and I am the non resident parent with no contact at the moment. I am trying to seek contact.

What gets me is why with a UK court ask to for nonUK passport when I could apply for a replacement. Doesnt that defeat the purpose. Or is this a way for me to show my intent and prove I am child focussed.

I will be interest in views and insight you have. Again thanks in advance

hi,

when I was going through courts, same thing happened with me. as court order was going to state that the kids live with mother, it got ordered for me to hand over the kids passports (UK) to their mother. I imagine this was suggested by the mothers lawyer. can only assume it's to remove the risk of non-resident parent running off to another country with the child, or just to be in control. somewhere at the back of the court order, it mentions some warning or guidance about parents not to register child by another name or apply for a passport. If I want to take kids abroad on holiday, then mother is expected to hand passports to me, and I hand them back after returning from holiday.

@bill337 Thank you.

I have been reading nonstop trying to find advice from someone in my situation. 

If mine was in relation to a UK passport I can understand a court ordering the non-resident to hand them over etc This passport was issued prior to our separation and I have had contact with our child since on several occasion before all contact stopped. Sure if I was a flight risk or she has concerns of me removing him then that opportunity had presented itself on many occasions, yet that didn't occur. 

She hold his UK passport which I have no issues with and I hold foreign passport for him. I think the key question im pulling my hair our trying to answer lol Does the courts have jurisdiction to order me to hand over a foreign passport to them? Surely thats illegal.

@daddy100 hi, due to the complexities of your questions (dual nationality, foreign passport, jurisdiction etc) I would suggest you seek specialist legal advice.

Its also not clear why you are seeking this guidance/clarity, legal clarification, as you have voluntarily offered to hand it over. For clarity, the courts would not order you to hand over the passport to the court but to the other parent. The court may well order that you can hold and keep the passport but upon request with notice must hand it over it.

However, as I say, specific legal advice in relation to this is what you need. 

All the best. 

@daddy100 Hi, most times they have a legal advisor sitting beside the judge. So you can ask them about this passport issue at your hearing. as daddyup mentioned, you could seek legal advice. generally those of us who self-represent are at a disadvantage, due to not knowing our rights, the law and the process in those courts.

Daddyup, I am very intrigued about your case as I have almost the same situation. 

At the moment we didn't reach the point for discussing about passport but I am sure it will very soon, so, can you please keep us updated if you get any new informaton? 

Thank you in advance...and yes of course, if I found any new about it I will let you know! 🙂

as far as I understand if it is necessary to give a passport,

Very intrigued to know the answer to this. 

My husband may be in the same situation as you in the future, although he and his child will gain dual citizen through me not prior to the separation (like in your case). 

My opinion - not factual just how I view your situation..  On one hand, the passport belongs to the child and so the primary carer is generally the one that holds all documentation, medical, passport, etc etc. So there's a chance they can say mother should be holder of the passport.

On the other hand it is not property of UK so they may not be able to dictate although it belongs to a UK citizen... Really unsure!  

Definitely keep this updated ! Good luck! 

 

@daddy100 I'm very new here, just joined.  I've been through child proceedings (3 hearings).   I can't see any reason why you cannot keep hold of your child's (dual) passport, especially if there are two, unless there is a prohibitive steps order in place.  Seems reasonable to hand over upon request but even then if the mother has another for your child then surely it isn't really needed.