Children's Passports Missing

peachyprice

Catbells wrote: »

Of course either of them has a right to them, but by taking them he is moving the divorce into a more difficult place as it is intimidating for my friend. Clearly there is little trust there and this is making it an even less trusting situation.

Unfortunatley that cuts both ways, he could also state that he felt intimidated that she had the passports.

The only thing she can do it go to court and spend money, providing she has proof that there is a real risk of him taking the children abroad for anything other than a holiday, destroy the passports with both parents present, or as you say give them to a mutual trusted friend.

One thing to add, she should make sure the children's birth cetificates are with a trusted person and out of the marital home, if he has dual nationality it is possible that me may be able to apply for new passports for the children from that country.

clearingout

removing the passports without the knowledge of the other is an intimidating tactic, particularly if one half of the couple is from another country. Had he asked/told before removing them, it would be a different matter, but that simple lack of courtesy is enough, as catbells says, to take the divorce to a different place. Having a friend hold them is a good idea - providing said friend can be trusted to only release them on the say so of both parties. Solicitors are often good people to provide this kind of 'service' as they have no emotional involvement whatsoever.

clw1

If he won't let a solicitor / family member / friend hold the passports then how about the father having one passport and the mother having the other - this assumes though that he wouldn't run away with just 1 child.

Mrs_P_Pincher

Stop his contact while he has the passports because of the risk he might spirit the children away?

She has to act in the best interests of the children and that then puts the onus on him to take legal steps. She can then say that she is happy for him to have contact as long as he returns the passports - job done!

Mrs P P

peachyprice

But he doesn't want her to have the passports because he thinks she will take the children out of the country, should he stop her contact? These are children, not pawns for either parent to get their own way.

They BOTH need the passports to be somewhere they are happy with.

pinkshoes

Catbells wrote: »

Yes there is a definite possibility that its a power thing as she ended the marriage.

If she ended the marriage, and presuming she has custody of the children, then it's quite likely he took the passports so that she couldn't take them away even further to a foreign country, as that would no doubt be even harder for him.

If there's a trust issue, then why not let one have the passports, and one have the children i.e. when he has the kids, she takes the passports.

gizmo111

One thing to add, she should make sure the children's birth cetificates are with a trusted person and out of the marital home, if he has dual nationality it is possible that me may be able to apply for new passports for the children from that country.

It costs less than a tenner to get duplicate birth certs and takes a matter of days if that long.

Wilma33

pinkshoes wrote: »

If there's a trust issue, then why not let one have the passports, and one have the children i.e. when he has the kids, she takes the passports.

Brilliant idea!

Catbells

Thanks again. Unfortunately and unbelievably they are still living in the same house pending the divorce . All negotiations are taking place out of earshot of the children at snatched moments. Both have lawyers but my friend is trying to minimise the contact to save money. I think though that a court may be the only way for them. Hellish.

Birdy12

pinkshoes wrote: »

If there's a trust issue, then why not let one have the passports, and one have the children i.e. when he has the kids, she takes the passports.

Either that, or they each hold onto one of the children's passports (not saying that's a completely fail safe option but less likely of a parent taking just one child out of the country?).