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International Family Law Solicitors
International family law cases are often urgent and complex. They may involve different legal systems, unfamiliar court processes, international treaties, foreign court orders and careful coordination between lawyers, courts and authorities in more than one country.
We understand that international family cases are often deeply personal and highly urgent, especially where children are involved. Our approach is child focused, practical and resolution led. Where a negotiated outcome is safe and realistic, we will explore it. Where immediate court action is needed, we will act quickly and clearly.
Family mediation can also help some separating parents work through arrangements for children and finances without going straight to court. Mediation is an independent process however, mediation will not be suitable for every international family dispute, particularly where there is an urgent risk of child abduction, domestic abuse, safeguarding concerns or a need for immediate protective orders.
These cases can be particularly distressing when children are involved. This may include situations where a child has been taken abroad without consent, has not been returned after an agreed trip, or may be at risk of being removed from England and Wales. They may also involve disputes about child residency, child contact and where a child should live when parents are based in different countries. Early specialist advice can make a significant difference.
Our team advises parents and families on international child abduction, parental child abduction, Hague Convention applications, international relocation, international child arrangements, cross border child arrangements, habitual residence disputes, jurisdiction issues, international divorce and financial settlement issues, international adoption and urgent applications to protect children from removal.
We provide clear, practical advice from the outset, helping you understand your options and take the right steps as quickly as possible.
If your child has been taken abroad, has not been returned after an agreed trip, or you believe there is an immediate risk that your child may be removed from England and Wales, you should seek specialist legal advice urgently.
GOV.UK states that you must usually have the permission of everyone with parental responsibility, or permission from the court, before taking a child abroad. Taking a child abroad without permission may amount to child abduction.
In urgent cases, we can advise on emergency applications, Prohibited Steps Orders, wardship, passport related measures, port alerts and steps to alert the relevant authorities.
Please contact our International Family Law team as soon as possible on 0117 939 0350 or email info@watkinssolicitors.co.uk.
International family law covers family disputes where more than one country, legal system or jurisdiction is involved. This can include international divorce, financial settlements, child maintenance, child residency, child contact and parental child abduction.
A case may involve international family law if:
A child has been taken abroad without one parent’s consent
A child has not been returned after a holiday or agreed visit
A parent wants to move abroad with a child
A parent objects to a proposed move abroad
Parents live in different countries and need child arrangements
There is a dispute about which country should make decisions about a child
A family court order from another country needs to be recognised or enforced
Divorce or financial issues involve another country
International adoption arrangements are involved
The case involves a country that is not part of the Hague Convention
If there is any connection with another country, it is important to obtain advice from a solicitor with experience in cross border family disputes as soon as possible.
International family law cases are often more complex than family disputes involving only England and Wales.
They may involve:
Different countries applying different legal rules
Questions about where a child is habitually resident
Urgent applications in the High Court
International treaties, including the Hague Convention
Countries that are not part of the Hague Convention
Foreign court orders
The need to coordinate with lawyers overseas
Immigration, nationality, passport or travel issues
Domestic abuse, safeguarding or welfare concerns
Practical barriers such as language, distance and local procedures
These cases often move quickly. Early advice can make a significant difference, particularly where a child may be removed from the country or where urgent steps are needed to secure a child’s return.
Our International Family Law team advises on a wide range of cross border family disputes including international divorce matters, international divorce settlements and international child arrangements.
We advise parents where a child has been taken abroad without permission or has not been returned after an agreed trip. These cases are often described as parental child abduction or international child abduction.
This may include:
Wrongful removal of a child from England and Wales
Wrongful retention of a child abroad after a holiday or visit
Children brought to England and Wales from another country
Hague Convention applications
Non-Hague Convention cases
Urgent court action
Passport and port alert issues
Article 13(b) defences involving risk of harm or intolerable situation
The Hague Convention is an international agreement that can help secure the return of a child who has been wrongfully removed from, or retained outside, their country of habitual residence.
Examples of Hague Convention countries include France, Spain, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. A full list of all Hague Convention countries can be found here.
Not every country is part of the Hague Convention. These cases can be more complex and may require urgent advice about alternative legal steps, including court applications in England and Wales, liaison with authorities overseas and advice from lawyers in the country concerned.
We advise parents making and responding to Hague Convention applications, as well as parents involved in child abduction cases concerning non Hague Convention countries. We can explain whether the Convention applies, what the court will consider, how quickly action should be taken, what options may be available if the other parent raises a defence, and what alternative steps may be possible where the Hague Convention does not apply.
Not every country is part of the Hague Convention. In some cases, a country may have signed or ratified the Convention, but the Convention may not operate between that country and the United Kingdom.
Where a child has been taken to a country where the Hague Convention does not apply, the usual Hague return process may not be available.
Cases involving countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Iran, mainland China, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Egypt, Afghanistan and Iraq can require a different legal approach. This is not a full list, and the position should always be checked carefully in relation to the specific country involved.
These cases often need urgent legal advice.
Possible options may include High Court applications, wardship, orders in England and Wales, passport or travel related orders, working with overseas lawyers and considering practical enforcement options.
If you are worried that your child may be taken abroad without your agreement, urgent protective action may be needed.
We can advise on:
Prohibited Steps Orders
Specific Issue Orders
Wardship
Passport surrender
Location orders
Port alerts
Concerns involving dual nationality
Letters to embassies or consulates where appropriate
Emergency court applications
Warning signs that a parent may be planning removal
If one parent wants to move abroad with a child, they will usually need consent from everyone with parental responsibility or permission from the court.
We advise parents who wish to relocate abroad with their child, as well as parents who object to a proposed international move.
The court will focus on the child’s welfare. It will consider matters such as schooling, housing, healthcare, financial stability, family support, the reason for the proposed move and how the child’s relationship with the other parent will be maintained.
If the other parent wants to move abroad with your child and you do not agree, it is important to seek advice quickly.
We can help you respond to a relocation proposal, gather relevant evidence and explain the impact the move may have on your relationship with your child.
Where parents live in different countries, child arrangements can become difficult to manage. This includes issues about where a child should live, child residency, child contact, holiday arrangements and time spent with each parent across borders.
We advise on:
Where a child should live
International contact arrangements
Holiday arrangements
Travel consent
Video calls and indirect contact
International handovers
Enforcement issues
Recognition of orders abroad where possible
Habitual residence is a legal term used to identify the country that forms the centre of a child’s life.
It can affect which country’s courts should make decisions about a child. Disputes can arise where a child has recently moved, where parents disagree about whether a move was temporary or permanent, or where court proceedings have started in more than one country.
We can advise on what evidence may be needed and how the court is likely to approach the issue.
If you have a family court order from another country, you may need advice on whether it can be recognised or enforced in England and Wales.
Likewise, if you have an English order and need it recognised abroad, you may need legal advice in both countries.
We can help you understand the position and take practical steps where enforcement is possible.
International adoption can involve complex legal, immigration and safeguarding requirements.
We advise families on issues including adopting a child from another country, recognition of foreign adoptions, immigration and nationality considerations and the steps required before making arrangements abroad.
Early advice is important before decisions are made overseas.
We advise:
Parents whose child has been taken abroad without consent
Parents whose child has not been returned after a holiday
Parents who fear their child may be removed from England and Wales
Parents responding to a Hague Convention application
Parents seeking the return of a child to England and Wales
Parents opposing the return of a child where there are safeguarding concerns
Parents who want to move abroad with their child
Parents opposing a proposed move abroad
Parents living in different countries who need child arrangements
Families involved in international adoption
Families dealing with foreign family court orders
UK nationals living abroad
International families living in England and Wales
If your child has been taken abroad without your consent, or has not been returned after an agreed trip, you should act quickly.
You should:
Contact a specialist international family solicitor urgently
Avoid waiting to see if the child is returned
Keep records of travel dates, messages, calls and agreements
Gather documents, including passports, birth certificates, court orders and parental responsibility documents
Contact the police if there is an immediate risk or the child has already been removed
Seek advice before travelling abroad yourself or taking informal steps
Avoid making threats or taking action that could affect your legal position
International child abduction cases can become more difficult if there is delay. Early advice can help protect your position and ensure the correct legal route is considered from the outset.
If you are concerned that the other parent may remove your child from England and Wales, you should seek urgent legal advice before travel takes place.
You should tell your solicitor if the other parent:
Has access to your child’s passport
Has applied for a passport or travel documents
Has dual nationality or strong connections abroad
Has family, housing or employment abroad
Has made threats to remove the child
Has booked flights or made travel arrangements
Has previously failed to follow court orders or agreements
Depending on the circumstances, it may be possible to apply for a Prohibited Steps Order, wardship, passport related orders or a port alert.
If a child has been taken to a country that is not a signatory to the Hague Convention, the legal route may be more complex.
The usual Hague Convention return process may not be available. It may be necessary to consider other legal and practical options.
These may include:
Urgent applications in the High Court in England and Wales
Wardship proceedings
Orders relating to passports or travel
Working with lawyers in the country where the child has been taken
Considering whether any foreign orders can be recognised or enforced
Taking steps to protect siblings or other children still in England and Wales
Cases involving non Hague countries require urgent, careful and realistic advice. The earlier legal steps are taken, the more options may be available.
Every international family law case is different, but our approach is designed to provide clarity from the outset.
We identify the immediate issue, where the child is, what orders already exist, who has parental responsibility and which country may have jurisdiction.
Where needed, we advise on emergency applications, passport restrictions, port alerts, Prohibited Steps Orders or urgent court orders.
We consider whether the Hague Convention applies, whether other international arrangements are relevant, or whether a non Hague strategy is needed.
We help prepare the necessary evidence, court documents and supporting information.
Where appropriate, we work with overseas lawyers, authorities or other professionals to support the case.
Once the immediate issue has been addressed, we advise on child arrangements, contact, relocation, enforcement and safeguarding.
International family disputes can be highly stressful. Where children are involved, our focus is always on protecting their welfare and helping clients take practical steps that support their safety and stability.
Where appropriate, we can advise on mediation, negotiation and other forms of non court resolution. These options may help parents reach agreement more quickly and reduce conflict.
However, mediation is not suitable in every case. Where there are urgent risks, domestic abuse, safeguarding concerns or a risk of child abduction, court action may be necessary. We will advise you clearly on the most appropriate route for your circumstances.
Watkins Solicitors is a multi award winning law firm with a specialist International Family Law department. Our team advises clients across England and Wales and is experienced in urgent children cases involving more than one country.
Our International Family Law team is led by Andy Kerese, an International Family Law Solicitor who holds Family Law Advanced Accreditation from The Law Society.
Our wider firm also has strong experience in children law, domestic abuse, public law and human rights. This means we can advise where international family law overlaps with safeguarding concerns, welfare issues or decisions involving public authorities.
We provide clear, practical advice in urgent and often difficult circumstances.
Legal aid may be available for some international child abduction cases, depending on the type of case and your circumstances.
We can advise you at the outset about funding options, eligibility and the likely cost of taking urgent legal action.
If your matter is urgent, please contact us as soon as possible so we can discuss the most appropriate next steps.
Yes, it may be child abduction if a child is taken abroad without the consent of everyone with parental responsibility or without permission from the court.
This may be wrongful retention. A trip may begin with consent, but if the child is not returned at the agreed time, urgent legal advice should be sought.
In urgent cases, you may be able to apply for a Prohibited Steps Order or other protective measures. If there is a real risk of removal, you should seek legal advice immediately.
The Hague Convention is an international agreement that provides a process for seeking the return of children wrongfully removed or retained across international borders, where both countries are signed up to the Convention.
The case may be more complex. Other options may still be available, including High Court applications, wardship and advice from lawyers in the country involved.
You usually need consent from everyone with parental responsibility or permission from the court. Moving without consent or court permission may lead to allegations of child abduction.
The court will focus on the child’s welfare. It will consider the practical relocation plan, schooling, housing, financial arrangements, family relationships and how contact with the other parent will continue.
Habitual residence means the country that forms the centre of a child’s life. The court will consider the child’s day to day life, family connections, schooling, routine and how settled they are in a particular country.
In some cases, yes. This depends on the country involved, the type of order and whether any international convention or reciprocal arrangement applies.
Yes. Watkins Solicitors advise clients across England and Wales on international family law matters, including clients in Bristol, Bath, Hereford and Evesham, as well as clients based elsewhere in the UK and overseas.
Immediately. In child abduction and removal risk cases, timing can affect the options available.
An international divorce usually means the marriage or divorce has links to more than one country, for example because one or both spouses live abroad, the marriage took place abroad, or there are overseas assets or children in another country.
In some cases, yes. This will depend on the legal connection to England and Wales, including issues such as domicile, habitual residence and jurisdiction.
Parental child abduction usually means a parent takes or keeps a child abroad without the consent of everyone with parental responsibility or without permission from the court.
If you need advice about an international family law issue, please contact Watkins Solicitors as soon as possible.
Our specialist team can advise on urgent child abduction concerns, Hague Convention applications, non Hague Convention cases, international relocation, cross border child arrangements, habitual residence disputes and international adoption.
We support clients from our offices in Bristol (Southville and Fishponds), Bath and Hereford, as well as serving clients across the rest of the UK.
Call 0117 939 0350 or email info@watkinssolicitors.co.uk.
If your child has been taken abroad, has not been returned, or may be at immediate risk of removal from England and Wales, please tell us this when you contact us so your enquiry can be treated as urgent.
