Children’s Passports and Travel When Parents Separate

Nicky Howarth and Fiona Greener discuss the potentially tricky issues around children’s passports and international travel after separation.Both parents with parental responsibility usually need to consent to a child’s passport application so when agreement can’t be reached, parents should try to resolve matters together. In cases where this doesn’t happen, the court can decide and will generally support travel in the child’s best interests unless there are safeguarding concerns.Nicky and Fiona explain that a parent with a “lives with” order can usually take a child abroad for up to 28 days, but that communication with the other parent is still advised.Finally, episode offers some practical tips for travel, including avoiding issues at border control when surnames differ, and cautions against wrongly reporting a passport as lost or stolen during disputes.To find out more or speak to a specialist, visit https://www.harbourfamilylaw.co.uk/