Child Visitation to England

by Alita from Tampa, Florida, Hillsborough County

My ex and I got divorced in 2003, I retired in 2008 and his retirement will be final 1 Apr 2011.

However, he resides in England and has no intention of moving back to the United States.

Am I required to send my daughter to another country for visitation when he is not abiding with the divorce decree visitation agreement, medical agreement, dental agreement or child support agreement?

Answer to Florida Child Visitation Question

Dear Alita,

The courts treat child support and child visitation as separate issues.

In the big picture, whether or not he is abiding by his financial obligation, technically has no bearing on whether or not he has the right to visitation with his daughter.

However, since he is not abiding by the agreements, he is not in a good position to enforce any of his rights.

What does your parenting plan say about travel out of the country?

If you agreed to allowing it then, why wouldn't you want to allow it now?

On the other hand, if travel out of the country was never addressed you might certainly address it now. Does your child have a passport? You don't say the age of your daughter. Is she old enough to travel unescorted? And are you comfortable with her traveling unescorted?

Is he paying for airline tickets? And if he can afford airline tickets, why can't he pay for necessities such as medical, dental, and ongoing support?

Refusing to allow your daughter to travel to England to see her father, is not the same as refusing to allow him to see her at all. He could travel to Florida to visit, instead of her traveling to England, for instance.

Notice: We provide these answers to the general public and our website visitors as a means to further their online legal research. These answers are merely suggestions and should not be regarded as legal advice.

If you need legal advice, we recommend LagalMatch's free Lawyer Referral Service. Many lawyers offer free initial consultations. Get the legal advice you deserve.
Free Family Lawyer Referral

You Are Here → Home › Visitation FAQs › Child Visitation to England