International Family Law and Children

Families who are split across international borders face unique challenges. Disputes between these families can have significant effects on both children and parents in a variety of ways.

GMH Lawyers are experienced at national and international child relocation matters. We can assist you in negotiating consent orders and obtaining orders from the Family Law Courts permitting you to permanently relocate (and in other cases, preventing them from relocating) with your children away from Sydney; interstate within Australia; and to international overseas destinations.

We also assist parties in obtaining orders allowing children to travel (for holidays and other non-permanent reasons) with parents to interstate and overseas locations if one parent does not consent and we are able to establish the travel will be in the children’s best interests. In some circumstances it will be appropriate to seek an order of the Court that the travelling parent pays a bond to ensure the non-traveling parenting has funds to obtain legal or other assistance in the event that the travelling parent does not comply with previously agreed travel plans or breaches orders.

As relocation overseas is becoming a more common scenario for Australian families, family and relationships law often extends beyond Australian borders. GMH Lawyers have expertise advising and representing parties in matters involving one parent seeking to relocate from Australia to another country with a child or children. We can also provide assistance in cases where children have been abducted from Australia or brought to Australia following an abduction.