Child Custody When One Parent is a Non-U.S. Citizen
It is common knowledge that nearly thousands of foreign citizens migrate to the US every year in search of a better livelihood. Even though the process helps in uplifting the social, political and economic status of these immigrants, problems can arise when complicated issues of domestic violence, divorce and child custody come into play.
Dealing with International Clients
It is common for foreign clients of American lawyers to be faced with numerous strange predicaments. However, the common ones may include dilemmas such as the parent wanting to shift base to a foreign country and taking the child along either at the time of separation or after divorce. Alternatively, the parent may have already taken the child with him/her and the spouse is demanding for the child to be sent back. Sometimes, one parent is unwilling to trust the law and order of the foreign country with regards to custody cases. So it is important to first know whether the country that the other parent is from recognizes the “Hague Convention” with respect to the international law for child abductions.
What is the essence of child abduction law and custody jurisdiction in such cases? A parent is barred from gaining any practical or legal advantage by moving the child’s base to a new country or state. It is imperative for the couple seeking separation or divorce to register the case in the court located in the habitual residence of the child prior to moving.
General Principe for Child Custody
In case where a US citizen marries an immigrant, child custody cases can get quite complicated. But the general principle with regards to child custody as spelt out by the U.S. Supreme Court in one of its notable cases is this:
The interest of the parent in the kid’s upbringing is of highest importance. Therefore, a person’s immigration status is never the only factor which is taken into account when deciding whether or not he/she cane get child custody.
The custody of the child is determined by the overall best interests of the child. This typically includes his/her medical, educational and financial situation.
Consider a hypothetical case wherein a couple is fighting for child custody and the father is originally from Russia whereas the mother is US citizen. The father, despite being a Russian citizen has every right to try and obtain the custody of his child. He may do so by proving to the court that he is capable of providing the child with education, financial support as well as good health. He can find a way to show to the court that is he would be able to make a certain amount of money once back in his own country and also highlight the resources that would be made available to ensure the child’s overall well being in Russia.
To learn more about the divorce process in California and how mediation can help, please visit our page, What is Divorce Mediation.
Gerald A. Maggio is a trained Orange County divorce mediator who has amicably resolved cases many cases out of court, as well as an experienced divorce and family law attorney. Mr. Maggio founded California Divorce Mediators in 2012 with the belief that although “not every marriage can be saved, every family can” and a mission to save families from the financial and emotional distress associated with traditional divorce litigation. California Divorce Mediators is located in Irvine, California, and serves the Orange County area and other counties in California offering divorce mediation, child custody mediation and mediation of other family law matters.
