Guarding Against Parental Child Abduction in Florida

International Custody

Guarding Against Parental Child Abduction in Florida

Preventing Parental Kidnapping in Miami, Florida

It is every parent’s worst nightmare and unfortunately, parental child abduction is a matter of serious concern in Miami, Florida. What can a parent do if the other parent is threatening the other parent with taking their child out of the country and not return?

The Florida legislature has addressed this very problem and enacted a number of statutes that a Florida family court may include in a court order in order to prevent parental child abduction.

Some of those provisions include:

  • Requiring that the other parent surrender any existing passports in the children’s names (see Florida Statute  §61.45(1)(d)); 
  • Requiring that the other parent surrender any United States or foreign passports that are  issued in either the children and/or the offending parent’s name (see Florida Statute §61.45(1)(d)2); 
  • Ordering that the other parent not apply for a new or replacement passport or visa for the children (see Florida Statute  § 61.45(1)(d)3); 
  • Allowing the petitioning parent to place the children’s name in the Children’s Passport Issuance Alert Program of the United States Department of State (see Florida Statute §61.45(1)(d)1); 
  • Requiring that the other parent post a either a bond or other security in an amount sufficient to serve as a financial deterrent to the abduction of the children (see Florida Statute. § 61.45(1)(e))

If you feel that you and your children are in a situation where Parental Kidnapping may be an issue or if you just have questions about the subject matter, give us a call at +1.786.309.8588.