Do you want to move to another country with your child? Are you moving abroad without the other parent? According to Dutch law, you need permission from the left-behind parent if he/she also has the parental authority over your child. It is important that you have the explicit written permission for permanent residence in the country concerned. If you relocate without the permission from the other parent, it may be considered as an international child abduction and a withdrawal from the parental authority.
Please contact us for more information and advice in your situation.
Do you live abroad and are you planning to relocate to the Netherlands with your child, but without the other parent? It is important that you are properly informed. Whether and how you can move to the Netherlands with your child, depends on the law of the country of your child's habitual residence. You need to know if you need the permission from the other parent to relocate with your child according to the law of that country concerned. You also need to know what conditions apply in that country in order to move abroad with your child. This does not depend on your or your child's nationality: even if you and/or your child have the Dutch nationality, it is not always possible to move to the Netherlands without permission.
If the other parent does not give permission for the relocation, you can use cross-border mediation to come to an agreement with the other parent. If you are unable to find a solution through mediation, you can ask the court for the permission. You will need a lawyer (attorney-at-law) for this procedure.
Do you have permission for a certain amount of time, for example for a holiday or a temporary stay? This permission is not the same as permission for the purpose of a permanent stay. If you do not return at the end of this specified period, it may be considered as an international child abduction and a withdrawal from the parental authority.
