Michael Allum: Raising awareness of international family law issues

A magazine supplement in a national newspaper recently published the story of an English mother who found herself ‘trapped’ in New Zealand following relocation with her partner. An English woman began a relationship with a New Zealand national who was resident in the UK on a working visa. The relationship developed quickly the woman fell pregnant and upon the father’s UK visa coming to an end they decided to start a new life in New Zealand. It was not until the relationship came into difficulty and the mother consulted a solicitor that she was advised about the implications of the Hague Convention.

Unfortunately the tale is not uncommon; many families choose to relocate often to the home country of one of the parties when children are born with a view to raising their young family in the best possible surroundings. As is typical and perhaps even natural when a relationship is going well many give little thought to the consequences of their international movements until the relationship breaks down. The story in the magazine told...