May 10, 2022

Travel with your Children after Divorce

Divorce Mediation

As summer approaches, many families will think about summer vacations. A family vacation is often a very special time, but what happens when there is a divorce, and there are custody issues.

Debbie Y. Schneider, Esq., an Attorney at Alpha Center for Divorce Mediation discusses divorce, travel, and custody issues.

At the Alpha Center for Divorce Mediation, we address travel during our parenting mediations. At our parenting mediations, we ask the parties what terms and conditions shall be placed on travel.

Assuming that the parties are sharing joint legal custody, we often see couples give each party two weeks of vacation with the children each summer. During that two-week period, the other party is not entitled to custodial time with the child, and it is important that the non-custodial parent understand that is what happens during vacation time. Planning is key to making it work. As much as possible, include the other party is what you would like your summer vacation plans to be. In Pennsylvania, unless otherwise stated in a Court ordered custody order, it is not necessary to get permission for you to travel with your children, but the other parent should be given details about the travel plans once they are made. The details should include the itinerary for travel, including airline and hotel accommodations.

In some circumstances we recommend that you complete a child travel consent form. If there are any issues with your ex-spouse, getting that person’s consent in writing is often a good idea. There are standard free child travel consent forms available online to download, and they are easy to use.

Additionally, if you are planning out of the country travel, then written permission for the children to be traveling with only one parent is highly recommended. The last thing you want to have happen is for any vacation to be marred by an issue in a foreign country.

At the Alpha Center, we also address travel with neither parent present, and we sometimes include provisions regarding the safekeeping of the children’s passports.

Alpha Center for Divorce Mediation
Email: alphacares@alpha-divorce.com
Phone: 1-800-310-9085