Petition · past parliament · Ministry of Justice

Allow resident parents to take their children abroad without needing consent

Closed 32 signatures

What the petition asks

You can take a child abroad for 28 days without getting permission from the other parent if a Child Arrangement Order says the child must live with you, unless a court order says you can’t. This should be extended to resident parents without CAOs unless another court order prevents this.
We believe all resident parents should have the same rights as those with Child Arrangements Orders that say a child must live with the parent. Consent should not be required, particularly from an uninvolved, non-resident parent, no matter if they have PR. Requiring consent gives the non-resident parent the power to refuse or delay the request simply because they can, more so if there is a history of coercive controlling behaviour within the relationship. We believe this is wholly inequitable.

Timeline

2 Mar 2023 Petition opened for signatures
2 Sep 2023 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 32
Status Closed
Department Ministry of Justice
Opened 2 Mar 2023
Closed 2 Sep 2023

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.