When you are someone who has worked hard to come to America, raised a child here with your spouse and even built a business, you want to celebrate that and be here as much as you can. That being said, you still have family and friends south of the border, and you want to expose your child to your culture.
Since your spouse is from America but you immigrated to the states, you know that your divorce could impact where your child can go and who they can see. You’d love for them to take annual trips with you to Mexico and to have weekends where you go to visit their grandparents across the border, but you’re not sure that your spouse will be comfortable with that once your divorce is finalized.
What can you do? Is there some way to make those trips safer for everyone?
This is a tricky situation, but if both you and your spouse are reasonable, then you should be able to work out a plan that makes you both feel comfortable with taking your child across the border. Some ideas that could help include:
- Agreeing to make plans for those trips together
- Only getting a passport for your child with the other parent present
- Agreeing to have the other parent visit the places you will go with your child
- Making sure to set up regular points of contact
- Giving your spouse multiple ways of getting in contact with you and your child
- Providing tracking by adding it to your child’s phone with international service or to a digital device that they wear
These are just a few ideas that might help you start the conversation and discuss security measures to make both people more comfortable with their child going between countries.
Culture, heritage, family and other aspects of your child’s life are very important. From learning your language to meeting your extended family, they deserve those opportunities. If you and your spouse are having a hard time deciding how you can handle international travel after your divorce, your attorney may be able to help.
