If you are thinking, ‘how do I prevent my children travelling overseas?” then you should look at adding their name to the Family Law Watchlist. If your children already have a passport, this is the only way to stop them from travelling overseas.
The Family Law Watchlist is managed by the Australian Federal Police, and a child can be added to the Watchlist if you have an Application before the Court seeking a Watchlist Order.
In your court application, you can request an absolute prohibition on travel or a conditional prohibition on travel. For example, one condition might that if both parents agree, the child can go overseas. You can also request to limit the child’s travel to certain countries, such as those with which Australia has an agreement under the Hague Convention.
If you believe your child’s removal from the country is imminent, you can file your court application as an urgent matter.
