Custody when one parent lives abroad: what the court asks

Hina Raza, Qureshi & Malik Associates
18 Mar 2026 · 6 min read

iWritten by the advocate, not by Wakeel. Not advice about your case. Wakeel’s own guide: Custody →

The guardian court looks at the child’s welfare, not at where the parents live. But living abroad changes what you have to show.

What the court asks

Where the child will live and go to school, who looks after them day to day, and how the other parent will keep contact.

Visits and travel

A schedule that the court can enforce, including holidays in the other country, is easier to get than an open-ended order.

Photo: Hammad Baig, Pexels