Custody agreement or no visa Sender: Seabird

Thanks, all

Got the visa, so very happy.

Then received an e-mail from the Manager of the Adelaide Business Centre, saying that the case officer had requested documentation in line with the regulations, but that as everything was now sorrted, they hopedI was happy with the outcome!! I thought this really nice. The manager had picked up my e-mail I sent the CO thanking her in the middle of last night, and really kindly also got in touch!! Really didn't expect that sort of service.

Apparently, when I sent the applicaiton at that stage the solicitor said we would try to get a reply from said father, and if that failed go to Court. Given the fact that he has never replied to anything in his life, I wasn't expecting a response and made the foolish move of saying to the CO that I expected a Court approval to be sought. In the end he replied (I think under the influence of his new wife, who signed the agreement as his witness) so we didn't need to go to Court and I sent the signed agreement, which I reckon they managed to trace yesterday after I had confimed that somone at DIMIA had signed for it! So the case officer was blindly waiting for a letter that was never going to arrive.

How far you need to go should be dependent on (a) whether your children were born after December 2000 and (b) whether you married the guy. If either of these is true, and fathers name is on the Birth Certificate you have to get his permission. If a or b don't apply, whether or not his name is on the birth certificate he has as much right as the guy next door to stop you taking your child out of the country, unless he has a signed agreement with you, or a Court order giving him Parental Responsibility.

My argument was, therefore, why not be forced to ask the guy next door for a copy of his pbuttport!

Anyway HAVE THE VISA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks all

And good luck

#Claire Yous wouldn't

-- Seabird