Browse Topics
Tools
Editor's choice

Stuff Swiss people like, part two

Amanda of Queso Suizo blog continues her top 20 things that Swiss people like. More cowbell, anyone?

Win a bottle of whiskey!

Fill out an Expat Voices interview by 1 December and you can win a free bottle of whiskey!

Zurich’s boutique coffeehouse

Kerrin of MyKugelhopf visits Péclard, Zurich's new/old pastry shop and tea salon.

Internaxx Stock Market
Index Last Var.(%)
BEL 20 2119.3 0.50
DAX 5252.45 1.50
IBEX 30 10726.8 0.59
CAC 40 3377.59 1.40
FTSE 100 4564.5 0.79
AEX 276.85 0.95
DJIA 9096.72 -0.13
Nasdaq 1975.51 0.39
FTSE MIB 20341.67 1.65
TSX Composite 10570.54 -1.74
ASX 4148.9 -0.60
Hang seng 20135.5 -2.37
Straits Times 0.00
ISEQ 20 442.48 0.27
You are here: Home Family & Kids Partners Divorce overseas: ten steps to protect your children.

27/05/2008Divorce overseas: ten steps to protect your children.

Frank Arndt looks at cases where the expat dream ends in despair and frustration. If your marriage breaks down, the prospects can be daunting if you are “stuck” in a foreign country.

In all areas of life, the world is getting smaller. Every year, British families embark on the dream of a new life abroad. At the same time, long-distance relationships are on the rise.

For many ex-pats, this new life provides all the happiness and enjoyment for which they had hoped. For an unfortunate few, this dream ends in despair and frustration. If your marriage breaks down, the prospects can be daunting if you are “stuck” in a foreign country, without a strong grasp of the language or knowledge of local culture.

However, while you may feel isolated, faced with complicated legal issues and dealing with foreign lawyers in an alien language, the truth is that help is always at hand. 

My own firm has helped people from all over the world who have found themselves in such a situation and called upon us for assistance. In almost every case, the first questions we have been asked have concerned the client’s children: what can be done to protect them? What can be done to ensure that access is not unfairly restricted?

The good news is that even in the most serious of cases, where spouses return home one day to find their partners have fled taking the children, there are legal remedies. Although divorce is an extremely traumatic experience for any parent to go through, the first steps are always the most important and the main priority is to keep a level head.

For example, if certain criteria are met, you may be able to argue that you have a right to file legal proceedings in another country. Different countries require different levels of “residency” to allow legal proceedings to start. This question is no small one, because family law can vary enormously between one country and another – and the financial implications can loom large.

0 reactions to this article

Inside Expatica
How to keep fit in Switzerland

How to keep fit in Switzerland

Switzerland offers year-round sporting opportunities, from skiing in winter to swimming, golf and camping in summer.

How to open a Swiss bank account

How to open a Swiss bank account

How to open and close a Swiss bank account, plus information on confidentiality and security deposits.

Driving in Switzerland

Driving in Switzerland

How to obtain a licence, import vehicles and follow road rules in Switzerland.

Finding the perfect family home in Zurich

Finding the perfect family home in Zurich

Tips and info to help with the house hunt.