Can a mother travel with US citizen son without father`s concent?

[mikemeziou]

I am a citizen of Tunisia, my wife is a citizen of Lebanon and we both are living in New York - USA.
We have a two years old baby boy born her in the United States.
Could you please tell me how can I prevent my wife at anytime from traveling with my baby aboad without my concent.
We already issued a passport for the baby and I am holding this passeport, how can I also prevent my wife from issuing him and other passeport without my concent.

[mikemeziou]

I am a citizen of Tunisia, my wife is a citizen of Lebanon and we both are living in New York - USA.
We have a two years old baby boy born her in the United States.
Could you please tell me how can I prevent my wife at anytime from traveling with my baby aboad without my concent.
We already issued a passport for the baby and I am holding this passeport, how can I also prevent my wife from issuing him and other passeport without my concent.

[NeedHelpFast]

She could lie and file for a lost passport and be reissued another one. I too wonder, why are you concerned about the possibility of this happening?

[NeedHelpFast]

I think once in Lebanon, dad loses ALL parental rights, no appeal. I heard some horror stories of one parent leaving the country with the kids and never to return, and American law cannot help because the children in Lebanon are considered Lebanese citizens residing with their rightful parent, no matter HOW they got there. These are very legitimate concerns.
Mikemeziou, contact the passport issuing office and let them know of your concerns. They MAY be able to block any other requests for a lost passport of your child without your IN PERSON consent. You will probably need to do this in writing. This is no gaurentee, however. Sometimes passport approvals get through without being properly verified. If you are to the point that you are holding the passport, there must be a certain level of distrust or suspcion present already. Has she threatened to leave with the baby? If so, why? You need some counsel asap to address your concerns.

[mikemeziou]

Thank you for your posts.
Well, the reason why I asked that quetion is because we had a normal fight as it happens between couples.
And at this anger time she said I will take my son and trvael back home, aand you wont be able to see him again all your life.
My son is my love, so I want to take my precautions from something like that to happen.
Is there anyway how to have his name on the system at airports and prevent him from taking any flights without my and her concent?

[NeedHelpFast]

Not sure, but worth looking into! Contact the passport issuing agency as well and ask them how to put your son's passport on alert.

[Hudson]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by mikemeziou:
I am a citizen of Tunisia, my wife is a citizen of Lebanon and we both are living in New York - USA.
We have a two years old baby boy born her in the United States.
Could you please tell me how can I prevent my wife at anytime from traveling with my baby aboad without my concent.
We already issued a passport for the baby and I am holding this passeport, how can I also prevent my wife from issuing him and other passeport without my concent. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Who has custody of the child?

[Hudson]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by NeedHelpFast:
I think once in Lebanon, dad loses ALL parental rights, no appeal. I heard some horror stories of one parent leaving the country with the kids and never to return, and American law cannot help because the children in Lebanon are considered Lebanese citizens residing with their rightful parent, no matter HOW they got there. These are very legitimate concerns.
Mikemeziou, contact the passport issuing office and let them know of your concerns. They MAY be able to block any other requests for a lost passport of your child without your IN PERSON consent. You will probably need to do this in writing. This is no gaurentee, however. Sometimes passport approvals get through without being properly verified. If you are to the point that you are holding the passport, there must be a certain level of distrust or suspcion present already. Has she threatened to leave with the baby? If so, why? You need some counsel asap to address your concerns. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
NOt necessarily. Lebanon has a patriarchial legal system. For one, separation between spouses is very rare. Second, there is an international law, which Lebanon has signed, that deals with child custody cases. Since both are living in the US, US law prevails if the father has primary custody of the child. What I mean is that if family court grants primary custody of the child, then that parent is considered legal guardian of that child under preference of state law. The other spouse may have joint legal custody, but not the preference. This is exactly what happened in the Elian Gonza*** case a few years ago. So, the question is who has legal

If no court of jurisdiction has ruled on custody, then the parent which they now reside may use Lebonese court to have custody.

[Hudson]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by mikemeziou:
Thank you for your posts.
Well, the reason why I asked that quetion is because we had a normal fight as it happens between couples.
And at this anger time she said I will take my son and trvael back home, aand you wont be able to see him again all your life.
My son is my love, so I want to take my precautions from something like that to happen.
Is there anyway how to have his name on the system at airports and prevent him from taking any flights without my and her concent? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Depending on how serious the argument was, She may be bluffing or she may not. To protect yourself, you need to seek legal counseling on family law. Your rights as the father are protected, internationally. If harm has been done in the US, then US courts, particuluraily the state courts, have primary jurisdiction. The only thing she could do is use her family influence to keep the child from the proper authorities. And the way Lebanon is in right now poltically, it would be easy.

A state or local court could take away her passport so that she does not travel if flight risk is prevelent. That is your only hope.

[NewlyMinted]

On July 2, 2001, the Department of State began implementation of a new law regarding the passport applications of minor U.S. citizens under the age of 14. A person now applying for a passport for a child under 14 must show that both parents consent to the issuance or that the applying parent has sole authority to obtain the passport. Passport applications made in the U.S. and at consular offices abroad will both be covered by the new law. Exceptions to this requirement may be made in special family circumstances or exigent circumstances necessitating the immediate travel of the child.

The a look at the links below for more details.

http://travel.state.gov/family/abduc...urces_554.html

http://travel.state.gov/pdf/entrychild_issuance.pdf

http://travel.state.gov/family/abduc...ntion_560.html

[NeedHelpFast]

"A person now applying for a passport for a child under 14 must show that both parents consent to the issuance or that the applying parent has sole authority to obtain the passport. "
True, but by "consent", this is just a signature on the application. Not saying that this is a legitimate risk in this case, but one could forge the signature. It happens everyday...

[NewlyMinted]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by NeedHelpFast:
"A person now applying for a passport for a child under 14 must show that both parents consent to the issuance or that the applying parent has sole authority to obtain the passport. "
True, but by "consent", this is just a signature on the application. Not saying that this is a legitimate risk in this case, but one could forge the signature. It happens everyday... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Did you actually read the post? Let me put it here for you again and highlight some important words for you. A person now applying for a passport for a child under 14 MUST SHOW
that both parents consent to the issuance or that the applying parent has sole authority to obtain the passport.

He can use the form linked below as an added measure

http://travel.state.gov/pdf/entrychild_issuance.pdf

[lost in us]

She cant leave the US with her child without the permission of the father. Its a prodedure that was put in place for this very reason. Men who would take their american born children out of the country awway from their mothers. My friend went to the Dominican Republic with her 2 children and she had to call her ex husband on the phone in order to confirm that she had his permission for the kids to do. It depends on what country you go to. Im assuming most of the Middle East has this provision.

[NeedHelpFast]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">MUST SHOW
that both parents consent to the issuance or that the applying parent has sole authority to obtain the passport. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, I read the articles, but by must show, this is still just a signature, which can be forged. The measures that you cited are good and should be followed, but don't be naive, they are not a guarantee. People have kidnapped children under false circumstances and by the time the US gov't finds out, it's too late. Here are several cases that happened to US citizen children taken to Lebanon. We all hope that these preventative measures really work, but the fact is that they don't always. But this is not a reason to NOT file the application you cited, he should! Just be careful because it is not a 100% guarentee. Good info, take the proper steps, but still need to be careful if this is a true concern.

http://www.international-divorce.com/ca-lebanon.htm

[Hudson]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by lost in us:
She cant leave the US with her child without the permission of the father. Its a prodedure that was put in place for this very reason. Men who would take their american born children out of the country awway from their mothers. My friend went to the Dominican Republic with her 2 children and she had to call her ex husband on the phone in order to confirm that she had his permission for the kids to do. It depends on what country you go to. Im assuming most of the Middle East has this provision. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
We are making the assumption that both still have custody and no custody hearing has determined who has authority. If she has sole authority, she can go wherever she wants with the child. If not, the normal rules apply. But that does not mean she can forge his signature, though.