Hong Kong is home to many expatriates and in a divorce, the issue of where a child will reside and grow up after a divorce is a distinct area of discussion among parents.  Whilst the majority of parents do come to an agreeable conclusion as to a child’s future place of residence, there are those few highly litigious cases when removal of a child from the jurisdiction of Hong Kong can occur without the permission of one parent and without leave of the court.

When this occurs, it comes within the realm of parental child abduction and the courts take this very seriously as many countries are members of the Hague Convention; a multilateral treaty developed by the Hague Conference on Private International Law and which provides an expeditious method to return a child internationally abducted by a parent from one member country to another.  Hong Kong is a member of the Hague Convention and The Child Abduction and Custody Ordinance (Cap. 512)(CACO) was enacted on 5^th September 1997 to give effect to the Convention in Hong Kong.  It is important to note that the People’s Republic of China itself is not a contracting state to the Convention, but yet Macau, another Special Administrative Region is.  Thus, at this time there is no mechanism in place between Hong Kong, Macau and Mainland China for the return of abducted children to China.

In Hong Kong, removal occurs when a child who was previously in the country of his/her habitual residence is taken away to another country.  Retention occurs where a child who has previously been for a limited period of time outside the country of its habitual residence, is not returned on the expiry of that limited period.

In the event that you are concerned that your ex-spouse may unilaterally remove a child from the jurisdiction of Hong Kong, there are steps you can take to prevent this from occurring:

First and foremost, speak with a family law solicitor to discuss the filing of an application to restrict the removal of the child from Hong Kong.  This application should be made within the main divorce suit and can be made on an ex parte basis, which is essentially an emergency hearing.  If you are successful in obtaining an order restricting the removal of a child, be sure to speak to your solicitor about ensuring this order is adhered to including providing a copy of the removal restriction order to Hong Kong’s Immigration Department who will then have notice of this removal restriction should your ex-spouse attempt to leave Hong Kong with your child.

If you believe that your ex is plotting to remove your child from Hong Kong, be prepared and take preventative measures such as notifying your child’s teachers, babysitters and other caretakers of a possible threat.  Record any and all threats made by your ex-spouse and keep updated photos of your child.  Gather all documents related to your child such as passports and birth records and make sure you have copies of all documents and that the originals are safely stored in a secured place, accessible only by you. It may also be worthwhile to keep the lines of communication open between you and your ex-spouse, as it may help reduce any potential flight risks that you may be concerned about.

If your ex-spouse has already left Hong Kong with your child without your permission and/or without the leave of the court, it is imperative that you take immediate steps including the following:

1. Contact Police: Contact local authorities to report parental child abduction. This is especially important if you are concerned about the safety and well-being of your child and/or you’re concerned that your ex-spouse will be going into hiding with your child.
2. Seek Legal Counsel: As this is a situation which requires immediate attention, get into contact with a solicitor who can assist you with the return of your child.  You will want a solicitor who is well-versed in Hague Convention related matters and one who has previously successfully obtained the return of a child from a foreign jurisdiction.  Once a child is taken out of Hong Kong, there are many hurdles a parent must go through and if you are not properly armed with an outstanding legal team, it will be that much more difficult.  If you are concerned about the whereabouts and well-being of your child, it is very important to keep your solicitor apprised of all communications with your ex-spouse and your child.
3. Make An Application: Once you have reached out to your solicitor, he/she may suggest that you file an application for the return of your child, but may also suggest that you make a request directly to the Secretary for Justice by filling in the necessary paperwork from the Department of Justice.
4. Do Your Own Research About The Hague Convention Treaty: Read up on The Hague Convention Treaty and become familiar with it so that you are knowledgeable about what situation you are dealing with.  Not all countries are part of the Hague convention so it is vitally important to initially determine whether the country holding your child is a party to the treaty.  Do your research and do not be afraid to ask your attorney tough questions about how the Hague Convention Treaty will affect your case and the likelihood of success of having your child return to Hong Kong.

It is important to note that a court will have discretion to refuse the return of a child to Hong Kong.  The courts will consider factors such as consent, acquiescence in a removal, grave risk for a child’s return both to physical or psychological harm and/or the court may even consider a child’s maturity and his/her views about a return.

If you are the parent who wishes to remove your child from the jurisdiction of Hong Kong, the route is of course is to go through the legal system which includes negotiating and resolving issues related to child custody and access in your divorce case through mediation or having it resolved by a court order.  It is understandable however that many parents find this to be a frustrating process as the courts in Hong Kong are dealing with backlog of cases resulting in delay before there is an adjudication of matters and even then, one parent may not be happy with the result. It goes without saying however, that at no point should a parent take matters into their own hands and resort to parental abduction of a child which can have detrimental effects especially on a child.

If you wish to remove your child from the jurisdiction of Hong Kong, speak to your solicitor about filing an application to remove your child permanently from the jurisdiction.  If you and your ex can agree, a consent summons can be filed with the court.  Remember, an ill-thought-out plan with little research and planning will not convince a judge that it is in a child’s best interest to be removed from the jurisdiction of Hong Kong.