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I am afraid that my spouse may kidnap my children and take them overseas, and I will never see them again. What can I do?

Under the Women's Charter, once a custody order is made in respect of a child, it is a criminal offence to take the child out of Singapore for more than one month without the written consent of both parents or the permission of the court. If you fear that your children may be taken overseas, you may, in addition, apply for an express order that neither you nor your spouse can take the children overseas without the permission of the other party or the court and an order that the passport of the children be retained by you while the children are with your spouse. In your application, you should state why you would like this order to be made, and why you feel it is necessary. The court will decide whether it is in the best interests of your children to make these orders. It will also consider the likelihood that your spouse would take the children overseas without your permission, for example: Which country might your spouse take the children to? Is your spouse a citizen of that country? Does your spouse have a job or a family overseas? Would your spouse find it easy to obtain a job overseas or permanent residency/citizenship in a foreign country?