Relocation with my minor child to Greece, Athens (Consent and Refusal) – Advocate Muhammad Abduroaf

The world is becoming a much smaller place, and technology plays a huge role. People are moving across the world for employment, love and happiness, something that was not the norm a few decades ago. There is no reason why you should remain in South Africa if you can find a better life for yourself and your family overseas. Moving overseas may provide you with the quality of life you want or the possibility of experiencing things you always wanted. The same applies to your child or children relocating with you.

Relocation of your minor child to Athens, Greece

If you are single and do not have any minor children, then moving around the world would not be too complicated. All you need to do is ensure that you have the necessary travel documentation and travel ticket (and spending money), and off you go. However, if you want to travel with your minor children (for example, ages five or six) or relocate to another country, things may not be that simple. Firstly, if there is another parent, and he or she has parental responsibilities and rights, then his or her consent is required. For example, let us say you live in Stellenbosch or Polokwane, South Africa, and you want to relocate to Athens, Greece, you would require the other parent’s consent to leave South Africa with your minor child. This can cause challenges, especially if the staying parent (in South Africa) does not agree to the relocation.

What about Passport Consent to travel or relocate to Athens, Greece?

The same applies when it comes to your minor child applying for a South African passport to relocate to Greece, or any country. Both parents who have parental responsibilities and rights of guardianship will have to consent to the minor child’s passport application as well. In this regard, both parents have to be at the Department of Home Affairs (or the relevant bank that also assists with passport application) when making the Application with the minor child. This can be challenging if you have a disinterested parent who does not want to cooperate with the passport application. As you will see later, legal action would need to be taken.

What are the steps to follow when I want to relocate to Athens, Greece with my minor child? There is there another parent.

To simplify the process for relocation, the first step would be to receive the other parent’s consent in principle for the relocation and that he or she will co-operate in this regard. Once that has been resolved, the parent relocating would need to make the appointment for the minor child’s passport application as well as the application for the relevant VISA. Each country has different requirements; however, seeing that it is a relocation, you need to apply for the correct VISA. For that, you need the Passport. Once the visa and travel arrangements have been finalised, the parent remaining behind will sign a parental consent letter for the international travel. That letter can be found on the Department of Home Affairs website. Basically, the parent remaining behind would state that he or she gives consent for the minor child to leave the Republic of South Africa and travel and/or relocate to Athens, Greece.

What can I do if the other parent does not want to consent to the minor child’s relocation to Athens, Greece?

If the parent remaining in South Africa does not want to consent to the minor child’s passport application and/or his or her relocation to Athens, Greece, then you would need to approach the Court. The Court, as upper guardian of the minor child, may order that the parent’s consent for the passport application and relocation be dispensed with. What this entails is submitting Court documents explaining why you want to relocate to Athens, Greece. The other parent would also have an opportunity to give reasons why he or she objects. At the end of the process, the Court would determine what is in the minor child’s best interests. If it is in the minor child’s best interests to relocate to Athens, Greece, the Court would make it possible despite the issue of consent or refusal.

What is the first step I should take if the other parent does not want to consent to the minor child’s passport application and/or relocation to Athens, Greece?

If the other parent does not want to consent to the passport application and/or the relocation of the minor child to Athens, Greece – in that case, we suggest you approach an attorney or advocate (trust account) to assist you with the legal process. He or she would then contact the other parent explaining the reasons for the relocation and request the necessary consent. If the parent remaining in South Africa does still not agree to the passport application and/or to the relocation to Athens, Greece, then the attorney or advocate will proceed to take the matter to court. The legal route can be expensive. However, it is necessary to make the relocation of the minor child possible. You may also attend to the legal process yourself.

Getting legal assistance or help with your relocation application to Athens, Greece

If you require legal assistance or representation with relocating to Athens, Greece due to the other parent not cooperating or providing consent, then feel free to contact us for assistance. The Firm Advocate, Muhammad Abduroaf, deals with these types of matters.

Posted on 11 February 2025 by Telelaw

Relocation with my minor child to Greece, Athens (Consent and Refusal) – Advocate Muhammad Abduroaf

Relocation of your minor child to Athens, Greece

What about Passport Consent to travel or relocate to Athens, Greece?

What are the steps to follow when I want to relocate to Athens, Greece with my minor child? There is there another parent.

To simplify the process for relocation, the first step would be to receive the other parent’s consent in principle for the relocation and that he or she will co-operate in this regard. Once that has been resolved, the parent relocating would need to make the appointment for the minor child’s passport application as well as the application for the relevant VISA. Each country has different requirements; however, seeing that it is a relocation, you need to apply for the correct VISA. For that, you need the Passport.
Once the visa and travel arrangements have been finalised, the parent remaining behind will sign a parental consent letter for the international travel. That letter can be found on the Department of Home Affairs website. Basically, the parent remaining behind would state that he or she gives consent for the minor child to leave the Republic of South Africa and travel and/or relocate to Athens, Greece.

What can I do if the other parent does not want to consent to the minor child’s relocation to Athens, Greece?

If the parent remaining in South Africa does not want to consent to the minor child’s passport application and/or his or her relocation to Athens, Greece, then you would need to approach the Court. The Court, as upper guardian of the minor child, may order that the parent’s consent for the passport application and relocation be dispensed with. What this entails is submitting Court documents explaining why you want to relocate to Athens, Greece. The other parent would also have an opportunity to give reasons why he or she objects.
At the end of the process, the Court would determine what is in the minor child’s best interests. If it is in the minor child’s best interests to relocate to Athens, Greece, the Court would make it possible despite the issue of consent or refusal.

What is the first step I should take if the other parent does not want to consent to the minor child’s passport application and/or relocation to Athens, Greece?

Getting legal assistance or help with your relocation application to Athens, Greece

Gay and Lesbian (Same-sex) Divorces in South Africa – How does it work?
As with any marriage, relationship or romantic partnership, there is no guarantee that it will last until death do you part. For a marriage, a divorce is what is needed if the marriage has irretrievably broken down. Much has been written on the issue of divorces in relation to heterosexual marriages where the Marriage Act find application. The same applies to customary marriages. What about same-sex, or gay and lesbian couples who are married and want to get divorced? Does the law cater for such marriages? And how are they different from heterosexual divorces. Before we deal with the dissolution aspect of a same-sex marriage, let us first deal with the validity and legality of the same-sex marriage itself.

What are same-sex marriages?

This sounds like a simple question. However, without presuming too much, let us unpack the law. Here we will look at the Civil Union Act 17 of 2006. It is this Act of Parliament that made same-sex marriages legal in South Africa.

Civil Union Act, 17 of 2006

According to the Civil Union Act, a “civil union” means the voluntary union of two persons who are both 18 years of age or older which is solemnised and registered by way of either a marriage or a civil partnership, in accordance with the procedures prescribed in this Act, to the exclusion, while it lasts, of all others“. Furthermore, according to the Act, a “civil union partner” means a spouse in a marriage or a partner in a civil partnership. as the case may be, concluded in terms of this Act“. From the aforementioned, it is clear that there are two types of civil unions, the one is a marriage, and the other is a civil partnership. Now let us have a look at what the legal requirements are for a gay or lesbian couple to enter into a same-sex marriage as provided for in the Civil Union Act.

Requirements for solemnisation and registration of a civil union

The requirements for the solemnisation and registration of a civil union are as follows as provided for in the Act: “8. (1) A person may only be a spouse or partner in one marriage or civil partnership. ( 2 ) A person in a civil union may not conclude a marriage under the Marriage Act or the Customary Marriages Act. (3) A person who is married under the Marriage Act or the Customary Marriages Act may not register a civil union. (4) A prospective civil union partner who has previously been married under the Marriage Act or Customary Marriages Act or registered as a spouse in a marriage or a partner in a civil partnership under this Act, must present a certified copy of the divorce order, or death certificate of the former spouse or partner, as the case may be, to the marriage officer as proof that the previous marriage or civil union has been terminated. ( 5 ) The marriage officer may not proceed with the solemnisation and registration of the civil union unless in possession of the relevant documentation referred to in subsection ( 4 ). ( 6 ) A civil union may only be registered by prospective civil union partners who would apart from the fact that they are of the same sex, not be prohibited by law from as the case may be, at any given time, concluding a marriage under the Marriage Act or Customary Marriages Act.” The aforementioned clauses basically say you should not be married, and there should be no legal reason why you cannot get married.

Now let us move on to the issue of divorces when it comes to gay and lesbian marriages

Should a gay or lesbian couple married in terms of the Civil Union Act wish to get divorced, the procedure is the same as would be in a marriage solemnised in terms of the Marriage Act. The legal documents, however, would be slightly different. For example, in the case of a gay marriage, where it comes to the type of civil marriage, and children, the following clauses would be inserted in the Particulars of Claim:

The parties entered into a marriage or a civil partnership; and
There are no children of the marriage, either through adoption or surrogacy;

Otherwise, the procedure would be exactly the same, save for in a gay marriage, only the word he would be used to describe the spouse and the word she, for a lesbian couple.

Contact us to assist you with your same-sex divorce

If your same-sex marriage has irretrievably broken down, and you wish to get divorced, feel free to contact our offices for assistance. Based on our experience with same-sex divorces, additional knowledge on the law may be required when it comes to preparing the legal documents.

Posted on 11 February 2025 by Telelaw

Child Maintenance Court – What do you have to know to win. Tips and Tricks
[caption id="attachment_8401" align="alignleft" width="640"] Child Custody of Parents[/caption]
Best interests of a child: When it comes to child maintenance, the child’s best interests are of paramount importance. This principle is immortalised in our Constitution and applied in our Courts of Law. Therefore, in relation to child maintenance matters, and specifically to the child maintenance court, the moment a parent files an application for child maintenance, the principal should apply. Before we move on, on a side note, it is not only child maintenance that the maintenance court deals with. A spouse may take the other to the maintenance court for personal maintenance. Read on above a Successful Child Maintenance Appeal before the Full Bench Argued by Adv M Abduroaf

Parental Maintenance Obligations

Both parents have a duty of support towards their minor child’s proper living and upbringing. This should be according to their means, standard of living, station in life, and the needs of the child. This is found in our common law and further applies to divorced parents. According to section 15(2) of the Maintenance Act, the duty “extends to such support as a child reasonably requires for his or her proper living and upbringing, and includes the provision of food, clothing, accommodation, medical care and education.” Furthermore, the duty is not discharged where one parent earns substantially more than the other. According to section 15(3) of the Maintenance Act, in determining the maintenance amount, the maintenance court must take into consideration the following: “(i) that the duty of supporting a child is an obligation which the parents have incurred jointly; (ii) that the parents’ respective shares of such obligation are apportioned between them according to their respective means; and (iii) that the duty exists, irrespective of whether a child is born in or out of wedlock or is born of a first or subsequent marriage. (b) Any amount so determined shall be such amount as the maintenance court may consider fair in all the circumstances of the case.” Lastly, there is an onus on both the maintenance officer and the maintenance magistrate in placing evidence before the court in determining a fair maintenance amount. This is our starting point going forward.

Processing the Maintenance Application

When a parent approaches the maintenance court for child maintenance, it is the duty of the maintenance clerk to expeditiously process the application. In doing so, the clerk through the other resources of the maintenance court, should ascertain the details of the other parent, and ensure that he or she is brought to court as soon as possible for a maintenance enquiry before a maintenance officer. Therefore, for example, should the maintenance clerk not have the living or work address of the father, then he or she must enlist the assistance of the maintenance investigator to obtain it. For that, he or she can make use of the search and tracking resources the maintenance investigator makes use of and has access to.

Getting the non-paying parent to the maintenance court

After the maintenance application has been processed, it is the duty of the maintenance court to ensure that the non-paying parent makes his or her way to the maintenance court as soon as possible for a maintenance enquiry. This enquiry is held before a maintenance officer. Even if the maintenance court’s diary is quite full, it should still expedite this process, giving both parents adequate time to make arrangements to appear in the maintenance court. Therefore, if the next available date for a maintenance enquiry is in three (3) months time, the parties can use this time to make arrangements with their work, obtain necessary information for the enquiry, or make alternative school traveling arrangements for the kids. There should therefore not be a delay in notifying the parents of the date of the maintenance enquiry. Furthermore, when notified of the court date, both parents receive a document stating what information they should bring with to the maintenance enquiry. These include three (3) months bank statements, and salary advices as well as proof of expenses. Giving the parties adequate time to obtain this information would be vital and, in the child’s best interests. The last thing we want is for the matter to be postponed to another date due to either parent not having been given adequate time to obtain the documents, even though the mother made the application many months ago.

The maintenance enquiry before a maintenance officer

The maintenance enquiry is the next legal step in the process. This is where things get interesting. Sometimes, at this enquiry, it is the first time the parents are in the same room together, since the child was conceived. Quite often, both parents do not know much about the current financial affairs of the other parent. The parent asked to pay child support, furthermore, does not know what the child costs to maintain.

Denial of paternity

What sometimes happens, is that the father denies paternity. This he would either do out of spite or due to genuine doubt on his side. This would often be the case if there was a brief encounter between the parents when the child was conceived. Sometimes the father is married to someone else, and for the sake of his current marriage, he needs to deny paternity. Once the paternity tests are finalised, the parties would need to return to court again for the results. If the results are positive, in that he is the father, then the enquiry proceeds. If he is not the biological father, the application is removed from the court roll.

Role of the maintenance officer

Again, the golden standard in which the enquiry should be conducted is that of the child’s best interests. This is of paramount importance. The maintenance officer should, therefore, ensure that all the financial information about the parties are properly disclosed. This is very important. However, at the same time, the maintenance officer should try to settle the matter, taking into consideration the child’s best interests. Should the parents not be forthcoming regarding their income and expenses, and the needs of the child, then the maintenance officer must subpoena witnesses if need be and make use of the maintenance investigator which we deal with next.

The maintenance investigator

Section 7(1)(d) of the Maintenance Act empowers the maintenance officer to “require a maintenance investigator of the maintenance court concerned to perform such other functions as may be necessary or expedient to achieve the objects of this Act.” Section 7(2)(e) of the Maintenance Act empowers the maintenance investigator after so being instructed by the maintenance officer, to: “gather information concerning- (i) the identification or whereabouts of any person who is legally liable to maintain the person mentioned in such complaint or who is allegedly so liable; (ii) the financial position of any person affected by such liability; or (iii) any other matter which may be relevant concerning the subject of such complaint; or (f) gather such information as may be relevant concerning a request referred to in subsection (1) (c). Now that we looked at the importance of the role of the maintenance officer and maintenance investigator, we move on to the role of the maintenance magistrate. This is where the formal enquiry takes place.

The formal enquiry before a Magistrate

Should the parties not be able to come to an agreement regarding the amount of child maintenance to be paid at the enquiry before the maintenance officer; the matter would have to go before the maintenance magistrate for a formal enquiry. Here the court has to properly consider the means and needs of the mother, the means and needs of the father, and the needs of the minor child. Thereafter, make a maintenance award. There is a legal obligation upon the maintenance officer and the magistrate to conduct a thorough enquiry. The court should not play the role of an umpire. Therefore, a passive attitude should not be taken by a judicial officer in a maintenance enquiry and then give judgment. Should all go well, at the end of the enquiry, a maintenance award would be made.

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Posted on 11 February 2025 by Telelaw