1. Globalization has seen an increase in inter-race/nationality marriages. While a mixing of cultures should always be celebrated, such dynamics pose very real issues when a marriage breaks down. Singapore being an international hub where peoples’ careers, lives and families converge, has seen an increase in cross-border family issues. Examples would be where 1 or both parent(s) want to relocate to another country with the child(ren), or where 1 spouse’s immigration status in Singapore is not as permanent as the other’s.
2. Personally, I have handled various matters with cross-border elements from the USA, China, Taiwan, India, New Zealand, UK, Australia, etc. I have assisted my clients with measures to secure their child’s physical presence (in Singapore and return overseas) such as injunctions from removing the child(ren) from Singapore, as well as return of children to the USA (before Hague Convention ratified in Singapore) after being abducted. In the most extreme situation, my client and I were forced to apply for the child(ren) to be physically handed from the other parent to my client, for the purposes of applying for an extension of the child(ren)’s relevant immigration pass, in order to prevent the child(ren) from overstaying when the pass expired.
3. In other less-dramatic scenarios, I have also assisted clients obtain suitable orders in the Singapore Courts for the purposes of being enforced in another country, and vice versa. For such purposes I dealt with counsel from various countries.
4. Check out our Resources page for further sharing and/or case studies on how various fact scenarios have panned out in real life. Or contact us through our direct line +65 9476 3230 (call / What’s App / text) or e-mail at lawyer@jinhuang.sg.