Free checklist · Cross-border families
Cross-Border Custody: What to Document Now
A protective checklist for parents with ties to China and another country. Gather these items before a crisis—school years, travel seasons, and separation talks are easier when the file already exists.
Not legal advice. This checklist does not tell you to take or withhold a child. If you fear imminent removal or harm, contact local counsel and appropriate authorities now.
Document pack
- Child’s passports, visas, household registration / birth certificates (all countries)
- School enrollment letters, report cards, pediatric records (last 24 months)
- Timeline of where the child lived month-by-month (habitual residence map)
- Prior custody orders, mediation agreements, travel consent letters
- Messages about travel, schooling, and caregiving (export WeChat/email; keep originals)
- Flight records and ticket purchases; who holds which passport day to day
- List of grandparents/caregivers and addresses in each country
- Your own immigration status docs and the other parent’s (as lawfully available)
- Emergency contacts: local lawyer, foreign lawyer, consulate numbers
- One-page “facts for counsel” summary with dates—no arguments, just facts
Read next:
Custody, Hague & China · Cross-border divorce hub · Divorce in China
Talk to a custody-aware family lawyer
Other checklists: Free China legal checklists.