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International Child Custody
in India

International child custody disputes can arise when parents live in different countries, when one parent wishes to relocate with a child, or when a child has been taken from one country to another without the consent of the other parent.

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These matters can involve questions of custody, visitation, relocation, jurisdiction, travel documents and recognition or enforcement of court orders.

A child custody lawyer in Mumbai should be able to understand the emotions and sentiments of the parent and the child while dealing with the custody situation. Adv. Kanchan Talreja fits the bill perfectly in such cases and, with her team, understands the legal issues involved in an international custody dispute and the procedures available in India.

What Is International Child Custody?

International child custody generally refers to a custody dispute involving more than one country. The child may ordinarily live in one country while a parent lives in another, or the parents may disagree about where the child should reside.

Common situations include:

Parents living in different countries after separation

One parent relocating abroad with a child

A child being brought to India from another country

A child being taken outside India without the other parent's consent

Disagreement concerning international travel

Enforcement of a custody order issued by a foreign court

Disputes concerning the child's habitual residence

The legal issues depend heavily on the countries involved and the circumstances in which the child moved between countries.

01

Jurisdiction in International Custody Matters

One of the first questions in an international custody dispute is which court has jurisdiction to consider the matter.

Jurisdiction may depend on factors such as:
✓ The child’s ordinary or habitual residence
✓ The location of the child when proceedings are initiated
✓ The residence of the parents
✓ Existing custody orders
✓ The place where the child was taken from
✓ The circumstances surrounding the child’s relocation
✓ Applicable domestic and international law

02

Child Custody and Relocation

Relocation can become an important issue when a parent wishes to move with a child to another country.

The proposed move may affect:
✓ The child’s education
✓ Healthcare
✓ Living arrangements
✓ Relationship with the other parent
✓ Visitation
✓ Travel
✓ Financial responsibilities
✓ The child’s existing social and family connections

A parent considering international relocation should examine any existing custody order or agreement before moving the child.

Where parents disagree, the court may be asked to consider whether the proposed arrangement is consistent with the child’s welfare.

03

Removal of a Child from India

A dispute may arise if one parent takes a child outside India without the other parent’s consent. The legal position depends on the circumstances, including any existing custody order, the child’s residence before the move and the reasons for the relocation. A parent seeking the return of a child may need to consider proceedings in India as well as the legal position in the country where the child is located.

Where urgent circumstances exist, prompt legal advice from a reputed lawyer like Adv. Kanchan Talreja may be required because jurisdictional and procedural issues can become more complicated with time.

04

Foreign Custody Orders in India

A foreign court may have passed a custody or visitation order before the child is brought to India. The existence of a foreign custody order does not necessarily mean that an Indian court will enforce it. The Indian court may examine the circumstances and applicable law before deciding what relief is appropriate.

Indian courts may consider various factors including the child’s welfare, the circumstances in which the child came to India, the existing foreign order and the conduct of the parties. The precise approach depends on the facts of the case and the applicable legal principles.

05

Indian Custody Orders and Other Countries

A similar issue can arise where an Indian court has passed a custody order and the child or one parent is located in another country. Recognition and enforcement of an Indian order depend on the law and procedures of the country where enforcement is sought.

A parent dealing with such a situation may therefore need advice concerning both Indian proceedings and the relevant foreign jurisdiction.

06

Hague Convention and International Child Abduction

International child custody disputes sometimes involve the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, 1980.

The Convention establishes a framework between participating countries concerning the return of children who have been wrongfully removed from or retained outside their country of habitual residence. The Convention does not itself decide which parent should ultimately have custody. Its central purpose is to determine the return of a child to the relevant jurisdiction in circumstances covered by the Convention.

07

International Child Custody: The Position in India

India is not a party to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. The Law Commission of India, however, recommended that India accede to the Convention in its 218th Report, need to accede to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (1980), submitted in 2009. 

In the absence of accession to the Hague Convention, Indian courts do not treat a foreign custody order as automatically requiring the return of a child to that country. Nor is the principle of comity of courts applied mechanically. The Supreme Court has made clear that, in international custody disputes, the welfare and best interests of the child remain the paramount consideration.

In Nithya Anand Raghavan v. State (NCT of Delhi), (2017) 8 SCC 454, the Supreme Court considered the effect of a foreign court’s custody order and the principle of comity. It held that, particularly in cases involving non-Convention countries, an Indian court may consider the foreign order, but it remains only one factor in determining custody. The court must independently consider the welfare of the child. 

The Court also rejected treating the “first strike” principle—that is, giving decisive weight to whichever court was approached first—as determinative of the child’s custody. A foreign court order cannot displace the Indian court’s responsibility to consider what is in the child’s welfare. 

08

Comity of Courts Is a Consideration, Not an Automatic Rule

The principle of comity of courts recognises the need for courts in different jurisdictions to respect each other’s proceedings and orders. In international custody cases, however, comity does not mean that an Indian court must simply enforce a foreign custody order without examining the circumstances.

In Prateek Gupta v. Shilpi Gupta, (2018) 2 SCC 309, the Supreme Court reiterated that the issue of repatriation must ultimately be determined by the welfare and interests of the child. The Court observed that comity of courts and the doctrines of “intimate contact” and “closest concern” are relevant considerations, but they remain subordinate to the overriding question of the child’s welfare. 

Accordingly, an Indian court may give due consideration to an order made by a foreign court, the child’s previous residence and the child’s connection with another country. These factors do not, by themselves, determine the outcome.

09

The Intimate Contact Test

The “intimate contact” or “closest concern” principle concerns the court or jurisdiction having a close connection with the child and the circumstances of the custody dispute.

The Supreme Court has treated this as a factual consideration rather than an automatic jurisdictional rule. Factors may include where the child has lived, the child’s familiarity with the language and social environment, schooling, family relationships and the extent to which the child has developed roots in a particular country.

In Prateek Gupta, the Supreme Court explained that the doctrines of intimate contact and closest concern have particular relevance where a child has been removed from the child’s native country and taken to an environment involving a different language, social customs or other circumstances capable of affecting the child’s development. 

The passage of time can also matter. Where a child has lived in a new environment for a substantial period and developed roots there, an Indian court may consider those circumstances when determining whether return would serve the child’s welfare.

10

Welfare of the Child

As with domestic custody matters, the welfare of the child is an important consideration before Indian courts.

The court may consider:
✓ Age of the child
✓ Education
✓ Health
✓ Emotional needs
✓ Existing relationship with each parent
✓ Living arrangements
✓ Stability
✓ Family and social connections
✓ Reasons for relocation
✓ Ability to maintain contact with the other parent

The fact that a child has lived in another country does not by itself determine the custody outcome.

Similarly, the financial resources of one parent do not necessarily determine where the child should live.

11

Child's Wishes

Depending on the child’s age and maturity, the child’s views may be relevant. A court may consider the child’s wishes where appropriate, while continuing to examine the circumstances and the child’s welfare.

A child’s preference is therefore one factor that may be considered rather than an automatic determination of custody.

12

International Visitation and Access

Where one parent lives abroad, maintaining contact with the child may require a more detailed access arrangement.

An arrangement may address:
✓ Video calls
✓ Telephone communication
✓ School holidays
✓ International travel
✓ Vacation periods
✓ Pick-up and drop-off arrangements
✓ Travel expenses
✓ Advance notice of travel
✓ Sharing of travel and accommodation information

The practical arrangements depend on the child’s age, schooling, the distance between countries and the relationship between the parents.

13

Travel and Passport Issues

International custody disputes may also involve passports and travel permissions.

Parents may disagree about whether a child should be permitted to travel internationally, particularly where there is concern that the child may not be returned.

Where a court order governs travel or custody, the terms of that order should be examined before making international travel arrangements.

The requirements for passports, visas and travel documentation may also vary depending on the country involved.

14

Evidence in International Custody Cases

Documents and evidence are important in cross-border custody disputes.

Potentially relevant material may include:
✓ Existing custody orders
✓ Birth certificate
✓ Passport and travel records
✓ School records
✓ Medical records
✓ Immigration documents
✓ Travel tickets
✓ Communications between parents
✓ Evidence concerning the child’s ordinary residence
✓ Documents relating to relocation
✓ Evidence concerning the child’s relationship with each parent

The relevance of particular evidence depends on the issues before the court.

Legal Assistance in International Child Custody

International custody disputes can involve more than one legal system. The appropriate approach depends on the child’s circumstances, the countries involved, existing orders and the applicable law.

Legal assistance may include reviewing custody orders, examining jurisdictional issues, preparing applications, responding to proceedings and coordinating with legal professionals in another jurisdiction where necessary. Having a dependable legal team to carry out these steps is the key to legal success, and Adv. Kanchan Talreja has the necessary expertise and experience to drive your case in the right direction.

The court determines custody and related relief according to the applicable law and circumstances. No particular decision, return of a child or custody arrangement can be guaranteed.

Have Questions?

Frequently Asked Questions

My spouse brought our child to India from abroad. Does the Hague Convention apply?

No. India is not a party to the 1980 Hague Convention on International Child Abduction, so there is no automatic return of the child. Indian courts decide based on the child's welfare, while giving weight to any foreign court order (Nithya Anand Raghavan v. State (NCT of Delhi), 2017; Lahari Sakhamuri v. Sobhan Kodali, 2019). An international child custody lawyer in India can help navigate cases involving foreign court orders and cross-border custody disputes.

Will an Indian court enforce a US or UK custody order?

Not automatically. A foreign order is an important factor, but the child's welfare remains paramount. Courts have ordered a child's return where the child was recently removed and returning was in the child's interest (Rohith Thammana Gowda v. State of Karnataka, 2022). Where the child has settled in India, courts have sometimes refused.

What can I do immediately if my child has been brought to India without my consent?

You can file a habeas corpus petition in the High Court where the child is (the Bombay High Court for Mumbai), or a custody petition before the Family Court. The court can order the child to be produced, restrain removal from the city or the country, and direct that the child's passport be deposited.

Can I stop my spouse from taking our child out of India?

Yes. You can seek a court order restraining removal of the child and directing deposit of the child's passport. Passport authorities generally need both parents' consent or a court order to issue a minor's passport. It is worth informing the passport office of the pending dispute. An international child custody lawyer in India can help you seek appropriate court directions to prevent unauthorised travel while the custody dispute is pending.

Which country's court should decide custody, India's or the one abroad?

An Indian Family Court has jurisdiction where the child "ordinarily resides" (Section 9 of the Guardians and Wards Act). For a recently relocated child, this can be disputed. The Supreme Court has held that Indian courts can still decide custody depending on the facts (Ruchi Majoo v. Sanjeev Majoo, 2011). Choose the forum early, because it shapes the whole case.

Can we agree a parenting plan that works in both countries?

Yes. Parents can agree on a parenting plan and obtain matching "mirror orders" from the Indian court and the foreign court, so the arrangement is enforceable in both. Court-annexed mediation in India is often used to reach such settlements.

Disclaimer: This is general information, not legal advice.

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