International Family Lawyers
Expert guidance for cross-border family law matters, protecting your rights and your children.
2025
APAC Business Awards
(Family Law Firm of the Year – Australia)
Our Awards
ASSISTED OVER 5,000 FAMILIES
Family law issues that involve more than one country can get complicated quickly. You are often dealing with different legal systems, tight timeframes, and practical hurdles, all at the same time.
International family law matters may include cross-border divorce, overseas relocation and parenting disputes, Hague Convention child abduction cases, property and financial settlements involving assets abroad, and child support arrangements where one party lives overseas.
At Melbourne Family Lawyers, you’ll receive support from a team with strong local expertise and international outlook. We have established links to overseas law firms and can keep your situation on track.
Whether you need to work out the right jurisdiction, organise documents across borders or seek orders that protect your child’s best interests, you’ll get clear advice and focused representation that fits your case.
Move forward with clarity and confidence.
Trusted International Family Law Advice for Complex Cases
International family law matters often move abruptly and leave little room for mistakes. When more than one country is involved, getting advice early helps you understand where you stand and what steps to take next.
Experienced International Family Lawyers in Australia
Our Melbourne-based team regularly assists clients across Australia and overseas. We collaborate with trusted international law firms so you have consistent advice and a clear strategy across jurisdictions.
International family law concerns are often more complex than domestic cases.
These matters can include:
- Competing jurisdictions
- Overseas assets
- Cross border parenting disputes
- International relocation
- Hague Convention proceedings
- Enforcement of foreign orders
Our International Family Law Services
International Relocation
If you are seeking to relocate overseas with your child, or opposing a proposed relocation, you will likely require either the other parent’s formal consent or a Court order.
Relocation matters are determined by reference to the child’s best interests and can significantly affect schooling, routine and parental relationships.
We prepare strategic relocation applications and represent clients in contested relocation proceedings.
International Child Abduction and Hague Convention Matters
If your child has been taken overseas without consent, or kept outside Australia when they should’ve been returned, you may need to act quickly. These situations can fall under the Hague Convention.
Our international family lawyers can help you with:
- Hague Convention return applications
- Responding to international child abduction allegations
- Urgent recovery orders and related court steps
- Working with overseas lawyers and authorities to coordinate the process
If you are in this situation, getting advice early can make a real difference.
International Divorce
If your marriage has ties to more than one country, choosing where to start divorce proceedings can shape the rest of your matter.
Jurisdiction can affect:
- Property division
- Spousal maintenance
- Parenting arrangements
- Enforcement of orders
You can get advice on whether the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia is the right forum, or whether it makes more sense for proceedings to begin overseas.
Overseas Property Settlement
Dividing assets across multiple countries requires careful legal and financial coordination.
We act in complex international property settlements involving:
- Overseas real estate
- Foreign companies and trusts
- International investments
- Cross border enforcement of financial orders
Our focus is to secure a fair and enforceable outcome that protects your long term financial position.
International Child Support
We help you draft, review, and enforce child support arrangements when one parent lives overseas or income and assets sit in another country.
You can expect clear guidance on making the agreement workable under Australian law and, where needed, aligned with overseas requirements so it is more likely to be recognised and enforceable, with practical protections for you and your child.
Meet Some Of Our Family Lawyers
Hayder Shkara
Director & Practice Manager
Katherine Siotos
Solicitor
Stephanie Hope
Senior Associate
Giuseppe Rubino
Senior Associate
Multijurisdictional Expertise
Our team of Melbourne Family Lawyers represented clients in international family law matters in the following jurisdictions:
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Ireland
- Germany
- Switzerland
- Hong Kong
- Canada
- Denmark
- France
- India
- Japan
- New Zealand
Our Senior Associate Alison Loach holds a New Zealand practising certificate & can advise on New Zealand family law matters, including Relationship Property Agreements.
Our team is also multilingual and includes lawyers who are fluent in Mandarin and Italian.
Planning Ahead for Expats and Global Families
If you are an expat, hold dual citizenship or frequently travel internationally, proactive legal planning is essential.
We assist with:
- Binding Financial Agreements recognised across borders
- Parenting plans incorporating relocation clauses
- Structuring international asset arrangements
- Pre travel consent documentation
If you are an expat, hold dual citizenship or frequently travel internationally, proactive legal planning is essential.
We assist with:
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Hague Convention Countries
Hague Convention countries are nations that have agreed to an international agreement dealing with cross-border child abduction.
The aim of the Hague Convention is to support the prompt return of children who have been wrongfully taken to, or kept in, another Convention country.
Australia is a Convention country, but not every country is.
If your child is taken from Australia to another Convention country, there are formal processes between governments under the Hague Convention that may help return the child to Australia.
What is a Family Law Watchlist?
The Family Law Watchlist is a system operated by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to monitor children’s movements subject to family law orders.
If a court believes there’s a risk of a child being taken out of Australia without proper consent, it can request that the child’s name be placed on this watchlist.
This prevents the child from leaving the country without court approval.
What are Departure Prohibition Orders?
A Departure Prohibition Order (DPO) is a legal order that prevents an individual from leaving Australia, usually due to unpaid debts like child support.
The order remains in effect until the debt is paid or arrangements are made to manage it.
Violating a DPO can result in severe penalties, including imprisonment.
What is a Recovery Order?
A Recovery Order is a court order that authorizes or directs a person, usually the Australian Federal Police, to find and return a child to a person who has legal custody or parental responsibility.
This is often used in cases where a parent has taken away a child without consent from the other parent or against existing family law orders.
How to Register an Overseas Divorce?
In Australia, an overseas divorce can generally be recognised if it is valid in the country where it was granted and if either party has a sufficient connection to that country.
How Long Does an International Divorce Take?
An international divorce can take around 5 months. However, factors such as the countries involved and both parties’ responsiveness can affect that the duration.
Furthermore, additional legal requirements, such as serving documents overseas or dealing with foreign assets can also drag the process longer.