Australian Federal Police Watchlist
If your child remains in Australia, but there is a risk that they will be abducted, we recommend you instruct us to contact the Australian Federal Police (‘AFP’) to place your child’s name on the Family Law Watchlist (‘the Watchlist’). By being placed on the Watchlist, the AFP can stop the child from being removed from Australia at the border.
Your child will remain on the Watchlist until they are removed.
To place your child on the Watchlist, you must:
Complete the appropriate request form; and
Either have a court order or file an application with the court for parenting orders.
Normally, prior to filing an application with the court for parenting orders, the parties are required to attend Family Dispute Resolution (‘FDR’) to attempt to resolve the matters. In circumstances where there is child abduction, or a risk of child abduction, attendance at FDR is not required. All that is required is an affidavit accompanying the application which refers to the urgency of the matter sufficiently.