There are many things that take special consideration after you go through a divorce involving minor children. One of these is having to plan carefully if you travel with your children. There are some specific Colorado laws that you have to consider in these cases.
If you are planning on traveling with your children and have a child custody order in place, you might have some specific terms that you have to abide by. For this reason, your first step is checking the custody paperwork to find out if you have to notify your ex or the court of the plans or if you have geographical limitations for where you can travel with your children. Here are some other considerations.
Planning the travel
One of the most challenging things that you have to do is figure out your travel dates. You need to look at the parenting time schedule to see when you will have time with the children. Sometimes you might be able to alter the schedule to accommodate a vacation. You should discuss the plans with your ex so to ensure that he or she doesn’t have anything planned during the time you plan to be gone.
Notifying the other parent
Even if you aren’t required to let your ex know when you travel with your children, it is a good idea to pass the information along. This might help the other parent and your kids to feel more secure. Hopefully, your ex will reciprocate the favor and let you know the itinerary when traveling with the children. If you do have to let your ex know of your plans due to the terms of the custody order, make sure that you remain compliant. It might be best to do this in writing or in another verifiable method.
Getting the documents together
Before you leave, gather your vital travel documents together. These might include copies of the child custody orders in place for your kids. It can also include the children’s passports. No matter what, you should bring their health insurance information just in case something happens and medical care is necessary. Even if you think that you don’t really need something, it might be a good idea to bring it just because you never know what is going to happen.
