Moving abroad with child - Consent order

[legalmattere2024]

My ex has agreed to sign a consent order allowing me to move with my children to my home country next year. We have agreed on the date the children will move and how he’s going to see them, now I will have it drafted by a solicitor and sent to court to have it incorporated into an order.

I wanted to ask if anyone here have been through this? How long does a consent order take to get processed through court?

It depends on the court, and what dates they have Family Court judges available. My local court you could get a date after about 2 months, but that's was for an existing case in a hearing with the judge looking through her diary for her next suitable slot. So for a new case it might be longer.

I don't know whether it would need a hearing in person or could just be done by the judge rubber stamping it in a 'hearing' with just them and their assistant. If you have no previous Family Court dealings then it might need CAFCASS to do safeguarding etc, which takes flippin ages.

Why do you need an order if you both agree?

Because we made a verbal agreement last year which he withdrew just before we were about to move. He has now agreed to allow me to move with the children, my solicitor said I should have that agreement made into an court order so he cannot withdraw it again.

There are no court hearing, the judge just need to sign and seal the court order.