help needed ... urgent!

[sheena]

hi guys, we thought we had our 457 visas, but had email today from immi asking us to provide evidence that i have legal custody of my 14 year old son! i was not married to his dad and i left when my son was 3 monthes old, we have never seen him since, he does not pay any money, i dont even known where he is or even if he is still alive, my husband has brought him up since the age of 6. how do i go about doing this!!! what is the best and quickest way to do it??? please help!!!!!!

[Welshtone]

Originally Posted by sheena

hi guys, we thought we had our 457 visas, but had email today from immi asking us to provide evidence that i have legal custody of my 14 year old son! i was not married to his dad and i left when my son was 3 monthes old, we have never seen him since, he does not pay any money, i dont even known where he is or even if he is still alive, my husband has brought him up since the age of 6. how do i go about doing this!!! what is the best and quickest way to do it??? please help!!!!!!

Get a letter from your solicitor confirming that under English/Welsh law, that your son's father has no parental responsibility and, to the best of your knowledge, has never applied for such. Ask your solicitor to quote the actual law which means that fathers, mentioned on the birth certificate, who were not married to the mother (and never subsequently married the mother) have no parental responsibility for that child - UNLESS the child was born after 01 December 2003 (in England and Wales - different dates apply for N Ireland and for Scotland). Also give the other info about no contact etc

Regards


Tony Coates
MARN 0635896

[suzy+1]

Hi, i have just done this 2 weeks ago-quickest/cheapest way of doing this is writing a statutory declaration (my migration agent sent me a template) just saying you have sole custody and no one else has/or is claiming custody of your child and get it witnedded by a notary memeber of the public, i.e police, doctor etc. I scanned and emailed mine and had my 457 visa 12 hours later!! I didnt need to involve solicitors at all and it cost me nothing!
Good luck!