Emigrating with your children can pose some challenges. However, it is even more complex when the child is travelling with just one parent. To avoid delay in the visa process or even denial of the visa, the consent of the parent who is not travelling is required. The consent is usually in an affidavit format. It doesn’t matter if the spouse who is not travelling is the main sponsor of the visa.

This is usually not a problem when the couple are happily married and agrees on their plans. However, in a situation where the spouse is divorced, separated, never married or widowed, it can pose a problem getting this consent.

The aim is to convince the visa officer that consent is not required when it is not possible to obtain such consent. For example, a widow can present the death certificate of her spouse as proof that she is the only person responsible for her children. Or a divorced person can show a divorce certificate to prove that she is no longer married and has full custody of the children.

Custody and sole responsibility

Custody and sole responsibility are not the same thing. A parent could have custody of the children but not be financially responsible for them. In Nigeria, it is not unusual for the court to grant a mother who is not financially stable the custody of a child and compel the father to pay the school fees and other expenses of the child. In such an instance, it will be difficult to prove sole responsibility.

What is the visa officer looking for?

They want to know that you have the right to take the child abroad and they also want to know that you are a capable parent.

To prove sole responsibility, contact us here for detailed guidance on how to secure your visa without complications.