mdcol1335

Hi everyone,
So i'm in a bit of a predicament. I moved to the Philippines 3 years ago to be with my wife. our marriage broke down a few months ago and now i'm desperate to get back to the UK. I've exhausted all options on asking friends and family to help me out for a plane ticket. I have also found out the my wife has gone to Saudi to work for 2 years, leaving my 3 children with her father. I have also inquired on how I can get my children, but im not able to unless I pay attorney almost 250k peso to do so which i dont have.
The British Embassy are not able to help out, only offer to contact friends and family in the Uk which I have already have done, they also tell me they cant help me get my children, who are British citizens. Since living apart from my wife she has failed to renew their balikbayan visa's which have now expired, and the Philippines dont deport children. I cannot get any contact to my kids who are all under 5 years old.

Any help would really be appreciated.
Matt

mikemike

If your children are British citizens how did they get into the Philippines as a passport would be needed? that is where the BB stamp is placed. If they have passports that are British they can travel just need to pay the over stay costs to the BI get the tourist visa extended to 60 days.

During that time the quest for funds for air tickets about £500 each, maybe less for children under a certain age.

As for where they live unless your wife agrees to the children travelling and puts that in writing, they will be going no where without legal intervention.

There are no short cuts and taking unlawful action such a forced removal of the children could have very serious consequences, you will not like the inside of a pinoy prison.

mdcol1335

they have British Passports, the father of my wife is refusing to hand over my children, as the mother is no longer in philippines i am their legal guardian. I do not have the passport in my possession as the father of my wife has hold of them. Where would i request fund for the air tickets? The children have UK birth certificates and I am names on that as there father. My wife holds a Philippines passport, im confused by what you said about being inside Pinoy prison?

mikemike

I am sorry I have nothing further to add

InVinoVeritas

It's not clear what you are asking for here, Matt. To get good advice here (for free) I suggest you post back with a more complete resume of your and your children's, circumstances. No one is going to advise you if they think the result might be that you take the law into your own hands.

mdcol1335

InVinoVertias maybe you can private message me since i try to message you but am not able to please i would be able to give more to you

BritInParis

You won't be able to remove your children from the Philippines without the permission of the mother or a court order.

Are you currently working?

InVinoVeritas

You needed 3 posts to be able to use the messaging system, but I have replied to your PM.

BritInParis is very knowledgeable on these kind of issues, so it's good news that he has joined the thread.

mdcol1335

I dont know what law i would be braking if any at all. I am the children legal guardian since the mother is not in the country. The grandfather has no legal rights to my kids. The children are British Citizens they hold a British Passport and have British Birth Certificates all stating im and the biological father, the problem is not being able to get them away from my wife father as no one is willing to assist me not even then DSWD which most of my wife family are working for in one way or another. I have been told by attorney i can go and get the children i can actually go and get all 3 and take them, but the problem is its not safe for me to do this. The children are being kept in a farm with no electric or clean running water. But for the att to assist me he wants 250k peso to send a letter the the father in law to present the children to me.

BritInParis

Just because your wife is abroad doesn't mean you can remove your children from the Philippines to the UK without her permission. They can live with you in the Philippines but you cannot take them out of the country.

mdcol1335

I dont understand why. They are not citizens of the philippines, same as me. The mother has abandoned them.

BritInParis

Their citizenship is irrelevant - it's the country in which they are habitually resident that is important - although if their mother is a Philippine citizen then they would also be Philippine citizens even if they were born in the UK.

quiltman

As Brit in Paris says, they are Filipino citizens as well as UK citizens so should not need a visa to live here. The only way you'll be able to take them back to Uk is with a court order and that'll cost money. It's quite common here for mothers to leave the kids with family whilst they go work overseas for a few years in order to earn money to put the kids through school etc. Sorry, I cannot be of much help in resolving your predicament. All I can suggest is don't do anything illegal otherwise 1. you'll regret it and 2. you'll likely never be able to get your kids back to the UK.

mdcol1335

to be Philippines Citizens that would need an NSO birth cert and philippines passport then they would have to go to immigration and pay 35k each child before they would have duel citizenship. I have major concerns for my children in their heath and environment that there are in right now. This is why im wanting to find help to get them to a better place and a better way of life, Their mother has left the country dont even send money from her work abroad to support the children. The grandfather is not working he is 70 yrs old with 3 children ages 2,3 and 4 yrs old. Im only looking out for the best thing for my kids as their father and legal guardian. They do not have any visa anymore, when they entered the county on a UK passport it was stamped with a 12 month balikbayan visa. The grandfather is hold all 3 UK passports and is refusing to do anything but use my children for financial gain. If anyone has abducted my kids its the grandfather who has no legal rights.

BritInParis

What you are talking about is being recognised as a Philippine citizen which is not the same thing as being a Philippine citizen. In any case it's irrelevant to whether you can take your children out of the Philippines. If you want to take to the UK then you'll need their mother's permission or a court order.