Specialist advice and representation in child abduction, Hague Convention applications, cross-border divorce and overseas assets — for families whose lives span more than one country.
International family law applies where a family dispute has a connection to more than one country — through nationality, habitual residence, cross-border assets, or a child living or moving abroad. It covers issues such as which country's courts should deal with a divorce or children dispute (jurisdiction), what happens when a child is taken to or kept in another country without consent (child abduction), and how a financial settlement or foreign court order is recognised and enforced across borders.
These cases arise for many reasons: international couples separating, a parent wishing to relocate abroad with a child, a spouse with assets held overseas, or families who have lived in several countries during a marriage. The legal issues are often more complex than a purely domestic case, involving international treaties such as the 1980 Hague Convention and questions of which country's courts have authority to decide the outcome.
Seema Kansal advises and represents clients across London, England and Wales in cross-border family disputes — including Hague Convention child abduction applications, international relocation cases, jurisdiction disputes, and financial remedy proceedings involving overseas assets. These cases frequently move quickly, sometimes requiring urgent applications within days, and demand a barrister who understands both the domestic and international legal framework.
Whether you are seeking the return of a child taken abroad, defending against such an application, planning an international relocation, or resolving finances that span multiple jurisdictions, Seema provides clear, strategic advice tailored to the cross-border complexity of your case.
International family law deals with family disputes connected to more than one country — including child abduction, cross-border divorce, jurisdiction disputes and overseas assets. The 1980 Hague Convention governs many child abduction cases between signatory countries.
Seema advises and represents clients across the full range of international family law work — from urgent child abduction applications to complex cross-border financial disputes.
Advice and representation in applications under the 1980 Hague Convention, which provides a fast-track legal process for the return of a child wrongfully removed to, or retained in, another signatory country.
LEARN MOREUrgent advice and representation where a child has been wrongfully taken from, or kept out of, England and Wales — including applications for a child's return and protective measures such as port alerts.
LEARN MOREAdvice for a parent wishing to relocate abroad with a child, or representation for a parent opposing such a move — balancing the child's welfare against the practical realities of family life across borders.
LEARN MOREAdvice on divorcing where you or your spouse have connections to more than one country — including which country's courts should deal with the divorce, and the strategic advantages of each option.
LEARN MOREAdvice on identifying, valuing and dividing assets held abroad — including overseas property, foreign bank accounts and international business interests — as part of a financial settlement.
LEARN MOREStrategic advice on which country's courts should hear your case, including applications to establish or challenge jurisdiction — often a critical early decision that shapes the entire outcome of a case.
LEARN MOREApplications under Part III of the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984, allowing a party to seek financial relief in England and Wales after a divorce obtained overseas, where appropriate.
LEARN MOREAdvice and representation in financial remedy cases with an international dimension — foreign assets, offshore trusts, and enforcement of English financial orders in another country.
LEARN MOREInternational family law cases move fast and carry real stakes — a child abduction application may need to be issued within days, and jurisdiction decided in the early stages of a case can shape everything that follows. Seema Kansal has experience acting in exactly these circumstances: Hague Convention applications, urgent relocation disputes, and financial remedy cases involving assets and parties spread across multiple countries. That experience means clients get advice that anticipates the cross-border complexity of their case from the outset, rather than treating it as an afterthought.
These matters also demand precision. Establishing habitual residence, identifying the correct jurisdiction, or securing recognition of a foreign order each involve detailed legal argument — and Seema's attention to detail in preparing evidence and submissions is central to building a case that holds up under scrutiny. Negotiation remains the first option wherever it can achieve a workable outcome, but where court proceedings are necessary, clients benefit from confident, well-prepared advocacy before the Family Court and High Court.
For international clients, expats and business owners with connections to more than one country, Seema also brings genuine cultural sensitivity — including fluency in English, Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi — to cases that often involve family members and evidence spread across different countries and languages. As a Direct Access barrister at FOURTEEN Chambers, she can be instructed directly by clients without a solicitor, offering fast, direct communication when time-sensitive international matters demand it — combined with the same transparent, strategic advice given in every case.
An urgent or confidential first conversation to understand the cross-border elements of your case.
Review of jurisdiction, applicable treaties, and the international facts relevant to your matter.
A clear strategy addressing jurisdiction, timing and the international legal framework involved.
Prompt, skilled advocacy or negotiation — often against a tight, treaty-driven timetable.
A resolution that is recognised, workable and enforceable across the countries involved.
| Hague Convention Country | Non-Hague Country | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal framework | 1980 Hague Convention | No unified treaty — case-by-case |
| Process | Fast-track return application | Often via diplomatic channels or foreign courts |
| Typical timescale | Weeks, treaty-driven | Can be significantly longer |
| Outcome focus | Prompt return to habitual residence | Depends on the foreign jurisdiction's approach |
| Where it applies | Between signatory countries | Where one or both countries haven't signed |
If both countries involved have signed the 1980 Hague Convention, a structured fast-track process exists for the return of an abducted child. Where a country hasn't signed the Convention, resolving the case is typically slower and more complex, often depending on diplomatic channels or the foreign country's own courts.