How to prevent potential California Child Abandonment claim as canadian Dad?
Hi there, I am a father of a 1 year old girl (I was born in, and reside in Canada currently). Going to try and make a long story short here so I don't waste anyone's time.. I had my ex-girlfriend (she's from California) that I met online move up here for the duration of about a year. We had our daughter, but were struggling financially to a point (I am relatively young, low 20's). So she ended up giving into her parents demand and moving back down to California in with them; and raising our baby there. Her parents never liked the idea of her going to canada to raise a baby there, they wanted her to be at home with them; and they pretty much convinced her to cut me out completely aside from having parenting rights of course. Now I am left here wanting desperately to see my daughter; however I have a few problems.. My ex-girlfriends family has recently contacted me asking to send over papers and have me sign, thus giving up my parenting rights entirely because I am "Not a U.S citizen and can't be here." The problem is.. I am a university student and don't exactly have the funds available to move there and do what they are asking. I love my daughter very much and would do about anything possible to be there for her. I am going to be done with my degree in about 2 years and it is my goal that when I am done to seek immigration to California and be there for my daughter. That is my entire lifetime goal right now to be able to do that. However, I did some reading on child abandonment laws and I have a feeling that they may try and file for abandonment claiming that I have "willingly" left my daughter in an effort to try and get my parenting/guardian rights stripped of me. (If I reject signing these papers).
To get down to the gist of things.. I don't want to lose my daughter, she is everything to me. I will be able to move there within a few years here and I want to be able to be there for her and raise her. Having a child was a dream come true for me. I want to be able to reside there with her, and raise her properly after I have my education completed so I am able to support her financially and give her the best possible care. I need some advice here.. Do you think my ex and her family will file for abandonment if I tell them I will not sign their papers? I need some advice on what I can do if they elect to.
I thank you in advance for any help you can offer. It is much appreciated.