The biological father of my stepchildren refuses to sign the consent form to allow my wife to renew their american passports abroad and bring them back to the states. They are both u.s. citizens. What if anything can we do? They were never married and he doesn't pay child support or makes any attempts to have a relationship with the kids.

He is their father and you cannot strip him of his rights. The mother would have to go to Court and attempt to get an Order forcing him to sign a consent.

Why hasn't she pursued him for child support? Now is the time to do so.

She cannot force him to have a relationship with the children but she CAN force him to support them.

She has filed for support and this is why he is upset and refusing to sign. He also lives in the u.s. and thinks that if the children are not here he doesn't have to support them.

Further comments Ma'am?

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Originally Posted by omega47

Further comments Ma'am?

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I'm a volunteer so please give me more than 4 minutes to respond.

The mother - you have no legal standing - cannot force him to do much of anything but support the children BUT if she can show a good reason she can petition the Court to force him to sign for the children's passport.

These cases are seldom successful but I have seen it happen.