When parents live in different countries, contact every other weekend no longer makes sense. Arrangements need to suit the distance, the child’s age and school schedule. An international parenting plan generally provides for:
- sharing holidays, taking both countries’ school calendars into account;
- journeys: who accompanies the child, when they may travel alone and from which airport;
- sharing travel costs, which the court may allocate between parents (Article 373-2 of the Civil Code);
- regular remote contact at times compatible with the time zones;
- important decisions such as school, health and religion, which remain joint, and keeping passports.
The family court may approve the agreement (Article 373-2-7 of the Civil Code). Within the EU, decisions granting contact benefit from a privileged regime: they are enforced in other Member States on presentation of a certificate (Brussels II ter, Articles 42 onwards). Outside the EU, recognition in the other country needs checking, if necessary through a mirror decision. International family mediation is often the best way to achieve this.