I want to go back to Canada!

[Busky101]

Well my cousin is 17 years old, he is currently living in San Jose Costa Rica. He was born in Canada, but his parents are not Canadian.
He wants to come back to Canada and come live with us and, because he does not get along with his mother and his step father.
Is there anyway, he can come back without his parents permission? and if the Canadian embassy can pay his flight ticket? because he has no money.
What does he have to do and what are the steps?
The only signature he can get from the parents, is his dad's. (but does not live with his dad though).

He really wants to come here as soon as possible to study, because his mother took him out of school.
-Thank you!

 

[Leon]

Legally, he must wait until he reaches the age of majority. Until then, he is still a dependent child of his mothers. It does not matter if he is 5, 10 or 17, he can not decide for himself where he wants to live if the law says something else.

Would he get away with it, maybe. Years ago when I was a minor, I travelled alone and I was not asked for permission from my parents. Maybe somebody who is a minor or who travelled as a minor less years ago could tell us if that is the case. If he has permission from his father, that might do it too.

When his mother finds out that he has run away, she could raise hell but it would cost money and Costa Rica is apparently not a party to the Hague convention of child abduction and custody so she may find that Canadian authorities would not be willing to cooperate in sending back a 17 yo. who is also a Canadian citizen and wants to stay in Canada. Maybe you should discuss this with a lawyer because you could be in trouble too if she really decides to fight it. It would be better to wait until he is 18.

I am pretty sure that the Canadian embassy will not pay for his flight ticket. Of course he can ask. Otherwise, you could loan him the money for the flight and expect him to pay it back via after school job or similar. If you go to the Air Canada website, I am seeing prices down to $223.

 

[Pippin]

Leon a sparkling +1 to you for some terrific responses on this and other threads. Have a great weekend!

 

[Leon]

Leon a sparkling +1 to you for some terrific responses on this and other threads. Have a great weekend!

Thanks Pippin, I wish you a nice weekend too