Family Law · European Union
Protect Your Time With Your Child — Visitation Rights Made Clear
When parents separate, contact with a child can become the most painful point of conflict — how often, for how long, and under what conditions. We match you, free of charge, with a vetted family lawyer who negotiates and defends visitation and contact arrangements across Europe every day.
- 155+ legal services, 14 practice areas
- Family lawyers across the EU & EEA
- No fee to get matched
No commitment. No hidden fees.
Get matched with a lawyer
Tell us about your situation and receive a free, confidential case review.
Who this is for
Visitation rights are about keeping a meaningful relationship with your child after separation
Visitation rights — also called contact or access in many European countries — describe the arrangements by which a parent who does not live with a child spends time with them. After separation or divorce, working out when and how that contact happens is often the first and hardest question parents face, and the terminology and legal framework differ across Europe. Some jurisdictions emphasise a child’s right to maintain a relationship with both parents, while others frame it as a right of the parent to be considered in the child’s life. Arrangements can range from informal agreement to detailed court orders setting out specific days, holidays and conditions, and in some cases supervised contact. Whatever your situation, the goal is the same: a workable, stable arrangement that serves the child’s wellbeing — and a lawyer can help you reach and protect it.
Why contact disputes get stuck
Contact is rarely lost for legal reasons.
It is lost to misunderstanding, delay and obstruction.
Without a clear arrangement, one parent can control when and whether the other sees the child — and informal promises are easily broken.
Contact stopped or reduced
A parent may find that access is suddenly refused, reduced or made conditional without explanation. Re-establishing it often requires formal steps, and the longer contact is interrupted, the harder it can be to restore.
No formal arrangement in place
Relying on goodwill and verbal promises leaves both parents exposed. A change of heart, a new partner or a dispute over another issue can disrupt contact overnight, with no enforceable fallback.
Cross-border contact
When parents live in different countries, arranging and enforcing visitation involves specific rules on jurisdiction and recognition — and practical questions of travel, costs and safety that a local agreement may not cover.
What you get
A visitation rights lawyer who keeps your relationship with your child intact
We only match you with family lawyers who handle contact, access and child arrangement disputes regularly.
A fair, workable arrangement
Your lawyer helps you build a contact schedule that reflects the child’s routine, schooling and wellbeing — and turns it into an agreement or order that both parents can rely on.
Negotiation and mediation
Most contact disputes resolve without court. Your lawyer negotiates directly or supports you through mediation, keeping the focus on the child rather than on conflict between parents.
Enforcement of existing arrangements
If agreed contact is being withheld or reduced without justification, your lawyer takes steps to enforce it through the proper channels, so a breach does not quietly become the new normal.
Cross-border support
When parents live in different countries, your lawyer clarifies jurisdiction and helps arrange and protect international contact, including questions of travel and safeguards.
Coverage
Visitation rights lawyers across Europe
Contact and access arrangements are governed by national law, and cross-border cases are subject to specific rules on jurisdiction and recognition. The right lawyer practises in the country that will decide the matter. We match cases across the following countries and beyond:
Frequently asked
Visitation rights — common questions
What are visitation rights?
Visitation rights, also called contact or access, describe the arrangements by which a parent who does not live with a child spends time with them. They can cover regular weekly contact, holidays and special occasions, and may be agreed informally or set out in a binding court order.
Do I have an automatic right to see my child after separation?
In most European countries there is a strong presumption that a child benefits from a relationship with both parents, but the precise nature and extent of contact depends on the child’s best interests and the specific circumstances. A court will always prioritise the child’s welfare over any automatic entitlement.
What can I do if the other parent refuses contact?
If agreed or ordered contact is being withheld, you can usually apply to a court to enforce the arrangement. Depending on the country, remedies can include enforcement orders or, in serious cases, further measures. The longer contact is disrupted, the sooner you should seek advice.
How is the contact schedule decided?
Ideally by agreement between the parents, often with the help of mediation. If no agreement is reached, a court will set a schedule based on the child’s age, routine, schooling and welfare, and the practicalities of each parent’s situation.
Can contact be supervised or restricted?
Yes. Where there are genuine welfare or safety concerns, a court can order that contact be supervised or limited. Such restrictions are imposed to protect the child and are not made lightly, but they are available where the child’s best interests require them.
What happens if we live in different countries?
Cross-border contact is governed by specific rules on jurisdiction and recognition of orders, and practical questions such as travel, costs and safety need to be addressed. A lawyer experienced in international cases can help arrange and protect contact across borders.
Free case review
Don’t let distance or delay come between you and your child
Tell us about your situation and we’ll connect you with a family lawyer who handles visitation and contact arrangements in the relevant country — free of charge, with no obligation to hire.