Non-Australian Citizen Asked by Ex for DNA Testing - Thoughts?

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Sami16754

Member
19 September 2015
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0
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Hi,

A year and a half ago, an Australian citizen visited my country and we had a short relationship without marriage. I asked her if she was on pills and she confirmed she was. Today, she told me that she was pregnant and delivered a baby she claimed he/she is mine. She asked me to get DNA testing and send it to her without giving me any other details about her request or the baby ( she didn't even tell me the gender of the baby).

As non Australian citizen who lives overseas:
- I would like to know what is she up to?
- What are the legal liability under Australian Law I have toward her and the baby?
- Should I send her the DNA test or not? What are the consequences of each decision on me, her and the baby?
- In case I did not send the DNA, can I still support her and the baby financially without bearing any other legal liabilities under Family Law?
- In case I decided to immigrate to Australia to marry the mother, do I get a visa to live and work in Australia?

Thanks in advanced
 

Tim W

Lawyer
LawConnect (LawTap) Verified
28 April 2014
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Which parent are you?
And which of you is the Australian citizen?
In which country was the child born?
 

Tim W

Lawyer
LawConnect (LawTap) Verified
28 April 2014
4,913
820
2,894
Sydney
  1. The DNA Test will be to show if you are or are not the biological father.
    Is it possible that you are not?

  2. If, after a DNA test, it turns out that the overseas person is not a biological parent,
    then that person has no obligations to the child - because it's not their child.

  3. In Australia, in situations where biological parents do not live together,
    one generally has to pay Child Support to the other.

  4. Australia has reciprocal arrangements with several other countries
    for the paying and receiving of child support (both ways), when one parent lives overseas

    You should check the list in the link above - because some countries
    that are popular places for Australians to visit are not on the list.
    For example, Indonesia and Thailand are not on the list.
    Similarly, Hong Kong is, but mainland PRC isn't.

    Not being on the list does not mean that you won't have obligations to the child,
    it just means that Australia doesn't have an arrangement with the other government
    for them to help collect the money.

  5. Immigration and paying Child Support are unrelated, and the one does not create any rights in the other.