My ex girlfriend recently gave birth to our son and is refusing to let me meet him. She left the country for the birth and says she will not file paperwork of birth abroad until he is almost 18. She says that since I have no record that he exists there is no way for me to get custody or visitation in the US. She won’t tell me what country he was born in, the exact date or what name she wrote on the birth certificate. I have no clue what to do or where to start. Is it possible for someone to do that and keep a father from ever meeting his son?

Where does your ex have citizenship?

she's a US citizen

Then, you file paternity here and explain the situation to your lawyer. Yes, you will need one.

The international component does complicate the matter, but doesn't mean she can hide your child from you.

A judge that decides to may flag her passport and force her to come to court to discuss visitation and/or Child support.

By the way, start putting the amount of child support you would be reasonably expected to pay in a savings account now. When everything is settled, you can be required to retroactively pay what you owe.

How have you been communicating with her? Are you sure that she left the country or is it possible that she just left your city/state? Did she have family or friends who lived in another city/state who she may have gone to visit? How long has she been gone?

Sorry for all the questions. As a new mother, I would not want to be all alone in a strange country trying to raise a baby alone.

we've communicated over the phone when we've talked but that's it. I know for sure she doesn't live at her old address and she says that she still lives in the area but won't say where. I don't think she's still in another country, she acted to me like the only reason she left was to have the baby so I figure she was only gone for a couple of weeks at the most. what does it mean when they flag her passport? is there a way to tell what country she visited and maybe track down the birth record?