Running Away to Another Country

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. We are here 24/7 to listen and to support.

It sounds like you're in a really tough situation and we're sorry to hear about all that you have faced at home in the past. We want you to know that you deserve to feel safe and happy in your home and deserve to be respected no matter how you identify. We're not legal experts but generally speaking once you turn 18 you would be able to leave your home and live wherever you would like. Your parents would then not have the legal right to keep you at home or force you to go to college. Once you're 18, if they tried to keep you in the house or anything like that, you would have the right to call the police to help you be escorted out. Is there someone, like a family member or other adult, that can advocate for you to your parents? If not, we have a conference call option here at NRS where a liner could mediate a conversation between you and your parents so that you could express your feelings safely. We can be reached at 1-800-786-2929 if you are interested. It sounds like you have to make a choice about whether you want to do what you think is right for you but possibly disappoint your parents. It sounds like you need to think about how to effectively communicate your needs to your parents or get support from other people that support you to help. A liner could help you walk through your options. Don't hesitate to give us a call.

Best,

NRS

[Guest]

Hello I need help. My family is falling apart and I need to go away. How is my family falling apart? Well my dad who isn't my dad is an alcoholic my mother is tormenting me and my sisters are driving me crazy. I was also separated from my best friend Ethan who is currently living at a village called "interlake" in switzerland. And I just want to go to the village because it is far enough away, I can also reset my life basically. I am also 14 going on to 15 years. And I live in the USA. So yeah. I need help getting to interlake switzerland. Some One Help Me and this is my plea.....

[ccsmod2]

Thank you for reaching out to us here at National Runaway Safeline. We understand that it takes courage to seek help. We are sorry to hear about your issues with your family. It sounds like you want to go to Switzerland with your friend. Unfortunately we are not able to assist you in getting to interlake Switzerland. You could try asking your mom if she would allow you to stay with another family member. Another option that you have is contacting Child Protective Services if you feel unsafe at home. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us directly via our 24 hour crisis hotline (1-800-786-2929), email, or live chat.


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[Guest]

hi ok I dunno if I'm posting a reply or my own post so I'm sorry if this seems weird?
anyways I'm turning 17 in a couple of months, instead of running away I have a different plan since my country doesn't have the "legal rights at 18" and I wanna hear others opinion on it.
so I want to study fashion design in korea or japan, I found the perfect uni in both countries and some cheap apartments close by, I'm planing to wait till I graduate from high school and I'll tell my parents that i want to study abroad or else I'm just not gonna work and live with them, and they dont want that and they dont have any legal rights to "kick me out" so then they will pay for everything, and while I study in gonna search for a part time job and save some money for the future, and I'm gonna take studying so slow like I want to be there for 5 or more years so I have the rights to have the citizenship and just never return home.
do you think this will work??

also I just want to say that I had a normal life with a great family but I just want to live I want to try everything I want to have responsibility I want to do something with my life. but still I cant even imagine how my dad is gonna feel about me leaving my family even tho he have done everything for me. I'm starting to think of faking my death while I'm aboard but I dunno how.

[ccsmod11]

Hi,

Thanks for reaching out. We're really glad you're trying to figure out the ins and outs of your plan, but we honestly know nothing at all about how moving out and runaway laws apply to youth in other countries. You may want to contact legal aid in your country or a hotline that serves youth who live there.

Best,
NRS

[Guest]

Hello , first of all , i would like to thank you for all of your kindness and support for everyone who needs to be helped.

I am a girl (arab) “i know we don’t have a good reputation but I’m sorry for that” .. however , I live in my homeland , and i have a girlfriend (european) who moved to Paris recently .. i am 19 years old and turning 20 towards the end of the year but in my country I am still not adult until 21 .

I want to move out from my parents house and go to live with my girlfriend in France for one year before we move together to another place , (my parents are unware of our relationship because if they do i will definitely be killed or in jail ) because being lgbt here is illegal !! .

i am a student of a french university in my country which has a main branch in France , so I requested a transfer to that university and its still under consideration , but am running out of time because i have to travel in 7 days because i need to attend a mandatory spanish course in Spain which is a part of my major in the uni but my parents said that I can’t go and they didn’t care if it’s mandatory or not , I bought tickets and they started to threaten me that they will take my papers out from the university and i will stay at home forever and they said that traveling is one of the dreams that i have the right to dream about it whole my life but it will never be true , and I can’t handle this situation anymore because i am an adult and I know what i want in this life , and actually i can go for it and stay in spain or Europe for 90 days without visa but i will need to comeback to finish my long term student visa to be in France .. and I still didn’t get my acceptance letter for my transfer (because to get the visa automatically I need the acceptance ) which is not a problem at all , but the BIG problem is that I can’t go outside my parents house to another city to finish my visa process and I will need to travel without doing it ..

so I started to think that i will definitely need a protection from France at least for one year and a permit to stay because i will run away and literally I won’t be able to go back to my country because if i do i go to jail.

In France , i will be staying at my girlfriend’s house , she is working and independent and she told me that she is ready to support me , plus , i will work while studying . I have enough money for the tickets and couple of days after I arrive and she has enough money for two to live one year..

everything is so complicated in here and i really started to think that running away and arriving to France and asking for protection will be just perfect!

I need your help and advice, no one is supporting me except for my far girlfriend.. which gives me strength but changes nothing at all .. i need to get to her , and from that moment all my depression , sadness, fatigue will go away.

Note : me and my suitcases are ready

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

It sounds like you are in a difficult situation, and we understand it takes courage to reach out for help.
The National Runaway Safeline is located in the United States of America (USA). Our knowledge of helpful community based resources and our understanding of youth in crisis related laws is limited to the USA. Since you are located in a country outside of the USA, you can use this link to find a youth helpline in or around your country: http://www.childhelplineinternationa...where-we-work/
We hope that by reaching out to a local resource, you are able to get the support you need from an organization that understands the laws and circumstances that affect youth in your country.

[Guest]

Hi I am 15 and would like to run away from home. I’ve been forced into prostitution and many more and use to live in the UK.
I had dreams and aspersions finishing my education and becoming something big, however that’s been taken away and I am suck in the middle of Algeria. I don’t know where I am or where to go but all I know is I want to go back to the UK/London and finish school as I am being tortured here.

[ccsmod10]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you are going through a difficult situation at home and it can be hard to know what to do. You don't deserve to be emotionally and mentally abused Since you are international, it is hard for us to be able to provide you with resources that would be applicable to where you are in Algeria and we are unfamiliar with the laws in regards to runaways and how the adoption system works. You can use this link to find a youth helpline in or around your country: http://www.childhelplineinternationa...where-we-work/.

We hope that by reaching out to a local resource, you are able to get the support you need from an organization that understands the laws and circumstances that affect youth in your country.

-NRS

[Guest]

I'm 16 and I don't want to live with my family anymore. I want to move to Philadelphia but am having second thoughts and want to move to South Korea. I want to know if it's possible for me to be put for adoption in South Korea or Philadelphia without out my parents putting me ? And would it be possible for me to get a job during school starts ?

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out, sounds like it has been tough at home with you and your family. We aren't legal or adoption experts, but the adoptions process is a lot of steps with many safety protocols. If you feel that you are mistreated, abused, or neglected please reach out to Child Help (The National Child Abuse Hotline) to get started a process to help you get the support you need.

We aren’t legal experts, but we have general knowledge about running away. In most states, running away isn’t illegal, but what is called a status offense. You can’t get arrested for it but it will mostly likely go on your record until you are 18. The police will only know if you have runaway if your parents/guardians file a police report. We can’t say for sure how the police will respond, but we hear a lot that police will take potential places you might be and will actively search for you. If they come across you, the most likely will return you home to your parents. Sometimes we hear that if you are staying with someone who knows you are a runaway and are not actively trying to return you or finding shelter for you, your guardians/or police can press charges against the people who are housing you, with something that is called harboring. One of our main goals is to make sure you are safe, so if you ever seriously decide to run away and need shelter, resources, or a safe place to go you can find safe locations at nationalsafeplace.org or reach out to us directly and we can find local resources in your area.

We are here for you and will support you in anyway that we can. Please feel free to call into us directly as we can talk further about your situation and find resources that are best for you in your area. Stay strong and you are not alone in this! Our hotline ( 1-800-RUNAWAY) and chat are open 24/7.

-NRS

[Guest]

Hi my boyfriend and I want to run away to Australia from the Philippines and get married and live there permanently. We're planning to leave this January or February 2019. I have a toxic home and an abusive older brother, while my boyfriends family is also quite toxic and suffocating. My bf is a permanent resident in Australia, also he is settled and has graduated college, owns a house in Australia, and came back to the Philippines to take a second course. I on the other hand am almost done with college. But I just don't think I can live in this kind of environment anymore. He's 26 and I'm 21. We've been planning this very carefully and weighing the pros and cons and we really wanna do this. We want to start a new life as husband and wife in Australia. I'm just concerned about my mother even though she is toxic, I'm afraid of what it would make her feel. I'm not so sure this is something I should do, but I really do want it. I love him. I'm afraid because we're only 6 months this December. I need some advice if on how to go about this, how to be smart about it. Should I run away with him?

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you for contacting The National Runaway Safeline. Unfortunately our organization is based in The United States, and we do not know the laws of running away in other countries. You may want to consider contacting a legal service in the Philippines to get the best answer. We wish you the best of luck in your situation!
NRS

[Guest]

Hi I’m 11 and I’ve been wanting to runaway to South Korea due to problems at home. I need some advice anything is ok. Please help me.

[ccsmod6]

Hello,
Thank you for reaching out to us during this difficult time. It sounds like you are unhappy at home and want to run away to another country. Just to let you know, we are not legal experts. But it is not against the law for you to run away from home without your parent’s permission. If you are leaving to another country it might be a good idea to look into places to live as a minor. In most places it’s considered a ‘status offence’. However, anyone you would be caught staying with could possibly be charged with ‘harboring a runaway’ if your legal guardian decides to press charges against your grandparents. You also might want to consider contacting the police or telling someone at school about the drug use going on at home if it is making you feel unsafe. You can always contact Child Help at 1-800-422-4453 if you are needing help making the report. Here at the National Runaway Safeline, we encourage you to be safe and reach out to us at any time. We can be reached at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) at any time.

[Guest]

Hi...
I won't tell you my real age because I am quite young. When I first started having thoughts about running away I thought it was a phase and used to joke about it. But the thoughts are still constant now and happen too often - I keep looking up flight prices and age limits. I am completely safe for the record. It's just that I feel trapped where I am. I have huge dreams which may (almost certainly) be shut down when I am older. I want to do music when I am older and become a singer/artist and write my own music. I know that sounds really really cheesy. But it is my passion and always has been, I've done and got bored of so much stuff and gone through tons of 'interests'. THey last about a month but singing and music so far have lasted a lifetime.
I'm smart, I know to run away you need accommodation, funding for food and accommodation as well as an assurance it's better in some way than where I am now. I have an idea to run away when
I am 16 and can live on my own somewhere and have a job with my education/music career/music studies. I need to build my music knowledge and profession now, music is a tricky and risky business.
If I start a youtube channel, make money from adds and save up really well for a couple years do you think that that will be enough to get really cheap accommodation, basic food but still carry on my career
and studies somewhere else in the world. Perhaps America or even London - which isn't far because I live in England.
I can work really hard and maybe get a music scholarship when I get there as London has a lot of big labels and record companies I could maybe get signed too. I so desperately am telling myself to be realistic but I am saying this while still writing this message. I need advice.
Am I being realistic? Is this smart or well planned? Is this POSSIBLE?
My mum keeps trying to get interests out of me - academic interests for my future.
Lastly, I would like to tell you my backup plan. Psychology. It's a kind of interest. I like listening to and helping people. I have good ears and give good advice. From what I hear I can get good money out of it.
Do you think it would be good if I moved, pre-planned school admissions and things like outside accommodation - somehow managing to get enough money for it. I could go to a public school and study music and psychology on the side like a backup life plan if plan A doesn't work out.
What do you think?
Also If I have a possible un-namable big opportunity which has a small possibility of happening (still a possibility). Which could mean big-ish money?
What would you say then?

I know I've asked about a hundred questions but please answer back without the automated rubbish. thank u

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you are in a difficult situation and are really looking to expand your music career. We understand it takes courage to reach out for help. The National Runaway Safeline is located in the United States of America (USA). Our knowledge of helpful community based resources and our understanding of youth in crisis related laws is limited to the USA. If you are located in a country outside of the USA, you can use this link to find a youth helpline in or around your country: http://childhelpinternational.com/

We hope that by reaching out to a local resource, you are able to get the support you need from an organization that understands the laws and circumstances that affect youth in your country.

[Guest]

Hi i am 26 years old.

I am wanting to run away to Canada as i have family issues and cannot be sorted. My family is forcing me to marry a guy who i do not even love but i want to further my studies in canada instead. I know i can never change their thinkjng and therefore i want to live my own life in Canada. I have enough savings to sustain there.

So if i run away, is it possible for them to find out where dis i go? If they have friends in immigration can they find out where i am? And can they bring me back to my home country even if i do not want?

[ccsmod10]

Hey there,

Thanks so much for contacting us, it takes a lot of courage to reach out and share your story. It must be really hard to live into a home with so much tension. It sounds like you are in a difficult situation. The National Runaway Safeline is located in the United States of America (USA). Our knowledge of helpful community-based resources and our understanding of youth in crisis-related laws is limited to the USA. If you are located in a country outside of the USA, you can use this link to find a helpline in or around your country: https://www.childhelplineinternation...pline-network/.

We hope that by reaching out to a local resource, you are able to get the support you need from an organization that understands the laws and circumstances that affect youth in your country.

All the best,
NRS

[Guest]

I just want to know if we run away with a legal age, will there be a way to locate us? Via immigration?

Will the family have rights to bring us back even if we do not want?

[ccsmod6]

Hello and thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. As we are not legal experts, it is difficult for us to answer your question exactly. We can say that if you are the age of majority, 18 in most states, you are entitled to live and travel where and when you please. It is our understanding that, as an adult, no one can force you to return home. If you paid for tickets with credit cards belonging to others, it might be possible for them to track you through records of those transaction. It might be a good idea to contact the airline/bus company/etc. you are traveling with to see if they release that information to anyone. If you would like to talk more specifically about your situation we may be able to speak more precisely on what might happen. If you are interested in doing so, please reach out to us on our 24/7 hotline 1-800-786-2929 or on chat at 1800runaway.org.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

Hello i am 17 almost 18 and my bestfriend is 16 almost 17 and we live in USA but want to run away to another country. We have questions about if we can get on a plan alone without parents ? And can we get visas at another country with being under 18? Also we don’t really have a place in mind that would be the best for run always, I was thinking New Zealand, but what are some countries that you would recommend would work well with us being at a young age in living on our own and getting jobs. Lastly are there legal consequences for running away to another county?

[ccsmod4]

Reply: Hello i am 17 almost 18 and my bestfriend is 16 ...


Hello,
Thank you for writing to us here at the National Runaway Safeline.

We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. We are not legal experts therefore are unable to offer any information other than contacting the airlines for travel information for minors.
You might also go online about the age requirements for a obtaining a travel visa.
And sorry but we don’t have any advice on what country you might find best to run away to.

Generally speaking once a report is filed with the police, a runaway may be detained and returned home to their parent or guardian. Running away is not considered a criminal act but a status offense with the report being removed once the runaway is recovered.
However you should note that anyone considered to be aiding or harboring someone that has been reported as a runaway could face legal charges.
You may get more information about the runaway laws in your state by contacting the non-emergency number to your local police department.
Hours are most likely normal business hours 9am-to 5pm.
You can usually find the non-emergency number online.

NRS is here to listen and here to help.
We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email or bulletin for assistance. If you and your friend would like to talk more in detail about your situation and share more about how we can help specifically, please call or chat soon.

Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).

Take care,
NRS


We hope this response was helpful! We’d love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis email/forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to youth and families. Please click the link to fill out our survey: Your Opinion Matters to Us

[Guest]

Hey, I am turning 15 and me and my cousin are planning on running away to a different country for a little bit. My parents abuse me and don't care, so she agreed to do it with me. We made the plan it's just he problem is affording it right now. But we were planning on leaving soon.

[ccsmod7]

Thank you for contacting NRS!

It sounds like home has not been supportive of you and you want to leave. Home should feel comfortable and safe, so if it has been a negative environment it is understandable you would want to leave. Leaving can be a very difficult decision to make, but you know what is best for your situation. We are not legal experts by any means but we can give you some general information. Running away is not illegal, but if you did leave home without permission your parents could file a runaway report. You would not be arrested, but if police were to locate you they would most likely return you home.

You mentioned that being able to afford to leave and live on your own is an obstacle for you, so we encourage you to also consider other options. You could possibly live with another family member or a friend’s parents. Since you mentioned that there is abuse going on at home, you can contact the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 to file an abuse report or get more information about the process. Your safety is very important so it could be helpful to come up with a plan for leaving. Some things to consider are how you could get a job, get food, where you will live, and what you will do in case of a medical emergency.

There are people who care and we are here 24/7 if you need someone to talk to. Please do not hesitate to reach out to NRS by phone at 1-800-786-2929 or chat at 1800runaway.org if you want to talk through more options or need support.