“Husband abandoned me in India with children after bringing us from US — need legal advice”
I created this account to seek advice because I am genuinely confused and scared about my situation.
I am a 28-year-old Telugu woman married to my husband (33M) for 5 years. We have two children (4M and 3F) who are US citizens. My husband and I are Indian citizens.
We lived in the US until last year, when my husband suddenly brought us back to India saying we should “start fresh.”
Our marriage started deteriorating after my pregnancies, especially after my mother-in-law began staying with us for long periods. There was constant conflict, emotional withdrawal, verbal abuse, and long silent treatment from my husband. Last year he physically hit me for the first time. I informed my parents and warned him that I would go to the police if it happened again.
After returning to India, my husband dropped me and the children at my parents’ house and has mostly stopped communicating with me. He refuses meaningful discussions about reconciliation, finances, or the children’s future.
I later discovered that he accessed/exported my private chats and emails without my knowledge and has been selectively sharing messages with relatives to portray me negatively.
He and his family have also come to my parents’ house multiple times, shouted at me publicly, and created scenes in front of relatives. He quotes my WhatsApp chats as proof (mostly me venting to my mother after a fight). At the same time, he tells others he wants the children but does not want to stay with me. Despite this, he has not met the children or even spoken to them on video calls for months. He keeps telling everyone that I was abusive and he is scared to live with me.
Some additional concerns:
* I am unemployed and financially dependent.
* I do not have direct access to family finances and suspect he may be hiding assets.
* He claims to have made significant money through trading.
* He currently has my passport and my children’s passports.
* My children’s visa/status documents may soon require renewal.
* My family wants reconciliation and is discouraging legal action for now.
A family friend who is a lawyer advised me not to rush into filing anything immediately but I am worried that my husband is already planning things legally or financially.
My questions are:
- What legal remedies are realistically available to me in India right now?
- How can I start protecting myself financially and legally without immediately filing for divorce?
- How can I seek child maintenance/interim support?
- What should I do if he is hiding assets or planning to leave India?
- What legal steps can I take to recover my and my children’s passports?
- What should I do regarding my children’s visa/passport renewals if he refuses cooperation?
- What should I prioritize first in this situation?
I would really appreciate any advice or guidance. Thank you.