I am divorced. I have two minor children of five and six years. I receive very small alimony payments. My ex-husband doesn't insist on meeting our children saying that the children who do not live with him are not his children. But the grandmother (mother-in-law) insists on meeting the children. I am against as my husband's relatives were negative about me even before the divorce. The children live with me. My mother-in-law is going to apply to court. My ex-husband is ready to support her. Do they (my ex-husband and mother-in-law) have a right to meet the children who live with me?
According to Art. 34 of the Family Code of the Russian Federation a child has a right to communicate with both parents, grandfather, grandmother, brothers, sisters and other relatives. Divorce of parents, invalidity of parents' marriage or separate residence of parents doesn't affect child's rights. In case of separate residence of parents a child has a right to communicate to each of them. A child has a right to communicate to his/her parents even in case they live in different countries. All disputes related to upbringing of children shall be settled by judicial means.