Domestic abuse prohibiting child's passport renewal

Hello, I've been a regular reader of the forums here but this is my first post.

My DD has just turned 5 and her US passport expires this month. We left her father when she was a baby due to domestic abuse and I've stayed in the UK to work and raise her on my own. He continually withholds child maintenance payments and hasn't seen her in a year.

Because I can not speak to him without someone else present, I have a solicitor to deal with getting the forms signed for the passport renewal. He is not replying to the letters so now we will have to go to court, which means that her passport will expire in the interim. I've written to the Embassy about this but I haven't had a reply. Does anyone have any experience with renewing a child's passport who had difficulties with the other parent? I've exhausted the website but there doesn't seem to be anything for abusive situations.

Many thanks in advance for advice!

My fiance and I are in the same boat. We are looking at UK migration because her ex will not allow the kids to move this direction despite his numerous counts of violence, payment of one maintenance payment in 3 years and not having seen them since he basically held them hostage in June (hid in the neighborhood with them locked in the car until my fiance agreed to meet). The only knowledge I have is it can be approved/done in court per her solixitor but that's a messy process.

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