parental concent?

[MADDEN 40]

I've seen that for the interview if you have a child from a previous relationship you need either a sole custody court order or a signed notarized letter from the other parent giving their permission for the child to leave the country but what if the other parent never lived in the same country as the child, would this still apply?

Some years ago I saw a lawyer about obtaining sole custody of my child but she pointed out that it was kind of pointless as the father didn't live in the same country and as he has no contact with us all responsibility for the child including financial has been on me so hence I never went ahead with it.

I then recently got back in contact with my lawyer in regards to this notarized letter, her thoughts were this, why should it matter where the child immigrates to if the father doesn't live or has never lived in the same country it wont impede on him seeing the child (he'd still need to jump on a plane)

The main reason for the notarized letter is so immigration can see that the child isn't being removed from the country without the others knowledge. But would this still apply in my case?

My child recently received a new passport without her father having to sign as immigration wasn't able to locate him so obtaining a letter would be impossible and pointless.

Do you think in my case if I had a notarized letter from my lawyer stating my case and why it doesn't seem necessary to have his permission that this would be ok?