Yes the divorce was filed in the UK and I was given full custody of my son and permission to bring him back home to America to live, my ex did not even contest this. He wanted to keep all of our material possessions, I wanted our son & the dogs, that was our arrangement. I left without a penny, but I am rich beyond words with my son in my life. I read that it is possible to change his name by deed poll in the UK without his father's consent if I can prove his father's absense, I may end up going that route as it seems easier, I will put out an ad in the local paper where his father last lived to try and locate him I guess. I don't have an address for my ex's mother so the best I can do is send a letter to the old address i know he know longer lives at and see if he has something set up with the post office out there to forward his mail. I'm guessing if the UK courts allow the name change the California courts will acknowledge it so I can change his US passport?