Glossary · Swiss and international law
Visitation right (CC art. 273)
Personal right of the non-custodial parent to maintain a personal relationship with the child — and of the child to that relationship.
Reference : CC art. 273-275a
The right to personal relations is a right of personality; it belongs to the parent and to the child. Absent parental agreement, the court fixes it : one weekend out of two plus half of school holidays is the Geneva reference pattern, adjusted by age, distance and availability.
Visitation rights may be restricted or made conditional (supervised visits at a Point Rencontre, gradually increased visits) in case of risk to the child — but it is only suspended in the presence of a serious ground (art. 274 al. 2 CC).