Opening an International Parental Child Abduction Case

United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Office of Children’s Issues

C all During 8:15a.m.  - 5:00 p.m. EST:

1-888-407-4747, Toll Free Phone from the United States & Canada:
1-202-501-4444, from abroad

Before you call, collect as many documents and as much information as possible, including birth certificates, custody orders, dates of events, names, contact information, etc. However, it is not necessary to have all documents at the time of the call. You can also e-mail us at askci@state.gov.

You may wish to contact your local police, file a missing person's report, and request local police to enter your child's name into to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) computer database. The Federal National Child Search Act of 1990 requires each Federal, State, and local law enforcement agency to report each case of a missing child to NCIC. You can make this report and request that police enter your child’s name into NCIC even if you think you know where your child is located in another country.

What the State Department Can Do:

• We can provide you with information about various resources that may assist you in your efforts to return your child to the United States;
• If your child was abducted to a country that is a U.S. partner under the Hague Abduction Convention, as appropriate, we may accept your Hague application, forward it to the foreign central authority in the country to which your child has been abducted, and monitor developments concerning your child’s case through the Foreign Central Authority;
• We can provide a list of attorneys in the country where your child is located;
• We can answer questions from local and federal law enforcement about the Department’s role in international parental child abduction cases;
• We can facilitate your communication with U.S. government agencies and non-governmental organizations that may be able to assist you.

Local Authorities in the United States

You may wish to contact your local police, file a missing person's report, and request local police to enter your child's name into to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) computer database. The Federal National Child Search Act of 1990 requires each Federal, State, and local law enforcement agency to report each case of a missing child to NCIC. You can make this report and request that police enter your child’s name into NCIC even if you think you know where your child is located in another country.