International Child Abduction

NOTE OF INTEREST: The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Act was recently reformed by adding a section which addressed the issue of child abduction. Under its provisions, which became effective June 1, 1991, a left-behind parent can, upon presentation of a custody decree, ask the Department of State to exclude an international child abductor from the United States. If you have further questions about this procedure or other aspects of child abduction, please contact the Office of Children's Issues at (202) 736-7000.

NOTE OF INTEREST: American citizens who travel to a foreign country place themselves under the jurisdiction of local courts. American citizens planning a trip to a country that does not recognize dual nationality should check first before taking any dual national children to that country. The local courts may rule against their return to the United States.
 
Below are several countries that are not parties to the Hague Convention or do not have bilateral treaties with the United States that deal with international parental child abduction. Before going to any of these countries, read the warnings and concerns of the U.S. Department of State. We have supplied a direct link to each country information sheet. "The information contained in each sheet is intended as an introduction to the basic elements of children's issues".

BAHRAIN
Bahrain - International Parental Child Abduction Bahrain is not a party to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, nor are there any international or bilateral treaties in force between Bahrain and the United States dealing with international parental child abduction.

BARBADOS
Barbados - International Parental child Abduction Barbados is not a party to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, nor are there any international or bilateral treaties in force between Barbados and the United States dealing with international parental child abduction.

CHINA
China - International Parental Child Abduction he Peoples Republic of China (PRC) is not a party to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, nor are there any international or bilateral treaties in force between China and the United States dealing with international parental child abduction. American citizens who travel to China place themselves under the jurisdiction of local courts. American citizens planning a trip to China with dual national children should bear this in mind.

CUBA
Cuba - International Parental Child Abduction Cuba is not a party to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, nor are there any international or bilateral treaties in force between Cuba and the United States dealing with international parental child abduction.

EGYPT
Egypt - International Parental Child Abduction Currently there are no international or bilateral treaties in force between Egypt and the United States dealing with international parental child abduction. The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction cannot be invoked if a child is taken from the United States to Egypt, or vice versa, by one parent against the wishes of the other parent or in violation of a U.S. custody order.

HAITI
Haiti- International Parental Child Abduction Haiti is not a party to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, nor are there any international or bilateral treaties in force between Haiti and the United States dealing with international parental child abduction.

INDONESIA
Indonesia - International Parental Child Abduction Indonesia is not a party to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, nor are there any international or bilateral treaties in force between Indonesia and the United States dealing with international parental child abduction. Therefore, there is no treaty remedy by which the left-behind parent would be able to pursue recovery of the child/ren should they be abducted or wrongfully retained in Indonesia.

IRAN
Iran - International Parental Child Abduction The United States severed diplomatic and consular relations with the Government of Iran on April 7, 1980. The United States Government formally asked the Swiss Government if it would assume diplomatic and consular representation of the United States in Iran. Iran is not a party to the Hague Convention, and since the U.S. and Iran do not maintain diplomatic relations, there is no bilateral treaty in effect which would cover parental child abduction.

JAPAN
Japan - International Parental Child Abduction Japan is not a party to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. The Department of State is not aware of any case in which a child taken from the United States by one parent has been ordered returned to the United States by Japanese courts, even when the left-behind parent has a United States custody decree. In cases of international parental child abduction, foreign parents are greatly disadvantaged in Japanese courts, both in terms of obtaining the return of children to the United States and in achieving any kind of enforceable visitation rights in Japan.

KUWAIT
Kuwait - International Parental Child Abduction Kuwait is not a party to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, nor are there any international or bilateral treaties in force between Kuwait and the United States dealing with international parental child abduction.

MOROCCO
Morocco - International Parental Child Abduction Currently there are no international or bilateral treaties in force between Morocco and the United States dealing with international parental child abduction. The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction cannot be invoked if a child is taken from the United States to Morocco, or vice versa, by one parent against the wishes of the other parent or in violation of a U.S. custody order.

PAKISTAN
Pakistan - International Parental Child Abduction Currently, the only treaties which have any application to abductions of children from the United States are the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction and the
extradition treaties which the United States has with individual countries. Pakistan is not a party to the Hague Convention, and there is no bilateral treaty in effect between the U.S. and Pakistan which would cover parental child abduction.

THE PHILIPPINES
The Philippines - International Parental Child Abduction The Philippines is not a party to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, nor are there any international or bilateral treaties in force between the Philippines and the United States dealing with international parental child abduction. Therefore, there is no treaty remedy by which the left behind parent would be able to pursue recovery of the child/ren should they be abducted to or wrongfully retained in the Philippines.

SAUDI ARABIA
Saudi Arabia - International Parental Child Abduction The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is not a party to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, nor are there any international or bilateral treaties in force between Saudi Arabia and the United States dealing with international parental child abduction.

TUNISIA
Tunisia - International Parental Child Abduction Currently there are no international or bilateral treaties in force between Tunisia and the United States dealing with international parental child abduction. The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction cannot be invoked if a child is taken from the United States to Tunisia, or vice versa, by one parent against the wishes of the other parent or in violation of a U.S. custody order.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

United Arab Emirates - International Parental Child Abduction The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is not a party to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, nor are there any international or bilateral treaties in force between the UAE and the United States dealing with international parental child abduction.