Verified Central Authority contacts
The official government office that processes return applications in each country — free of charge. Verified individually against HCCH pages on 2026-07-05. More countries are being added; the full official directory is always at HCCH.
Portugal — Central Authority verified 2026-07-05
Direção-Geral da Administração da Justiça (DGAJ)
Ministério da Justiça
+351 21 790 65 00
contact persons listed on HCCH page (Martins/Vara)
Spain — Central Authority verified 2026-07-05
Ministerio de Justicia — Subdirección General de Cooperación Jurídica Internacional (Área de Sustracción Internacional de Menores)
Ministerio de Justicia
HCCH record last updated 2020-09-15 — verify phone via ministry site before publishing
United Kingdom (England & Wales) — Central Authority verified 2026-07-05
International Child Abduction and Contact Unit (ICACU)
Office of the Official Solicitor & Public Trustee
+44 203 681 2756
separate CAs for Scotland / Northern Ireland / Crown dependencies & overseas territories — see HCCH page; route by jurisdiction within UK
United Kingdom (Scotland) — Central Authority verified 2026-07-05
Scottish Government Central Authority & International Law Team
Scottish Government
+44 131 244 4827
case manager contact on HCCH page
United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) — Central Authority verified 2026-07-05
Northern Ireland Central Authority
Department of Justice (NI)
+44 2890 72 8808
United States of America — Central Authority verified 2026-07-05
Office of Children's Issues (CA/OCS/CI)
U.S. Department of State
+1-202-501-4444 / +1-800-407-4747
State Dept runs 24/7 line for citizen emergencies via main numbers
Israel — Central Authority verified 2026-07-05
Department of International Affairs — Office of the State Attorney
Ministry of Justice
+972-73-392-8261/2
AFTER-HOURS EMERGENCY LINE: +972-506-216-419 (rare and highly valuable for emergency pages)
France — Central Authority verified 2026-07-05
Ministère de la Justice — Direction des Affaires Civiles et du Sceau / DEDIPE
Ministère de la Justice
+33 1 44 77 61 05
department chief named on HCCH page
Germany — Central Authority verified 2026-07-05
Bundesamt für Justiz — Zentrale Behörde
Federal Office of Justice
+49 228 99 410 5212
EN + DE website versions exist
Brazil — Central Authority verified 2026-07-05
Autoridade Central Administrativa Federal (ACAF)
National Secretariat of Justice — DRCI, Ministry of Justice and Public Security
+55 61 2025-7672
Poland — Central Authority verified 2026-07-05
Ministerstwo Sprawiedliwości — Department of Family and Juvenile Matters (Division of International Proceedings in Family Matters)
Ministry of Justice
+48 22 23 90 470
verify website + languages via gov.pl before publishing
Australia — Central Authority verified 2026-07-05
International Family Law Section
Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department
+61 2 6141 3100 / 1800 100 480 (domestic)
send communications to AG Department in first instance (states/territories have delegate agencies)
Canada — Central Authority verified 2026-07-05
Justice Legal Services (JUS) — federal Central Authority
Global Affairs Canada
+1 343 551-1689
FEDERAL + separate provincial/territorial Central Authorities for all 13 provinces/territories (Alberta/BC/Manitoba/Ontario/Quebec/Saskatchewan/NB/NL/NS/PEI/NWT/Nunavut/Yukon) — route by province; list on HCCH page
New Zealand — Central Authority verified 2026-07-05
Central Authority — Ministry of Justice (Tāhū o te Ture)
Ministry of Justice
+64 4 918 8800
Hague Convention Advisor / Central Authority at MoJ; contacts named on HCCH page
Mexico — Central Authority verified 2026-07-05
Dirección General de Protección Consular
Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
+52 55 3686-5100 ext. 5871/7648/7690
national CA routes to state Central Authorities; busiest US corridor
Full member list
| Country | Status | In force since | Joined by | Article 38 check needed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | Contracting Party | 2007-08-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Andorra | Contracting Party | 2011-07-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Argentina | Contracting Party | 1991-06-01 | Ratification | — |
| Armenia | Contracting Party | 2007-06-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Australia | Contracting Party | 1987-01-01 | Ratification | — |
| Austria | Contracting Party | 1988-10-01 | Ratification | — |
| Bahamas | Contracting Party | 1994-01-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Barbados | Contracting Party | 2019-10-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Belarus | Contracting Party | 1998-04-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Belgium | Contracting Party | 1999-05-01 | Ratification | — |
| Belize | Contracting Party | 1989-09-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Bolivia (Plurinational State of) | Contracting Party | 2016-10-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Contracting Party | 1992-03-06 | Succession | See note |
| Botswana | Contracting Party | 2023-02-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Brazil | Contracting Party | 2000-01-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Bulgaria | Contracting Party | 2003-08-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Burkina Faso | Contracting Party | 1992-08-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Cabo Verde | Contracting Party | 2023-01-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Canada | Contracting Party | 1983-12-01 | Ratification | — |
| Chile | Contracting Party | 1994-05-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| China (People's Republic of) | Special — SARs only | HK 1997-09-01 / Macao 1999-03-01 | Continuation | See note |
| Colombia | Contracting Party | 1996-03-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Costa Rica | Contracting Party | 1999-02-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Croatia | Contracting Party | 1991-12-01 | Succession | See note |
| Cuba | Contracting Party | 2018-12-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Cyprus | Contracting Party | 1995-02-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Czechia | Contracting Party | 1998-03-01 | Ratification | — |
| Denmark | Contracting Party | 1991-07-01 | Ratification | See note |
| Dominican Republic | Contracting Party | 2004-11-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Ecuador | Contracting Party | 1992-04-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| El Salvador | Contracting Party | 2001-05-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Estonia | Contracting Party | 2001-07-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Fiji | Contracting Party | 1999-06-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Finland | Contracting Party | 1994-08-01 | Ratification | — |
| France | Contracting Party | 1983-12-01 | Ratification | — |
| Gabon | Contracting Party | 2011-03-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Georgia | Contracting Party | 1997-10-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Germany | Contracting Party | 1990-12-01 | Ratification | — |
| Greece | Contracting Party | 1993-06-01 | Ratification | — |
| Guatemala | Contracting Party | 2002-05-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Guinea | Contracting Party | 2012-02-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Guyana | Contracting Party | 2019-05-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Honduras | Contracting Party | 1994-03-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Hungary | Contracting Party | 1986-07-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Iceland | Contracting Party | 1996-11-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Iraq | Contracting Party | 2014-06-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Ireland | Contracting Party | 1991-10-01 | Ratification | — |
| Israel | Contracting Party | 1991-12-01 | Ratification | — |
| Italy | Contracting Party | 1995-05-01 | Ratification | — |
| Jamaica | Contracting Party | 2017-05-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Japan | Contracting Party | 2014-04-01 | Ratification | — |
| Kazakhstan | Contracting Party | 2013-09-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Latvia | Contracting Party | 2002-02-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Lesotho | Contracting Party | 2012-09-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Lithuania | Contracting Party | 2002-09-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Luxembourg | Contracting Party | 1987-01-01 | Ratification | — |
| Malta | Contracting Party | 2000-01-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Mauritius | Contracting Party | 1993-06-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Mexico | Contracting Party | 1991-09-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Monaco | Contracting Party | 1993-02-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Montenegro | Contracting Party | 2006-06-03 | Succession | See note |
| Morocco | Contracting Party | 2010-06-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Netherlands (Kingdom of the) | Contracting Party | 1990-09-01 | Ratification | See note |
| New Zealand | Contracting Party | 1991-08-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Nicaragua | Contracting Party | 2001-03-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| North Macedonia | Contracting Party | 1991-12-01 | Succession | See note |
| Norway | Contracting Party | 1989-04-01 | Ratification | — |
| Pakistan | Contracting Party | 2017-03-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Panama | Contracting Party | 1994-05-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Paraguay | Contracting Party | 1998-08-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Peru | Contracting Party | 2001-08-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Philippines | Contracting Party | 2016-06-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Poland | Contracting Party | 1992-11-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Portugal | Contracting Party | 1983-12-01 | Ratification | See note |
| Republic of Korea | Contracting Party | 2013-03-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Republic of Moldova | Contracting Party | 1998-07-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Romania | Contracting Party | 1993-02-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Russian Federation | Contracting Party | 2011-10-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Contracting Party | 1994-08-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| San Marino | Contracting Party | 2007-03-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Serbia | Contracting Party | 1992-04-27 | Succession | See note |
| Seychelles | Contracting Party | 2008-08-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Singapore | Contracting Party | 2011-03-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Slovakia | Contracting Party | 2001-02-01 | Ratification | — |
| Slovenia | Contracting Party | 1994-06-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| South Africa | Contracting Party | 1997-10-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Spain | Contracting Party | 1987-09-01 | Ratification | — |
| Sri Lanka | Contracting Party | 2001-12-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Sweden | Contracting Party | 1989-06-01 | Ratification | — |
| Switzerland | Contracting Party | 1984-01-01 | Ratification | — |
| Thailand | Contracting Party | 2002-11-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Contracting Party | 2000-09-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Tunisia | Contracting Party | 2017-10-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Türkiye | Contracting Party | 2000-08-01 | Ratification | — |
| Turkmenistan | Contracting Party | 1998-03-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Ukraine | Contracting Party | 2006-09-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | Contracting Party | 1986-08-01 | Ratification | See note |
| United States of America | Contracting Party | 1988-07-01 | Ratification | — |
| Uruguay | Contracting Party | 2000-02-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Uzbekistan | Contracting Party | 1999-08-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) | Contracting Party | 1997-01-01 | Ratification | — |
| Zambia | Contracting Party | 2014-11-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
| Zimbabwe | Contracting Party | 1995-07-01 | Accession | Yes — confirm acceptance for your pair |
Source: HCCH status table & Central Authority pages · verified 2026-07-05.