If your child was taken to another country — here is the lawful path, starting now
If your child was taken across a border without your consent, act through official channels immediately: contact your country's Central Authority for the 1980 Hague Convention, consult a lawyer experienced in international child abduction, and report to police where appropriate. Acting within the first days matters — and lawful action is what protects your case.
What you are feeling right now is overwhelming. You do not have to solve everything at once. Do these steps, in order — or use the guided version that personalises them to your countries.
Contact your Central Authority — today
Every country in the 1980 Hague Convention has an official Central Authority whose job is to process child-return applications — free of charge. Find yours in our verified directory. Have ready: where the child normally lives, when and where they were taken, and what custody arrangement exists. Don't wait until your documents are perfect — make first contact now; documents follow.
Talk to a lawyer who handles these cases — this week
International child abduction is a specialised field; a general family lawyer may not know Hague procedure. Ask directly: "Have you handled 1980 Hague Convention return applications?" Legal aid may be available in your country. Beware anyone who guarantees your child's return or offers to "recover" your child outside legal channels — that endangers your child and your case.
Report to the police — where appropriate
A police report creates a timestamped official record, separate from the Hague application itself, and in many countries is a precondition for other lawful steps, such as an Interpol notice to help locate a child across borders. Bring your custody order if you have one, and ask for the report reference number for your file. A common misunderstanding: your local police generally have no jurisdiction to retrieve your child once they are in another country — these cases are resolved through the Hague return process and courts, not cross-border police action. What the report does is establish the facts early and support the location and legal work that follows. If you don't yet know exactly where your child is, file anyway — the report doesn't require a confirmed location.
Tell your consulate or embassy
Your foreign ministry's consular service in the country where your child is can request a welfare check — a visit confirming the child is safe — and can share general local information, such as how courts and the Central Authority there operate. Register the case with them formally so you have a standing point of contact. A common misunderstanding: consular officials cannot intervene in a foreign court's custody or return proceedings, remove your child, or compel the other parent to cooperate — that sits with the Hague process and local courts, not the consulate. What they can do is verify welfare, relay information, and in some countries flag the case internally. If you don't yet know which country your child is in, contact the consulate for the country you believe most likely, or your own foreign ministry for guidance.
Preserve evidence — calmly, lawfully
Keep and back up: custody orders and parenting agreements · proof of your child's home life (school enrollment, medical records, address history) · messages where travel or staying away is discussed (only communications you lawfully have) · travel details you already know · a written timeline you update daily. Do not attempt to access the other parent's accounts, devices, or mail — it can be illegal and can damage your case.
What NOT to do
- Do not confront, threaten, or follow the other parent — it can be used against you and can escalate risk to your child.
- Do not attempt to take the child back yourself across a border — "re-abduction" is illegal in most countries and can result in your arrest and the loss of your case.
- Do not track, spy on, or hack anyone's phone, accounts, or car. Location must be established through lawful channels — police, courts, Central Authority.
- Do not post about the case publicly or share your child's photos and details online — it can compromise proceedings and your child's privacy. Talk to your lawyer before any public step.
- Do not negotiate away your rights under pressure. Get advice before agreeing to anything.
What happens next
A Hague return application asks a court in the country where your child now is to order the child's return to their home country — it does not decide custody. Courts are supposed to act fast (the Convention aims for six weeks); in practice, the global average in the latest HCCH study was about 207 days. Your Central Authority and lawyer drive the process; your job is documents, timeline, and steady presence.
First message to your Central Authority — template
Subject: Request for assistance — possible wrongful removal/retention of my child
Dear [Central Authority],
I am the [mother/father/legal guardian] of a child who was habitually resident in [country]. I believe my child was wrongfully [removed to / retained in] [country] on or around [date].
Custody situation: [court order exists — attached / parental responsibility by law].
I request information on filing a return application under the 1980 Hague Convention, and the forms required. I can provide documents immediately.
Phone: [—] · Languages I speak: [—]
Respectfully, [name]
Note: no child's full name, photo, or passport data in first contact — the Central Authority will tell you exactly what to send through their secure channel.
Check how your destination country performs on returns: Hague Return Accountability Index · country treaty status · does the Convention apply?
Last verified: 2026-07-05 · Sources: HCCH (hcch.net) · Reviewer: pending professional review