International Parental Child Abduction
Child Abduction International Parental Child Abduction The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction of 25 October 1980 seeks to combat parental child abduction by providing a system of co-operation between, Central Authorities and a rapid procedure for the return of the child to the country of the child’s habitual residence. Each country, with which the United States has a treaty relationship under the Convention, has designated a Central Authority to carry our specific duties under the Convention. The above Convention came into force between the United States and Greece, on June 1, 1993.
The Central Authority for the United States, is the Department of State, specifically, the Office of Children’s Issues, Overseas Citizen Services(CA/OCS/CI), Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20520-2818. If your child has been abducted from the United States to Greece, you should contact the Office of Children’s Issues at the following addresses:
United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Office of Children’s Issues
SA-29
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Phone: 1-888-407-4747; 202-501-4444
E-mail: AskCI@state.gov
International Parental Child Abduction Division
Phone: 1-888-407-4747; 202-501-4444
Fax: 202-736-9132
E-mail: AbductionUSCA@state.gov; PreventAbduction@state.gov
Web Address: Travel.State.Gov/childabduction
Children’s Passport Issuance Alert Program
United States Department of State
Overseas Citizen Services, Office of Children’s Issues
Attn: Children’s Passport Issuance Alert Program
SA-29
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Phone: 1-888-407-4747
Fax: 202-736-9133
E-mail: PreventAbduction@state.gov
The Office of Children’s Issues, at the State Department, assists in cases of international parental child abduction, placing a high priority on the welfare of children who have been victimized in such cases.
If your child has been abducted from Greece to the U.S., you should contact the Greek Central Authority, at the Greek Ministry of Justice, at the following address:
Greek Ministry of Justice
96 Messogeion Avenue,
115 27 Athens, Greece
Tel. 210-776-7527, fax 210-776-7499,
Email: minjust8@otenet.gr
The local central authority for child abduction issues is only involved in case the left behind parent is here in Greece. In this case, they provide the left behind parent with information, assist him/her to fill out the appropriate Hague Convention Form, and forward the Form and supplemental documents to the central authority of the country where the child has been taken.
Under the Hague Abduction Convention, signatory countries must return an abducted or wrongfully retained child, if: the child is below the age of 16, b)the child was “habitually residing” in a Convention country prior to the wrongful removal or retention, c) the applicant has, and was exercising rights of custody under the law of the child’s country of habitual residence at the time of the wrongful removal or retention, d) the petition for return is filed with the court or other adjudicative body within one year of the date of the wrongful removal or retention.
Note: After one year, a court or a competent authority, is still obligated to order the child returned unless, the person resisting return successfully demonstrates that the child is settled in the new environment.
