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Wednesday, 3 October 2023

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Crime and justice

International child abduction

If your child is abducted and taken overseas, you are advised to inform the police, as a criminal offence may have been committed.

Getting your child back

Your chance of recovering your child will depend on the customs and laws of the country to which the child has been taken, as well as the attitude of, and your relationship with, the person who has taken the child.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) provides advice on what to do and who to contact if your child has been abducted overseas, or if you fear that this might happen. It can also provide practical help when dealing with authorities overseas, as cultural differences need to be appreciated and understood.

The FCO can:

provide you with a list of overseas lawyers who speak English - some will be specialists in family law
approach Interpol in the UK and overseas authorities for help in tracing the child
where possible, and with the other parent's consent, visit a child to check that they are safe
obtain a welfare report once the child is located, with the other parent's consent
press the courts overseas to handle a court case as quickly as possible in the best interests of the child and with the UK Court's permission
draw to the attention of the courts overseas the existence of any UK court orders
help establish and keep open lines of communication between you, the other parent and your child
provide travel advice and help with finding safe accommodation locally
sometimes provide informal translations of key documents in exceptional circumstances only
in exceptional cases, attend court hearings