International Child Abduction Attorneys in Pennsylvania
If your child has been taken overseas by the other parent without your consent, it is important to enlist an attorney’s help as soon as possible. The process for having your child returned is highly complex and involves not only U.S. law but international law as well.
At Prince Law Offices, P.C., we pursue the safe return of children to the U.S. We understand how to work with international authorities to enforce The Hague Convention, which is a treaty signed by 80 countries that details the process for returning a child to his or her home country in international abduction scenarios.
As experienced international child abduction lawyers, we often work closely with the U.S. State Department, which plays a major role in parental kidnapping cases that cross international borders. If the country to which your child was taken has signed The Hague Convention, then that treaty will be pivotal. If not, then laws like the International Child Abduction Remedies Act (ICARA) and private international law will play a larger role. In any event, once the State Department is involved in the case, our lawyers can work with the Department to take a number of actions such as:
- Helping you file a “safe return” application with authorities in the foreign country
- Coordinate with U.S. embassy officials to locate the child and provide a report on the child’s condition
- Act as a point of contact for you throughout the process of having your child returned
- List the child’s passport in a lookout database
- Monitor the judicial proceedings in the foreign country and help you get in touch with the right officials there
Overseas Divorce, Child Relocation and Child Custody Rights
If you are a U.S. citizen but the other parent is a non-citizen who lives overseas, child custody issues will be complicated. Even though The Hague Convention, various treaties and other international laws address certain parts of divorce and custody, actually asserting parental rights internationally requires diligence and determination.
If your divorce takes place in the U.S., then the U.S. court will determine custody based on the best interests of the child. It is possible (though rather unlikely) that custody will be awarded to the non-citizen spouse, in which case you would have visitation rights. If the divorce is granted by a court of a different country, then that country’s laws will affect custody issues. It may be necessary to involve the State Department or U.S. embassy in these situations.
We Are Here to Help
Although the thought of getting involved in international law can be frightening, remember that you do not have to deal with this by yourself. The family law attorneys at Prince Law Offices, P.C., understand international child abduction, international custody and the related issues. You can come to us for the advice and guidance you need at this challenging time.
Contact a Child Custody Lawyer Today for an Initial Consultation
We encourage you to reach out to us for help with any issue related to international child abduction or international child custody. Our Pennsylvania lawyers will help you make sense of these highly complex matters. Call 610-845-3803 or toll free 888-313-0416. You can also contact our law firm online.