Parental Kidnapping

Last updated on September 15, 2023

Are you concerned about the possibility of international parental abduction? Parents can contact the U.S. State Department’s Children’s Passport Alert System to prevent issuance of passports for minor children who are the subject of custody disputes. The details can be found on the department’s website. Preemptive action must be taken, however, because once a passport has been issued, the department will not be able to prevent its use in removing a child from the United States.

Is your child missing? Visit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children website to view a checklist of what to do if your child is missing.

Parental kidnapping is a felony in Michigan, and the statute states that the offense has been committed once a parent has withheld a child from the other parent for more than 24 hours after the child was supposed to be returned.

Under the Hague Convention, actions involving the recovery of children who have been kidnapped and moved to another country must be filed in the country to which the children were taken. For example, if a child was abducted by one parent and brought to Michigan, the action to recover the child must be filed in the proper Michigan-based court or the request will be considered invalid.

Contact An International Child Custody Attorney

To learn more about international family law matters, call 888-757-1681 or complete our contact form to schedule a free initial consultation. Based in the Detroit area (Farmington Hills), we serve clients in Michigan and across the globe.