International Parental Child Abduction

The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction came into force between the United States and Belgium on May 1, 1999. For in-depth information on the workings of The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, visit the Department of State's International Parental Child Abduction Page.

What to do if your child has been abducted

From the United States to Belgium: If your child has been abducted from the United States to Belgium, you should file an application with the U.S. Central Authority at:

United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Office of Children’s Issues - SA-29
2100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 4th Floor
Washington, DC 20037.

Toll Free Phone from the U.S./Canada: 1-888-407-4747
Outside the U.S/Canada: 1-202-501-4444
Fax 202-736-9132

Application forms are found on line at Application for Assistance Under the Hague Convention on Child Abduction (in PDF format) (PDF - 139KB).

From Belgium to the United States:  If your child has been abducted from Belgium to the United States, you should file an application with the Belgian Central Authority at:

Ministry of Justice - General Directorate of Civil Law and Cults
Head of Central Authority, Children’s Issues (Parental Abduction)
Boulevard de Waterloo, 115
1000 Brussels, Belgium

Tel : +32 2 542 6511

Preventing Child Abduction

If you are a resident of Belgium and fear that your U.S. citizen child might be taken abroad by the other parent without your consent, the child's name can be entered into the U.S. passport name check system. Then, if an application for a passport for your child is received, you will be informed before issuance of the passport.

When there is an order from a court of competent jurisdiction prohibiting the removal of a child from the jurisdiction of the court and/or the requesting party without prior consent, and the order is provided to the American Citizen Services Section of the U.S. Embassy in Brussels, Belgium, an application for a U.S. passport may be denied.

Requests for entry of a child's name in the passport name check system, and, if relevant, court orders should be sent to:

American Embassy – Consular Section
U.S. Passports Unit
Blvd. du Régent, 25
1000 Brussels, Belgium
Phone: +32 2 811.4300
Fax: +32 2 811.4546

The Children's Passport Issuance Alert Program

The Children’s Passport Issuance Alert Program (CPIAP) is a service for the parents and legal guardians of minor children. It enables the Department of State’s Office of Children’s Issues to notify a parent or court ordered legal guardian, when requested, before issuing a U.S. passport for his or her child. The parent, legal guardian, legal representatives, or the court of competent jurisdiction must submit a written request for entry of a child’s name into the program to the Office of Children’s Issues. To request that your child’s name be entered in the Children's Passport Issuance Alert Program, click on the following link: http://travel.state.gov/abduction/prevention/passportissuance/passportissuance_554.html

Other Resources

• The Department of State's International Parental Child Abduction website
• http://www.childfocus.be/ helping families on child abduction
• National Center For Missing and Exploited Children