Release of the 2022 Action Report on International Child Abduction

Office of the Spokesperson

Today, the Department of State submitted the 2022 Action Report on International Child Abduction to Congress. The Department is committed to preventing abductions from the United States and achieving the prompt resolution of cases involving children who were wrongfully removed or retained by a parent from their country of habitual residence. For affected parents, Members of Congress, judges, and the general public, this year’s Action Report details the Department’s efforts in response to countries we cited for demonstrating a pattern of noncompliance in 2021.

The Department takes seriously our responsibility as the U.S. Central Authority under the 1980 Hague Abduction Convention to resolve and prevent cases of international parental child abduction as a means of protecting children – our most vulnerable citizens. It is the Department’s commitment to highlight these concerns and seek full compliance with the Convention from all parties.

The 2022 Annual Report on International Child Abduction cited 15 countries as demonstrating a pattern of noncompliance, as defined by the 2014 Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act: Argentina, Austria, Belize, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, Honduras, India, Jordan, Peru, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United Arab Emirates.

The Department will continue to actively work with countries that are parties to the Convention and encourage them to meet their obligations. The Department invites other countries to join the Convention and work with the United States to resolve all pending international parental child abduction cases.