International Parental Child Abduction Greece
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DISCLAIMER: The information in this flyer is provided for general information only, is not intended to be legal advice, and may change
without notice. Questions involving interpretation of law should be addressed to an attorney licensed to practice in the relevant
jurisdiction.
November 2012
Greece and the United States have been treaty partners under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (Hague Abduction Convention) since June 1, 1993.
For information concerning travel to Greece, including information about the location of the U.S. Embassy, the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, entry/exit requirements, safety and security, crime, medical facilities and health information, traffic safety, road conditions and aviation safety, please see country-specific information for Greece at: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1127.html.
The U.S. Department of State serves as the U.S. Central Authority (USCA) for the Hague Abduction Convention. In this capacity, the Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, Directorate for Overseas Citizens Services, Office of Children’s Issues facilitates the submission of applications under the Hague Abduction Convention for the return of, or access to, children located in countries that are U.S. treaty partners, including Greece. Parents are strongly encouraged to contact the Department of State for assistance prior to initiating the Hague process directly with the foreign Central Authority.
Contact information:
United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Office of Children’s Issues
2201 C Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20520
Telephone: 1-888-407-4747
Outside the United States or Canada: 1-202-501-4444
Fax: 202-736-9132
Website: http://travel.state.gov/abduction/abduction_580.html
The Greek Central Authority (GCA) for the Hague Abduction Convention is the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice
has an administrative role in processing Hague Abduction Convention applications. The Ministry of Justice forwards completed
Hague applications to the Legal Council of the State, which in turn will assign the case to a legal representative. Parents
or legal guardians and other parties (e.g., the child) have the right to their own legal counsel.
The GCA can be reached at:
The Greek Central Authority
Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights
96 Mesogeion Avenue
11527 Athens
Greece
Telephone: 011 [30] (210) 776-7312
Fax: 011 [30] (210) 776-7499
To initiate a Hague case for return of, or access to, a child in Greece, the USCA encourages a parent or legal guardian to review the eligibility criteria and instructions for completing the Hague application form located at the Department of State website and contact the Department of State for assistance prior to initiating the Hague process directly with the GCA. It is extremely important that each document written in English be translated into Greek. Please note, however, that certified translations are not necessary. Any competent person or organization may translate the documents. The USCA is available to answer questions about the Hague application process, to forward a completed application to the GCA, and to subsequently monitor its progress through the foreign administrative and legal processes.
There are no fees for filing Hague applications with either the United States or Greece central authorities. Attorney fees, if necessary, are the responsibility of the applicant parent. Additional costs may include airplane tickets for court appearances and for the return of the child, if so ordered.
A parent or legal guardian may file an application under the Hague Abduction Convention for return to the United States of a child abducted to, or wrongfully retained in, Greece. The U.S. Department of State can assist parents living in the United States to understand whether the Convention is an available civil remedy and can provide information on the process for submitting a Hague application.
A person may file an application under the Hague Abduction Convention for access to a child living in Greece. The criteria
for acceptance of a Hague access application vary from country to country. The U.S. Department of State can assist parents
living in the United States to understand country-specific criteria and provide information on the process for submitting
a Hague application
In a Hague Abduction Convention case, it is not mandatory for a petitioner to retain a private attorney because the GCA will assign a legal representative to present the case to the court. However, the legal representative does not represent the left-behind parent or legal guardian who submitted the Hague Abduction Convention application; instead, the legal representative represents Greece and submits the request for return on behalf of the Greek Minister of Justice. Applicant parents or legal guardians have the option to hire a private attorney at their own expense in Greece to join the legal representative in presenting the Hague Abduction Convention case. A privately hired attorney should contact the GCA as soon as possible after the Hague Abduction Convention application has been filed with the Greek Central Authority.
The U.S. Embassy in Athens, Greece, posts a list of attorneys including those who specialize in family law at: http://photos.state.gov/libraries/greece/38517/uscitizens/attorneys_jan11.pdf
This list is provided as a courtesy service only and does not constitute an endorsement of any individual attorney. The Department
of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability or reputation of, or the quality of services
provided by, the persons or firms included in this list. Professional credentials and areas of expertise are provided directly
by the lawyers.
Mediation may be available for both abduction and access cases. Although the GCA does not provide mediation services directly, there are registered attorneys who act as mediators and offer mediation services in every Greek Bar Association.
The U.S. Embassy in Greece can be contacted at:
U.S. Embassy Athens
91 Vasilisis Avenue
10160 Athens, Greece
Telephone: 30-210-721-2951
E-mail: AthensAmericanCitizenServices@state.gov
Website: http://athens.usembassy.gov/
The Embassy of Greece is located in Washington, D.C. at:
Embassy of Greece
2217 Massachusetts Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20008
Telephone: (202) 939-1300
Fax: (202) 939-1324
E-mail: gremb.was@mfa.gr
Website: http://www.mfa.gr/usa/en/the-embassy
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