International Parental Child Abduction Morocco
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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.
December 2012
Morocco 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 December 1, 2012.
For information concerning travel to Morocco, 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 Morocco at: http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_975.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 Morocco. 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 Moroccan Central Authority for the Hague Abduction Convention is the Ministry of Justice and Liberty. The Ministry of Justice and Liberty has an administrative role in processing Hague Abduction Convention applications. Upon submission of a Hague application, the Moroccan Central Authority will work with the Prosecutor’s Office to locate the child, attempt resolution through voluntary means if appropriate, and forward the case to the court of first instance. The Moroccan Central Authority can be reached at:
Ministère de la Justice et des Libertés
Division des Affaires Civiles
place de la Mamounia
10000 RABAT
Maroc
Tel.: +212 53 770 3348
Fax: +212 53 773 0551
To initiate a Hague case for return of, or access to, a child in Morocco, the USCA encourages parents or legal guardians to review the eligibility criteria and instructions located on the State Department website. The Moroccan Central Authority (MCA) will accept Hague applications and supporting documents in English and does not require translation into French or Arabic. The USCA is available to answer questions about the Hague application process, to forward a completed application to the Ministry of Justice and Liberty, and to subsequently monitor its progress through the foreign administrative and legal processes.
There are no fees for filing Hague applications with either the U.S. or Moroccan central authorities. 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, Morocco. 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 Morocco. 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.
Retaining a private attorney is not required in order to submit a Hague Abduction Convention application to a court in Morocco. A public prosecutor presents Hague return cases to the court. Parents or legal guardians may hire a private attorney at their own expense to follow up on the case and to provide direct information to the court, and to generally advise as to the best course of action for their individual circumstances. A privately hired attorney should contact the MCA as soon as possible after the Hague Abduction Convention application has been filed with the MCA.
The U.S. Mission in Morocco posts a list of attorneys including those who specialize in family law at: http://morocco.usembassy.gov/service/professional-services/list-of-lawyers.html.
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.
The MCA encourages mediation in abduction cases; however, there are no governmental offices in place that offer these services in custody disputes.
The U.S. Consulate in Casablanca, Morocco, can be contacted at:
U.S. Consulate General Casablanca
8, Bd Moulay Youssef
Casablanca
Telephone: (212) 661-79-70-00
Fax: (212) 522-20-80-97
Website: http://morocco.usembassy.gov/hours-casa.html
The Consulate General of Morocco is located in New York City at:
Consulate General of the Kingdom of Morocco
10 East 40th Street
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (212) 758-2625
Fax: (646) 395-8077
E-mail: info@moroccanconsulate.com
Website: http://www.moroccanconsulate.com/index.cfm
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