U.S. EMBASSY BERLIN  
Clayallee 170 
14191 Berlin 
Federal Republic of Germany 
Telephone: +(49) (30) 8305-0
Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(49) (30) 8305-0
Fax: +(49) (30) 8305-1050
Email: ACSBerlin@state.gov

U.S. CONSULATE GENERAL FRANKFURT
Giessener Str. 30
60435 Frankfurt am Main
Federal Republic of Germany
Telephone: +(49) (69) 7535-0
Fax: +(49) (69) 7535-2252
Passport, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, and Citizenship: FrankfurtPassports@state.gov 
All other questions: GermanyACS@state.gov

U.S. CONSULATE GENERAL MUNICH
Koeniginstrasse 5
80539 Munich
Federal Republic of Germany
Telephone: +(49) (89) 2888-0
Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(49) 89-2888-0
Fax: If you need to send a fax, please email first to obtain a one-time use fax number. 
Email: ACSMunich@state.gov

U.S. CONSULATE GENERAL DUSSELDORF 
Willi-Becker-Allee 10 
40227 Duesseldorf 
Federal Republic of Germany 
Telephone: +(49) (69) 7535-0
Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(49) (30) 8305-0 
Fax: +(49) (69) 7535-2252
Consular services are provided through the U.S. Consulate in Frankfurt. 

U.S. Consulate General Hamburg 
Kehrwieder 8
20457 Hamburg 
Federal Republic of Germany 
Telephone: +(49) (30) 8305-0 
Emergency After-Hours Telephone: Contact the U.S. Embassy in Berlin: +(49) (30) 8305-0 
Fax: +(49) (30) 8305-1050
Consular services are provided through the U.S. Embassy in Berlin.  

U.S. Consulate General Leipzig 
Wilhelm-Seyfferth-Str. 4 
04107 Leipzig 
Federal Republic of Germany 
Telephone: +(49) (30) 8305-0 
Emergency After-Hours Telephone: Contact the U.S. Embassy in Berlin: +(49) (30) 8305-0 
Fax: +(49) (30) 8305-1050
Consular services are provided through the U.S. Embassy in Berlin.

Germany 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, 1990.

For information concerning travel to Germany, 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 Germany.

The U.S. Department of State reports statistics and compliance information for individual countries in the Annual Report on International Child Abduction. The report is located here. 

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 Germany.  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:

U.S. Department of State 
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Office of Children's Issues
CA/OCS/CI 
SA-17, 9th Floor 
Washington, DC 20522-1709
Telephone:  1-888-407-4747
Outside the United States or Canada: 1-202-501-4444
Website:  travel.state.gov

The German Central Authority (GCA) for the Hague Abduction Convention is the Bundesamt für Justiz, located in the Ministry of Justice.  The GCA has an administrative role in processing Hague applications.  The Ministry of Justice forwards completed Hague petitions to the appropriate German family court.  Among the more than 600 German family courts, only 22 have jurisdiction in proceedings concerning return, access, and recognition and enforcement under the Hague Child Abduction Convention. You can find the list of competent German courts here.  Parents or legal guardians and other parties (e.g., the child) have the right to their own counsel. 

The German Central Authority can be reached at:

German Central Authority
Zentrale Behörde, Adenauerallee 99-103
53113 Bonn. 
Tel: +49-228-99-410-5212
Fax:+49-228-99-410-5401
E-mail: int.sorgerecht@bfj.bund.de
Website: German Central Authority

To initiate a Hague case for return of, or access to, a child in Germany, 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 German in order to be accepted by a German court.  Official documents (court orders, etc.) must be translated by a sworn translator (vereidigter Übersetzer).  Letters, statements, and other documentation may be translated unofficially. 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 U.S. or the German central authorities.  Attorney fees 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, Germany.  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 Germany.  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.

The GCA can appoint an English-speaking attorney with Hague experience to represent left-behind parents in Hague cases. The fee for these legal services is 2000 Euros and must be paid at the time the applicant submits the Hague application. A parent who is unable to pay the fee may apply for German legal aid. Under certain circumstances, legal aid may also be available in cases of international child abduction from some non-governmental organizations, including Weisser Ring.  For more information, contact: info@weisser-ring.de.

Parents may also choose to retain private legal counsel in Germany to handle their Hague case.  A parent who hires private counsel should notify both the German and the U.S. central authorities.   

The U.S. Embassy in Berlin, Germany, posts lists of attorneys, including those who specialize in family law.

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 German federal government is supportive of mediation programs to resolve international parental child abduction cases.  While courts cannot order cases into mediation, judges can and do encourage mediated resolutions and can stay hearings to permit parties the time to mediate.  In general, social workers, family lawyers, and judges not hearing the case can serve as mediators in their particular geographic region.  Fees are normally based on hourly rates, but a sliding scale or negotiated rate is sometimes available.

The German Central Authority and the judge hearing Hague cases work together to identify cases that are potentially suitable for mediated resolutions and make recommendations accordingly.  Participation in mediation is voluntary.

Mediation organizations in Germany: Bundes-Arbeitgemeinschaft fur Familien-Mediation (BAMF), or the Federal Consortium for Family Mediation, is a privately-funded mediation organization that has a network of multi-lingual mediators.  MiKK (Mediation in international Conflicts involving Parents and Children) is a non-governmental mediation organization that has family mediators fluent in 17 languages.