U.S. Embassy San Salvador

Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur,
Urbanizacion Santa Elena,
Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad
San Salvador, El Salvador
Telephone: +(503) 2501-2999
Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(503) 2501-2999
Fax: +(503) 2278-5522
Email: ACSSanSal@state.gov

El Salvador 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, 2007.

For information concerning travel to El Salvador, 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 El Salvador. 

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 El Salvador.  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
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 El Salvadoran Central Authority for the Hague Abduction Convention is the Procuradur's General de la Republica (PGR).  PGR is responsible for carrying out El Salvador's obligations under the Convention and processing Hague Abduction Convention applications.

They can be reached at:

Procuradur's a General de la Republica
Novena Calle Poniente, Torre PGR Centro de Gobierno,  San Salvador
Telephone (switchboard):  +(503) 2231-9346
Website

To initiate a Hague case for return of, or access to, a child in El Salvador, the left-behind parent must submit a Hague application to the El Salvadoran Central Authority (ECA), either directly to the ECA, or through the U.S. Central Authority (USCA).  The USCA is available to answer questions about the Hague application process, to forward a completed application to the PGR, 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 El Salvador central authorities.  After the case is filed and accepted with the ECA, the ECA assigns an attorney to represent the Hague Convention application during the Hague judicial process in El Salvador, at no cost.  It is important to note that the attorney does not represent either parent's interests; rather, the attorney represents the Hague Convention application.  However, the parent(s) may be responsible for additional costs, including but not limited to 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, El Salvador.  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 El Salvador.  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 Hague Convention applications to a court in El Salvador. The ECA assigns an attorney to represent the Hague Abduction Convention application; the attorney also provides information to the court. While not required, a parent may choose to hire a private attorney to represent his/her interests in the case. If a parent retains a private attorney, the attorney should contact the ECA as soon as possible after the filing of the Hague Abduction Convention application. 

The U.S. Embassy in San Salvador, El Salvador posts list 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 ECA offers mediation at no cost to either party in Hague abduction cases before they enter the judicial stage.  At the beginning of the judicial stage, the family judge may also seek to mediate a pre-trial solution. Additionally, interested parties may contact the Attorney General's office or municipal authorities in El Salvador to seek their assistance in mediating a pre-trial solution. These various types of pre-trial mediation have resulted in resolutions to cases, including several returns of children to the United States since 2009.