Who Can Help Locate Your Child

Multiple organizations may be able to assist you in locating your child if you believe he or she is a victim of international parental abduction. Please have the following information available:

  • Child's full name (and any aliases or other names by which they may be known)
  • Child's date and place of birth
  • Full name of the taking parent (and any aliases)
  • Names, addresses, telephone numbers of friends, relatives, place of employment, and any legal representative or business connections of the taking parent
  • Child’s last known location 

The following organizations may be able to help locate your child:

State and Local Law Enforcement

Local law enforcement officials may be able to help you locate missing children. Please contact your local city, county, or state agency for further information regarding your options and their abilities in such cases.

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Field offices across the country serve as the primary points of contact for those requesting FBI assistance in locating missing children. Consider contacting law enforcement resources in your state.  

International Police

INTERPOL is a law enforcement organization that can help locate your child by publishing a Yellow Notice that will notify INTERPOL when your child crosses an international border that is connected to the INTERPOL system. Additionally, other INTERPOL notices can be issued for the taking parent based on state or federal warrants. Ask your local police or the FBI to contact INTERPOL for more information.

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)

NCMEC offers parents a wide array of resources and assistance depending on where you live and what your situation is. Please contact 1-800-843-5678 for more details. 

Office of Children’s Issues and Foreign Central Authorities

If you file a Hague Abduction Convention application with the Office of Children’s Issues, our office will forward the completed application to the Foreign Central Authority in the country where you believe your child to be located. Central Authorities work together to help locate abducted children, and generally start location efforts using information that you provide on your application. In certain circumstances, we may be able to assist in locating children outside of the United States. We may also be able to facilitate communication with the organizations discussed on this page.  

U.S. Embassies and Consulates

If the Convention is not an option for you, or if you decide not to file a Convention application, our office may be able to communicate with staff in a U.S. Embassy or Consulate in a foreign country. In turn, the U. S. Embassy or Consulate may be able to communicate with the local government officials who have the authority to locate abducted children. 

Last Updated: November 21, 2018