Welcome
Cross-border Child Abduction
The prime legal instrument in cases of international child abduction is the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction of October 15, 1980 (Federal Law Gazette, 1990, Part II, pp. 206 ff.), provided the child's new country of residence is, like Germany and Canada, party to the Convention. Every country party to the Convention has instituted central authorities responsible for taking all appropriate measures to ensure the immediate return of children illegally taken to, or detained in, such country.
The relevant Central Authority in Germany is:
| Mailing Address |
Adenauerallee 99 - 10, 53113 Bonn, Germany |
| Phone |
National: 0228 99 410 - 40 oder 0228 99 410 - 5212 International: 011 49 228 99 410 - 5212 |
| Fax |
National: 0228 99 410 - 5050 oder 0228 99 410 - 5401 International: 011 49 228 99 410 - 5401 |
| E-Mail |
int.sorgerecht@bfj.bund.de |
| Internet |
http://www.bundesjustizamt.de |
In Canada:
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CANADA Federal Authority for the Hague Convention on the civil aspects of international child abduction |
ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE National Missing Children Services890 Taylor Creek Orléans ON K1A 0R2 General Enquiries: Tel.:1-877-318-3576 |
Further information on how to proceed, in particular with regard to the applicability of the Convention in individual cases and whether there may be a right to legal aid in Germany or in Canada, should be obtained from the Central Authorities.
The persons concerned can seek further advice of the following independent organizations:
In Germany:
Verband bi-nationaler Familien und Partnerschaften Bundesgeschäftsstelle Ludolfusstr. 2 - 4 60487 Frankfurt/Main Tel.: 011 49 69 / 7137560 o. 7075088 Fax: 011 49 69 / 7075092 E-mail: verband-binationaler@t-online.de Internet: http://www.verband-binationaler.de |
Internationaler Sozialdienst e.V. (ISD) Am Stockborn 5 - 7 60439 Frankfurt/Main, Germany Tel.: 011 49 69 / 9580702 |
Deutsches Rotes Kreuz Beratungsstelle bei Kindesmitnahme/Kindesentzug Luisenstr. 45 10179 Berlin (Mitte), Germany Tel.: 011 49 30 / 2826731 o. 63 Fax: 011 49 30 / 2386704 |
The website of the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada provides an extensive manual on child abduction for parents, including a national and provincial directory of assistance:
