Title 22 — Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-73

§9112 Standards and assistance

Title 22 › Chapter CHAPTER 98— - INTERNATIONAL CHILD ABDUCTION PREVENTION AND RETURN › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - DEPARTMENT OF STATE ACTIONS › § 9112

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The U.S. Secretary of State must make sure American embassies and consulates abroad use the same reporting rules for abduction and access cases. Each mission must have at least 1 senior official (chosen by the Chief of Mission) to help left-behind U.S. parents and must watch how cases change. The Secretary must also write and carry out plans to engage any Convention or non-Convention country that has 5 or more international child abduction cases.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §9112

Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The Secretary of State shall—

(1)ensure that United States diplomatic and consular missions abroad—

(A)maintain a consistent reporting standard with respect to abduction and access cases;

(B)designate at least 1 senior official in each such mission, at the discretion of the Chief of Mission, to assist left-behind parents from the United States who are visiting such country or otherwise seeking to resolve abduction or access cases; and

(C)monitor developments in abduction and access cases; and

(2)develop and implement written strategic plans for engagement with any Convention or non-Convention country in which there are 5 or more cases of international child abduction.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 9112

Title 22 — Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73