The end of a relationship between two parents in Kentucky comes with many questions, emotions and changes, which are made all the more complicated if one parent wants to move to another country. Understandably, the parent remaining in the United States may not wish for the other parent to move with the child abroad. In fact, there may be a child custody plan in place that orders each parent to stay in the United States, for the sake of the child who deserves to spend time with each parent.
However, that doesn't prevent some parents from taking drastic measures and moving abroad with the child, in defiance of a court-ordered child custody plan. When this happens, where can the parent who remains in the United States turn to for help?
One source of help that may be available in such situations is the U.S. State Department. The State Department can be a good repository of information regarding what parents can do to bring their child back into the country. For example, there may be attorneys in the country in which the child was abducted to that could help. The State Department can provide information to area law enforcement regarding what the State Department can do when a child is abducted to another country.
In addition, some countries are members of the Hague Abduction Convention, which provides avenues of relief for situations in which a child is abducted and taken to another country. The State Department can accept a parent's application for relief through the Hague convention, and keep track of its development via the Foreign Central Authority.
As this shows, the U.S. State Department can play a pivotal role in international abduction cases. Parents in these situations should learn about all their rights, so they can safely bring their child back home.