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International Parental Child Abduction > Country Information > India International Parental Child Abduction Information
Updated to reflect information on the northeastern states.
Exercise increased caution in India due to crime and terrorism. Some areas have increased risk.
Do not travel to:
Reconsider travel to:
Country Summary: Indian authorities report that rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India. Violent crime, such as sexual assault, has happened at tourist sites and other locations.
Terrorists may attack with little or no warning. They target tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and government facilities.
The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in rural areas. These areas stretch from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal. U.S. government employees must get special authorization to travel to these areas.
Read the country information page for additional information on travel to India.
Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel.
If you decide to travel to India:
Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir – Level 4: Do Not Travel
Terrorist attacks and violent civil unrest are possible in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Do not travel to this state (with the exception of visits to the eastern Ladakh region and its capital, Leh). Violence happens sporadically in this area and is common along the Line of Control (LOC) between India and Pakistan. It also occurs in tourist spots in the Kashmir Valley: Srinagar, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam. The Indian government does not allow foreign tourists to visit certain areas along the LOC.
Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.
India-Pakistan Border – Level 4: Do Not Travel
India and Pakistan have a strong military presence on both sides of the border. The only official border crossing for non-citizens of India or Pakistan is in Punjab. It is between Attari, India, and Wagah, Pakistan. The border crossing is usually open, but check its current status before you travel. To enter Pakistan, you need a Pakistani visa. Only U.S. citizens residing in India may apply for a Pakistani visa in India. Otherwise, apply for a Pakistani visa in your home country before traveling to India
Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.
Portions of Central and East India – Level 4: Do Not Travel
Maoist extremist groups, or “Naxalites,” are active in a large area of India that spans from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal. Attacks against officers of the Indian government continue to occur sporadically in the rural parts of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand that border with Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha. Southwest areas of Odisha are also affected. The Naxalites have carried out many terrorist attacks, targeting local police, paramilitary forces, and government officials.
Due to the fluid nature of the threat, U.S. government employees are required to obtain permission prior to traveling to most areas in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Meghalaya, and Odisha. Permission is not required if employees are traveling only to the capital cities of these states.
U.S. government employees also need approval to travel to the eastern region of Maharashtra and the eastern region of Madhya Pradesh
Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.
Manipur - Level 4: Do Not Travel
Do not travel to Manipur due to the threat of violence and crime. Ongoing ethnic-based civil conflict has resulted in reports of extensive violence and community displacement. Attacks against Indian government targets occur on a regular basis. U.S. government employees traveling in India require prior approval before visiting Manipur.
Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.
Northeastern States – Level 3: Reconsider Travel
Ethnic insurgent groups occasionally commit acts of violence in parts of the northeast. These incidents include bombings of buses, trains, rail lines, and markets. There have been no recent reports of violence in Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim, or Tripura.
U.S. government employees traveling in India require prior approval before visiting the states of Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh, as well as when visiting any areas outside of the capital cities of Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Tripura.
Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.
Shantipath, Chanakyapuri
New Delhi - 110021
India
Telephone: +(91) (11) 2419-8000
Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(91) (11) 2419-8000
Fax: +(91) (11) 2419-0017
acsnd@state.gov
The U.S. Embassy, New Delhi serves U.S. citizens in the Indian states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh, the union territories of Chandigarh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, and the country of Bhutan.
Consulates
U.S. Consulate General Mumbai
C-49, G-Block, Bandra Kurla Complex
Bandra East, Mumbai 400051
India
Telephone: +(91) (22) 2672-4000
Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(91) (22) 2672-4000
If you are calling from within India, but outside Mumbai, first dial 022.
Fax: 91-(0)22-2672-4786
mumbaiacs@state.gov
The Consulate General in Mumbai provides consular services for the states of Goa, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra, and the union territory of Diu and Daman, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
U.S. Consulate General Kolkata
5/1 Ho Chi Minh Sarani
Kolkata - 700 071,
West Bengal, India
Telephone: +(91) (33) 3984-2400
Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(91) (33) 3984-2400 then dial "0"
Fax: +(91) (33) 2282-2335
kolkataACS@state.gov
The United States Consulate General in Kolkata provides consular services for the states of Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Tripura, and Assam. .
U.S. Consulate General Chennai
220 Anna Salai at Gemini Circle
Chennai, India 600006
Telephone: +(91) (44) 2857-4000
Emergency After-Hours Telephone: (0) 44-2857-4000. Ask for
American Citizen Services. (Within India, but outside Chennai, first
dial 044. From the United States, first dial 011-(91) (44))
Fax: +(91) (044) 2811-2020
chennaics@state.gov
The Consulate General in Chennai provides consular services for the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and the Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Pondicherry, and the Lakshwadeep Islands.
U.S. Consulate General Hyderabad
Survey No. 115/1, Financial District, Nanakramguda
Hyderabad, Telangana, 500032
Telephone:+(91) (40) 6932 8000
Emergency After-Hours Telephone: 4033-8300 and ask for American Citizen Services. (If calling from within India, but outside Hyderabad, first dial 040. From the United States, first dial 011-(91) (40))
Fax: 4033-8306
hydacs@state.gov
The Consulate General in Hyderabad provides services to U.S. citizens in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha.
For information concerning travel to India, 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 India.
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.
India is not a signatory to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (Hague Abduction Convention), nor are there any bilateral agreements in force between India and the United States concerning international parental child abduction.
Legal systems and laws pertaining to custody, divorce, and parental abduction vary widely from country to country. The government of India maintains information about custody, visitation, and family law on the India Code Legislation website. Parents are encouraged to consult with a local attorney who specializes in family law in India and who can provide accurate legal guidance that is specific to their circumstances.
The Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, Directorate for Overseas Citizens Services, Office of Children’s Issues provides assistance in cases of international parental child abduction. For U.S. citizen parents whose children have been wrongfully removed to or retained in countries that are not U.S. partners under the Hague Abduction Convention, the Office of Children’s Issues can provide information and resources about country-specific options for pursuing the return of or access to an abducted child. The Office of Children’s Issues may also coordinate with appropriate foreign and U.S. government authorities about the welfare of abducted U.S. citizen children. Parents are strongly encouraged to contact the Department of State for assistance.
Contact information:
United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Office of Children’s Issues
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
Fax: 1-202-485-6221
Email: IndiaIPCA@state.gov
Website
Parental child abduction is not a crime in India. Parents may wish to consult with an attorney in the United States and in the country to which the child has been removed or retained to learn more about how filing criminal charges may impact a custody case in the foreign court. Please see Pressing Criminal Charges for more information.
Legal systems and laws pertaining to custody, divorce, and parental abduction vary widely from country to country. Parents are encouraged to consult with an attorney who specializes in family law in India and who can provide accurate legal guidance that is specific to their circumstances.
The Office of Children’s Issues may be able to assist parents seeking access to children who have been wrongfully removed from or retained outside the United States. Parents who are seeking access to children who were not wrongfully removed from or retained outside the United States should contact the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate in India for information and possible assistance.
Neither the Office of Children’s Issues nor consular officials at the U.S. Embassy or Consulates in India are authorized to provide legal advice.
The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India posts a 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 Government of India provides mediation services directly to parents involved in international parental child abduction cases. Mediation is voluntary and both parents must agree to participate. Contact the Office of Children’s Issues at IndiaIPCA@state.gov for additional information about this mediation program.
Additionally, in different states in India, mediation may be available as an alternative to litigation for couples interested in attempting to reach a voluntary agreement. Please consult an attorney in India if you are interested in pursuing this option.
While travelling in a foreign country, you are subject to the laws of that country. It is important for parents to understand that, although a left-behind parent in the United States may have custody or visitation rights pursuant to a U.S. custody order, that order may not be valid and enforceable in the country in which the child is located. For this reason, we strongly encourage you to speak to a local attorney if planning to remove a child from a foreign country without the consent of the other parent. Attempts to remove your child to the United States may:
The U.S. government cannot interfere with another country’s court or law enforcement system.
To understand the legal effect of a U.S. order in a foreign country, a parent should consult with a local attorney in the country in which the child is located.
For information about hiring an attorney abroad, see our section on Retaining a Foreign Attorney.
Although we cannot recommend an attorney to you, most U.S. Embassies have lists of attorneys available online. Please visit the local U.S. Embassy or Consulate website for a full listing.
For more information on consular assistance for U.S. citizens arrested abroad, please see our website.
Country officers are available to speak with you Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. For assistance with an abduction in progress or any emergency situation that occurs after normal business hours, on weekends, or federal holidays, please call toll free at 1-888-407-4747. See all contact information.
DISCLAIMER: The information in this flyer is provided for general information only, is not intended to be legal advice, and may change without notice. Questions involving interpretation of law should be addressed to an attorney licensed in the relevant jurisdiction.
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