U.S. Consulate General Marseille

Place Varian Fry
13006 Marseille
France

Telephone: +(33)(491) 54-92-00 or +(33)(491) 54-90-84

Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(33)(1) 43-12-22-22) / 01-43-12-22-22 (within Monaco) then dial 0 (zero) to be connected to a live attendant immediately. Ask to speak with the Embassy Duty Officer.

Fax: +(33)(491) 55-56-95

Monaco and the United States have been treaty partners under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (Hague Abduction Convention) since June 1, 1993.

For information concerning travel to Monaco, including information about the location of the U.S. Embassy, the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, entry/exit requirements for U.S. citizens, safety and security, crime, medical facilities and health information, traffic safety, road conditions and aviation safety, please see country-specific information for Monaco. 

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. 

Monaco and the United States have been treaty partners under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (Hague Abduction Convention) since June 1, 1993.

For information concerning travel to Monaco, including information about the location of the U.S. Embassy, the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, entry/exit requirements for U.S. citizens, safety and security, crime, medical facilities and health information, traffic safety, road conditions and aviation safety, please see country-specific information for Monaco.

Hague Abduction Convention

The U.S. Department of State serves as the U.S. Central Authority (USCA) for the Hague Abduction Convention.  In this capacity, the Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs, Directorate for Overseas Citizens Services, Office of Children's Issues, facilitates the submission of applications under the Hague Abduction Convention for the return of, or access to, children located in countries that are U.S. treaty partners, including Monaco.  Parents are strongly encouraged to contact the Department of State for assistance prior to initiating the Hague process directly with the foreign Central Authority.

Contact information:

U.S. Department of State
CA/OCS/CI
SA-17, 9th Floor
2201 C Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20522-1709
Telephone:  1-888-407-4747
Outside the United States or Canada: 1-202-501-4444
Website:  travel.state.gov
Email: AskCI@state.gov

The Monegasque Central Authority (MCA) for the Hague Abduction Convention is the Direction des Services Judiciaires.  The Direction des Services Judiciaires forwards completed Hague applications to the public prosecutor assigned to the civil court of general jurisdiction where the defendant resides.  The MCA can be reached at:

Direction des Services Judiciaires
Palais de Justice
5 rue Colonel Bellando de Castro
MC 98000 Monaco
Telephone: +377 9898 8163
Fax: +377 9898 8589
E-mail : bnardi@justice.mc/ asampo@justice.mc

To initiate a Hague case for return of, or access to, a child in Monaco, a parent or legal guardian is encouraged to review the eligibility criteria and instructions for completing the Hague application form located at the Department of State website and contact the Department of State for assistance prior to initiating the Hague process directly with the foreign Central Authority.  It is extremely important that each document written in English be translated into French.  Please note, however, that certified translations are not necessary.  Any competent person or organization may translate the documents.  The USCA is available to answer questions about the Hague application process, to forward a completed application to the MCA, and to subsequently monitor its progress through the foreign administrative and legal processes.

There are no fees for filing Hague applications with either the U.S. or the Monegasque central authorities.  Attorney fees, if necessary, are the responsibility of the applicant parent.  Additional costs may include airplane tickets for court appearances and for the return of the child, if so ordered. 

A parent or legal guardian may file an application under the Hague Abduction Convention for return to the United States of a child abducted to, or wrongfully retained in, Monaco.  The U.S. Department of State can assist parents living in the United States to understand whether the Convention is an available civil remedy and can provide information on the process for submitting a Hague application.

A parent or legal guardian may file an application under the Hague Abduction Convention for access to a child living in Monaco.  The criteria for acceptance of a Hague access application vary from country to country.  The U.S. Department of State can assist parents living in the United States to understand country-specific criteria and provide information on the process for submitting a Hague application.

In a Hague Abduction Convention case, the MCA will assign a public prosecutor to present the case to the court, and it is not mandatory for a petitioner to retain a private attorney. The public prosecutor, however, does not represent the left-behind parent who submitted the Hague Abduction Convention application. Instead, the prosecutor represents Monaco and submits the request for return on behalf of the MCA.  The parent or legal guardian who has submitted the application may hire a private attorney in Monaco to join the prosecutor in presenting the Hague Abduction Convention case. A privately hired attorney should contact the MCA as soon as possible after the Hague Abduction Convention application has been filed with the MCA.

The U.S. Embassy in Paris, France, 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 following persons or firms. Professional credentials and areas of expertise are provided directly by the lawyers.

The Office of Children's Issues is not aware of any government or private organizations in Monaco that offer mediation services in abduction cases.