U.S. Embassy Montevideo

Lauro Muller 1776
Montevideo 11200,
Uruguay
Telephone: +(598) 1770-2000
Emergency After-Hours Telephone: 1770-2000 or +(598) 1770-2000 (from the U.S.) 
Fax: +(598) 1770-2040
MontevideoACS@state.gov

Uruguay and the United States have been treaty partners under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction Convention (Hague Abduction Convention) since September 1, 2004.

For information concerning travel to Uruguay, 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 Uruguay.

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.

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 Citizen 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 Uruguay.  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:

United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Office of Children's
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:  202-485-6221
Website

The Uruguayan Central Authority for the Hague Abduction Convention is the Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC).  MEC’s role is to carry out Uruguay’s obligations under the Convention and process Hague Abduction Convention applications that it receives.  They can be reached at:

Ministry of Education and Culture

Attn: Dra. Carolina Vergara, Dra. Adriana Fernandez
Reconquista 585, Piso 5
1100 Montevideo
Uruguay
Telephone: +598-2915-8836
Fax:   + 598-2915-9780
E-mail: menores@mec.gub.uy.
Website: UCA's Website

To initiate a Hague case for return of, or access to, a child in Uruguay, the left-behind parent must submit a Hague application to the Uruguayan Central Authority.  The USCA is available to answer questions about the Hague application process, to forward a completed application to the Uruguayan Central Authority, and to subsequently monitor its progress through the foreign administrative and legal processes. 

There are not fees for filing Hague applications with either the United States or Uruguayan 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 Uruguay.  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 person may file an application under the Hague Abduction Convention for access to a child living in Uruguay.  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.

Retaining a private attorney is not required in order to submit Hague Convention applications to a court in Uruguay. However, parents should consider hiring a private attorney to follow up on the case, to provide direct information to the court, and to generally advise as to the best course of action for their individual circumstances. A privately-hired attorney should contact the Uruguayan Central Authority as soon as possible after the Hague Abduction Convention application has been filed.  For parents who do not have the financial resources to hire a private attorney, Uruguay has public defenders who may be available to assist. Information on pro bono legal assistance through a public defender can be found on the website of the Public Defender’s Office in Family Matters. Parents may wish to contact the Legal Aid Clinic of the University of the Republic, which also provides pro bono legal assistance. Information on the University’s Legal Aid Clinic can be found here. 

The U.S. Embassy in Montevideo, Uruguay posts 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.

Mediation in Uruguay is only available through Uruguay’s Courts of Justice.  There are no non-governmental mediation services available.  The Courts of Justice may be contacted here or through e-mail.