24 Hours a day, contact us at 1-888-407-4747 or via e-mail at: PreventAbduction1@state.gov.

If you think your child is being abducted by a parent, legal guardian, or their helper, there are steps to try to stop the abduction. Immediate steps you can take include:

CONTACT THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN'S ISSUES, PREVENTION BRANCH AT 1-888-407-4747.

• OBTAIN A COURT ORDER: Court orders can prevent the removal of the minor.  You can hire an attorney to discuss your options. The order can give law enforcement officers more authority to prevent an abduction. Without an order to ban a child from leaving the United States, police may not be able to help you. Visit here for information on the International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act. You can also review our page titled Law and Regulations.

• CONTACT LAW ENFORCEMENT: Contact law enforcement immediately. Tell them about the risk of international parental child abduction. Inform them of any court orders. Request that the law enforcement officer enter your child as missing person in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). This can help the state police widen the search for your child. When working with any law enforcement official ask for the officer's full name. Also request their e-mail, direct phone number, a dispatch line with 24-hour coverage, and backup officer's name.

• CONTACT AIRPORT POLICE AND THE AIRLINES: If you know which airport to call, contact the airlines and airport law enforcement officials there. The United States has no exit controls. So, to prevent an abduction, the authorities must be informed. They need to know about court orders that prohibit travel. Ask to speak with an airline corporate security officer. Explain the situation and be ready to show you are the child's parent. Ask if there is a reservation under your child's name. This can begin efforts to stop a child abduction.