U.S. Department of State

Overseas Citizens Services (OCS) works with a wide range of domestic and international organizations to assist American citizen families in the U.S. and abroad. We are fully committed to protecting the welfare and interests of children and their parents.

Within OCS, the Office of Children's Issues is responsible for coordinating policies and providing information about international adoption and international parental child abduction.

International Adoption

The Office of Children’s Issues provides information and assistance about the adoption process in over 60 countries, including:

• Information about visa requirements and other U.S. requirements for international adoption
• Information about The Hague Intercountry Adoption Convention, and coordination with other countries about the treaty and related matters
• Help with individual inquiries about the status of adoption cases
• Ensuring that U.S. citizens are not discriminated against by foreign authorities or courts
• For more information, please click on: International Adoption

International Parental Child Abduction

We help parents whose children are victims of international parental child abduction and fulfill U.S. treaty obligations relating to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Services include:

• Information about international child abduction, enforcement of visitation rights and abduction prevention techniques
• Information about the Hague Convention, and coordination with other treaty partners to the benefits of parents and children
• Help parents protect children from the tragedy of international parental abduction through our Prevention Unit
• For more information, please click on: International Child Abduction

Other Family and Children’s Issues

The Office of American Citizen Services and Crisis Management provides protective services for American families living and traveling abroad, and assists with child custody, child support, child abuse, victims of crime, and other child protection services.

• For more information, please click on: Child Protection Services
• For the Fact Sheet on Behavior Modification Facilities, please click here .
• Click here for information about marriage and divorce abroad.