International Parental Kidnapping

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DOJ Justice Manual › Title 9: Criminal › 9-74.000 - Child Support And International Parental Kidnapping › Justice Manual § 9-74.200

This text was captured on Aug 14, 2026. It is a snapshot, not a live feed, so check the official code before relying on it.

Text

Title 18, United States Code, Section 1204, enacted in 1993, makes it an offense to remove a child who has been in the United States from the United States with the intent to obstruct the lawful exercise of parental rights. Such an offense is punishable by a fine under Title 18, imprisonment for not more than three years, or both.

Consultation with the Office of International Affairs is appropriate to determine the possibility for extradition in advance of charging.  Additionally, consultation with the Department of State’s Office of Children’s Issues is appropriate to determine the possible impact that initiating a prosecution may have on the return of the child pursuant to Hague Convention remedies.

[cited in

JM 9-69.421

] [updated January 2020]

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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