Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (Hague Abduction Convention)

Last Updated: January 2023

The Hague Abduction Convention entered into effect between the U.S. and El Salvador on June 1, 2007.  The treaty is designed to resolve cases of international child abduction, specifically parental kidnapping.

For the United States, abduction issues are the responsibility of the Office of Children’s Issues, in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs. Click here for information about this office.

For El Salvador, the central authority is the Solicitor’s General Office (Procuraduría General de la República, PGR). Click here for information about this office.

Left-behind parents should immediately contact one of these offices if a child has been abducted to, or from, either country.  Parents should also contact one of these offices if they suspect that a child is at risk of being abducted.  Representatives can provide advice on protecting against improper removal of children from the country.