contact us or a lawyer to get help to make an application for the return of the child.
You should take action as soon as possible. Any delay may later be seen as a lack of concern about the child being overseas without your agreement.
The options that are available to you will depend on which country your child has been taken to or is being kept in.
Hague Convention countries
The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of Child Abduction is an international agreement between a number of countries. It aims to make sure that children who are taken or kept overseas are returned as quickly as possible to the country in which they usually live. The Hague Convention assumes that the courts in the country where the child usually lives are best able to make decisions about the child.
Apply to get your child back under the Hague Convention
If your child has been taken to a Hague Convention country, you need to contact the Ministry of Justice or a lawyer. They will check if the Hague Convention applies. The lawyer will help you fill in the forms.
Postal address: Central Authority, Hague Convention Ministry of Justice SX10088 Wellington New Zealand
In most cases, you’ll also need to hire a lawyer in the overseas country to help you get your child back. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade may be able to give you a list of lawyers in the overseas country. Contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade(external link)