Curated List of Resources
& HELPFUL WEBSITES

The FAM and associated Handbooks (FAHs) are a resource for the State Department's structures, policies, and procedures that govern the operations of the Department and Foreign Service.

The Office of the Legal Adviser publishes the annual Digest of United States Practice in International Law to provide the public with a historical record of the views and practice of the Government of the United States in public and private international law.

Drawing from the Law Library’s extensive collections on foreign, comparative and international legal materials, the digital collections represent historical documents, official publications, legal gazettes, and research reports authored by Law Library foreign legal specialists.

Includes collection of the core international treaties, agreements, policies, and other legal reference information relating to UNHCR's mandate, and case law from international, regional and national courts

GovInfo provides free public access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government.

This helpful guide from the Global Community Liaison Office (GCLO) of the State Department provides the information and resources for foreign service officers.

Uniform Law Commission - Uniform Child-Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (current and adopted by the ULC in 1997)

Uniform Law Commission - Child Abduction Prevention Act

HCCH's Child Abduction Section

HCCH's international case database for child abduction opinions

Federal Judicial Center's Hague Abduction resources

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's Family Abduction Resources

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's Publications

U.S. Department of State Child Abduction Site

U.S. Department of State annual compliance report for Child Abduction cases

U.S. Department of State instructions on filing a Hague Abduction application with a Central Authority

ICARA is the U.S. federal implementing legislation for the 1980 Hague Abduction Convention.

ICAPRA is the law that requires the U.S. Department of State to provide yearly compliance reports and offers potential solutions for countries that are persistently failing to return children who are abducted overseas.

Learn more about international wanted person notices.

Learn more about Interpol's work on addressing crimes against children.

This website provides information on CBP's Prevent Abduction Program and ways to prevent an international parental child abduction.

18 USC 1204 is known as the International Parental Kidnapping Crime Act (IPKCA), a federal statute that criminalizes removing, or attempting to remove, a child from the United States, or retaining a child outside of the U.S., with the intent to obstruct the lawful exercise of parental rights.

The FAM and associated Handbooks (FAHs) are a resource for the State Department's structures, policies, and procedures that govern the operations of the Department and Foreign Service.

The Office of the Legal Adviser publishes the annual Digest of United States Practice in International Law to provide the public with a historical record of the views and practice of the Government of the United States in public and private international law.

The Office of Legal Adviser works on a variety of issues in private international law, including family law and judicial assistance. Its work is found on this website.

Use this link to request your U.S. passport records, or the U.S. passport records of a child for whom you are a legal guardian

Federal Register, Vol. 51, No. 58 (March 26, 1986) - Department of State's Text and Legal Analysis of the Hague Abduction Treaty for transmittal of the treaty to the Senate

The U.S. Department of Justice's research on family abduction profiles.

Family Law Quarterly, Volume 41, Number 1, Spring 2007

Online resources for Judges for International Parental Child Abduction cases.

Online resources, including Hague Abduction Convention applications, instructions, and other forms, caselaw, litigation guides, etc. for attorneys.

Uniform Law Commission - Uniform Child-Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (current and adopted by ULC in 1997)

Uniform Law Commission - Uniform Child-Custody Jurisdiction & Enforcement Act (not enacted in any state, but passed by ULC in 2013)

HCCH's 1996 Hague Child Protection Convention

HCCH's Project on the Recognition & Enforcement of Family Agreements

International Social Service's Mediation Resources

International Social Service - US Branch's services for children

The FAM and associated Handbooks (FAHs) are a resource for the State Department's structures, policies, and procedures that govern the operations of the Department and Foreign Service.

HCCH's Evidence Section

HCCH's Apostille Section

U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications

HCCH's Service Abroad Section

ABC Legal International Service of Process Page

U.S. Department of Justice Office of International Judicial Assistance

U.S. Department of Justice Office of Foreign Litigation

U.S. Department of State's Judicial Assistance Resource Page

This website gives information on obtaining authentications and notarizations from U.S. consular officers overseas.

Instructions on how to make a FOIA request of a U.S. federal government agency.

The Office of the Legal Adviser publishes the annual Digest of United States Practice in International Law to provide the public with a historical record of the views and practice of the Government of the United States in public and private international law.

The Office of Legal Adviser works on a variety of issues in private international law, including family law and judicial assistance. Its work is found on this website.

The U.S. Department of State's website about the Inter-American Convention on Letters Rogatory

Links to international service resources and OIJA's Guide on Service Abroad (updated periodically)

includes collection of the core international treaties, agreements, policies, and other legal reference information relating to UNHCR's mandate, and case law from international, regional and national courts

This guide provides an overview of the statutory schemes and procedural matters that distinguish mutual legal assistance treaties and letters rogatory. It also discusses legal issues that arise when the prosecution, the defense, or a civil litigant seek to obtain evidence from abroad as part of a criminal or civil proceeding.

INTERPOL's National Central Bureau in the United States.

Submit a request for access to, to correct, or to delete data in INTERPOL's information system.

The Office of International Judicial Assistance at the U.S. Department of Justice (the U.S. Central Authority under the Service Convention) has published a letter regarding Competent Authorities.

The FAM and associated Handbooks (FAHs) are a resource for the State Department's structures, policies, and procedures that govern the operations of the Department and Foreign Service.

The Office of the Legal Adviser publishes the annual Digest of United States Practice in International Law to provide the public with a historical record of the views and practice of the Government of the United States in public and private international law.

The Office of Legal Adviser works on a variety of issues in private international law, including family law and judicial assistance. Its work is found on this website.

Drawing from the Law Library’s extensive collections on foreign, comparative and international legal materials, the digital collections represent historical documents, official publications, legal gazettes, and research reports authored by Law Library foreign legal specialists.

List of treaties and other international agreements of the United States on record in the Department of State.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands is the depositary for around 100 international treaties, including all Hague Conventions.

Online resources for the Peace Palace Library in The Hague, Netherlands.

Video archives, lectures, and scholarly presentation on various topics of international law.

This guide lists essential print and online sources for researching foreign law.

Includes collection of the core international treaties, agreements, policies, and other legal reference information relating to UNHCR's mandate, and case law from international, regional and national courts

GovInfo provides free public access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government.

This helpful guide from the Global Community Liaison Office (GCLO) of the State Department provides the information and resources for foreign service officers.

Free, independent and non-profit access to worldwide laws. WorldLII is coordinated by AustLII, a joint facility of the UTS and UNSW Faculties of Law.

Uniform Law Commission - Interstate Family Support Act (adopted by ULC in 2008)

HCCH's Child Support Section

Department of Health & Human Services reference page for International Child Support

The Office of the Legal Adviser publishes the annual Digest of United States Practice in International Law to provide the public with a historical record of the views and practice of the Government of the United States in public and private international law.

The Hague Convention forms were developed to comply with the Convention and reduce the complexity of international case processing for all Convention countries.

International treaty recognizing privileges and immunities of certain diplomats

International treaty establishing some privileges and immunities for certain consular posts

Federal Act related to policies towards agents of foreign governments (22 USC 254)

Federal law related to privileges and immunities of employees of international organizations (22 USC 288)

Access to all SOFAs between the U.S. and foreign countries

Status of Forces Agreement between NATO countries

Information about Adding Family Members to your Orders

The FAM and associated Handbooks (FAHs) are a resource for the State Department's structures, policies, and procedures that govern the operations of the Department and Foreign Service.

The Office of the Legal Adviser publishes the annual Digest of United States Practice in International Law to provide the public with a historical record of the views and practice of the Government of the United States in public and private international law.

U.S. Department of State Information on Obtaining a Passport for a Child

U.S. Department of State Passport Issuance Alert Program (PIAP)

U.S. Department of State's Overseas Vital Records Request

Helpful information in bullet-format for lawyers and judges on issuing, holding, renewing, etc. U.S. passports, particularly for minor children.

This site provides information on dual nationality with the United States and a foreign country.

22 CFR 51.28 (Minors) dictates under what circumstances an application for a U.S. passport can be made on behalf of a minor.

A CRBA can be issued as an official record of the child’s claim to U.S. citizenship or nationality when born overseas.

The FAM and associated Handbooks (FAHs) are a resource for the State Department's structures, policies, and procedures that govern the operations of the Department and Foreign Service.

Information on acquiring dual nationality and potential challenges, including entry and exit travel/passport requirements.

Use this link to request your U.S. passport records, or the U.S. passport records of a child for whom you are a legal guardian

Legal authority for requesting U.S. passport records for yourself or your minor child. (This is separate from a FOIA request for a third party's/non-child's records).

The United States has tax treaties with a number of foreign countries.

The U.S. Department of State maintains a site of attorneys in different jurisdictions.

“IAFL is a worldwide association of practising lawyers who are recognised by their peers as the most experienced and skilled family law specialists in their respective countries.”

This helpful guide from the Global Community Liaison Office (GCLO) of the State Department provides the information and resources for foreign service officers.

This helpful guide from the Global Community Liaison Office (GCLO) of the State Department provides the information and resources for foreign service officers.

Website outlining U.S. Foreign Service Officer Benefits.

If you are a diplomat or a government official who is physically present in the USA on assignment, this State Department website provides information on visa requests.

This State Department Website provides information on Special Issuance Passports, including diplomatic and official passports.

This portion of the FAM includes the definitions of terms relevant to FSOs, including Eligible Family Members, Member of Household, Locally Employed Staff, etc.

This website is a State Department resource from its GCLO on separation and divorce for FSOs

The American Foreign Service Association published this guide on child custody issues and FSOs.

The AFSA published this handbook for lawyers on court orders and spousal agreements pertaining to FSO’s retirement and survivor benefits, health benefits, and life insurance.

Convention that determines the privileges and immunities available to the United Nations.

Sets out the broad principles of human resources policy for the staffing and administration of the UN Secretariat and the separately administered funds and programs.

Staff members in the Professional and higher categories are recruited internationally and are paid on the basis of salary scales applied worldwide, and established by the General Assembly of the United Nations on the recommendation of ICSC.

Secretary-General’s bulletin on Family and child support obligations of staff members (ST/SGB/1999/4).

Administrative Instruction on Private Legal Obligations (ST/AI/2000/12).

Established in 1948, by a resolution of the General Assembly, to provide retirement, death, disability and related benefits for staff upon cessation of their services with the United Nations, and the other organizations admitted to membership in the Fund.

Useful website links and resources for Staff Pension Fund.

UN Joint Staff Pension Fund Regulations and Rules.

Information for those going through a divorce and the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund.

Survivor Benefits and the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund.

Contact Details for the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund.

The UK archives provides caselaw from the United Kingdom and is searchable by court, date, or person.

BAILII provides British and Irish case law & legislation, European Union case law, Law Commission reports, and other law-related British and Irish material.

Open online access to judicial decisions and legislative documents in Canada.

A resource provided by the Hague Conference on Private International Law allows the public to search caselaw in various jurisdictions related to international parental child abduction, specifically under the Hague Abduction Convention.

This guide lists essential print and online sources for researching foreign law.

This website is a project of the Japanese Ministry of Justice and provides English translation of Japanese laws.