General Information
For information concerning travel to the United Arab Emirates, including information about the location of the U.S. Embassy and Consulate General, the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, entry/exit requirements, safety and security, crime, medical facilities and health information, traffic safety, road conditions and aviation safety, please see country-specific information for the United Arab Emirates.
The U.S. Department of State reports statistics and compliance information for individual countries in the Annual Report on International Parental Child Abduction (IPCA). The latest report is located here.
Hague Abduction Convention
The United Arab Emirates is not a signatory to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (Hague Abduction Convention), nor are there any bilateral agreements in force between the United Arab Emirates and the United States concerning international parental child abduction. United Arab Emirates courts can take in account U.S. court orders as part of their rulings for legal or full custody, but thre is no consistency in this practice and the court systems in the country can be very slow to rule.
Return
Legal systems and laws pertaining to custody, divorce, and parental abduction vary widely from country to country. Parents are encouraged to consult with an attorney who specializes in family law in the United Arab Emirates and who can provide accurate legal guidance that is specific to their circumstances.
The Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, Directorate for Overseas Citizens Services, Office of Children’s Issues provides assistance in cases of international parental child abduction. For U.S. citizen parents whose children have been wrongfully removed to or retained in countries that are not U.S. partners under the Hague Abduction Convention, the Office of Children’s Issues can provide information and resources about country-specific options for pursuing the return of or access to an abducted child. The Office of Children’s Issues may also coordinate with appropriate foreign and U.S. government authorities about the welfare of abducted U.S. citizen children. Parents are strongly encouraged to contact the Department of State for assistance.
Contact information:
United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Office of Children’s
CA/OCS/CI
SA-17, 9th Floor
Washington, DC 20522-1709
Telephone: 1-888-407-4747
Fax: 202-485-6221
Outside the United States or Canada: 1-202-501-4444
Website: travel.state.gov
Email: MiddleEastIPCA@state.gov
Unless it is in violation of an Emirati court order, parental child abduction is not a crime in the United Arab Emirates.
Parents may wish to consult with an attorney in the United States and in the country to which the child has been removed or retained to learn more about how filing criminal charges may impact a custody case in the foreign court. Please see Possible Solutions – Pressing Criminal Charges for more information.
Visitation/Access
Legal systems and laws pertaining to custody, divorce, and parental abduction vary widely from country to country. Parents are encouraged to consult with an attorney who specializes in family law in the United Arab Emirates and who can provide accurate legal guidance that is specific to their circumstances.
The Office of Children’s Issues may be able to assist parents seeking access to children who have been wrongfully removed from or retained outside the United States. Parents who are seeking access to children who were not wrongfully removed from or retained outside the United States should contact the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the United Arab Emirates for information and possible assistance.
Retaining an Attorney
Neither the Office of Children’s Issues nor consular officials at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the United Arab Emirates are authorized to provide legal advice.
The U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, posts a list of attorneys, including those who specialize in family law.
This list is provided as a courtesy service only and does not constitute an endorsement of any individual attorney. The Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability or reputation of, or the quality of services provided by, the following persons or firms. Professional credentials and areas of expertise are provided directly by the lawyers.
Mediation
The United Arab Emirates does not provide mediation services directly. Parents should consult with an Emirati attorney to learn of possible mediation services in the United Arab Emirates.