Your situation is much more common than you probably realize. According to the Department of Justice, an average of 200,000 children are kidnapped by a family member every year, and many of those children were taken out of the country.
Unfortunately, in some cases it can be very tough to get children back who have been taken out of the country, especially if they are taken to countries whose laws are not friendly to the United States. If your former spouse takes your children out of the area that your custody agreement covers, and he or she does not have permission to do so, you should call your local police right away, as well as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. You should also call the federal Office of Children’s Issues, as well as your attorney.
If your children are taken to a foreign country that is a member of the Hague Convention, the country should cooperate with the U.S.’s efforts to find your child and bring him or her home. If the country that your child was taken to is not a member of the Hague Convention, the situation can become much more difficult.
I’m sorry to hear that this has happened. It’s critical that you have an advocate who is on your side if you are dealing with parental abduction in violation of your custody agreement. You need an experienced child custody lawyer who is working towards your best interests during this difficult time and who can help coordinate and communicate with local, state, and federal officials.