Sometimes child custody battles spill across international boundaries.  The Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is a treaty.  The US and several other countries have ratified it.

The purpose of the Hague Convention is to protect children from being abducted and kept across international boundaries.

The Convention sets out a procedure to bring about a prompt return of such children. The “Child Abduction Section” provides information about the operation of the Convention and the work of the Hague Conference in monitoring its implementation and promoting international co-operation in the area of child abduction.

It is important to note that the Convention ceases to apply when a child attains the age of 16 years.