Travel.State.Gov > International Parental Child Abduction > Country Information > Andorra International Parental Child Abduction Information
Andorra - Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
Exercise normal precautions when traveling to Andorra.
Reissued with updates to health information.
Country Summary: Entry to Andorra can only be done via Spain and France.
Read the country information page for more information on travel to Andorra.
If you decide to travel to Andorra:
Read the Department of State's COVID-19 page before planning any international travel, and read the Embassy's COVID-19 page for country-specific COVID-19 information.
Hague Convention Participation
Party to the Hague Abduction Convention?
U.S. Treaty Partner under the Hague Abduction Convention?
Learn why the Hague Abduction Convention Matters.
Learn how to respond to abductions FROM the US
Learn how to respond to abductions TO the US
U.S. Consulate General Barcelona
Paseo Reina Elisenda de Montcada, 23,
Telephone: + (34) 932-802-227
Emergency After-Hours Telephone: + (34) 915-872-200
Fax: +(34) 932-806-175
Email: BarcelonaACS@state.gov
For assistance in Andorra, please contact the U.S. Consulate General in Barcelona, Spain. The U.S. Consulate General provides a full range of services for U.S. citizens, including, but not limited to, emergency and routine passport services, notarial services, and Consular Reports of Births Abroad. The Consulate General also assists U.S. citizens in emergencies, including deaths, arrests, and crisis situations. U.S. citizens must make an online appointment for routine consular services.
Andorra is within the consular district of the U.S. Consulate General in Barcelona. For information concerning travel to Andorra, including information about the location of U.S. representation, 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 Andorra.
The U.S. Department of State reports statistics and compliance information for individual countries in the Annual Report on International Child Abduction. The report is located here.
Hague Abduction Convention
Andorra acceded to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (Hague Abduction Convention) on April 6, 2011. The Convention entered into force between the United States and Andorra on January 1, 2017. The U.S. Department of State serves as the U.S. Central Authority (USCA) for the Hague Abduction Convention. In this capacity, the Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs, Directorate for Overseas Citizens Services, Office of Children's Issues facilitates the submission of applications under the Hague Abduction Convention for the return of, or access to, children located in countries that are U.S. treaty partners, including Andorra. Parents are strongly encouraged to contact the Department of State for assistance prior to initiating the Hague process directly with the foreign Central Authority.
Office of Children's
CA/OCS/CI
SA-17, 9th Floor
Website: travel.state.gov
Email: AbductionQuestions@state.gov
The Andorra Central Authority (ACA) for the Hague Abduction Convention is the Ministry of Interior. The ACA has an administrative role in processing Hague Abduction Convention applications. The ACA forwards completed Hague applications to the appropriate court in the jurisdiction where the defendant resides. The ACA can be reached at:
Ministry of Social Affairs, Justice and Interior
International Relations & Legal Cooperation
Department of Justice and Interior
Carretera de l'Obac s/n
Telephone: (37-6) 872-080
Fax: (37-6) 869-250
To initiate a Hague case for return of, or access to, a child in Andorra, the USCA encourages parents to review the eligibility criteria and instructions for completing the Hague application form located at the Department of State website and contact the Department of State for assistance prior to initiating the Hague process directly with the ACA. All documents written in English must be translated into either Catalan or French, depending on the area where the child is located in Andorra. The USCA can help you determine the correct language for translation. The USCA is available to answer questions about the Hague application process, to forward a completed application to the ACA, and to subsequently monitor its progress through the foreign administrative and legal processes.
There are no fees for filing Hague applications with either the U.S. or Andorra Central Authorities. Attorney fees, if necessary, are the responsibility of the applicant. Additional costs may include airplane tickets for court appearances and for the return of the child, if so ordered.
A parent or legal guardian may file an application under the Hague Abduction Convention for return to the United States of a child abducted to, or wrongfully retained in, Andorra. The U.S. Department of State can assist parents living in the United States to understand whether the Convention is an available civil remedy and can provide information on the process for submitting a Hague application.
Visitation/Access
A person may file an application under the Hague Abduction Convention for access to a child living in Andorra. The criteria for acceptance of a Hague access application vary from country to country. The U.S. Department of State can assist parents living in the United States to understand country-specific criteria and provide information on the process for submitting a Hague application.
Retaining an Attorney
Retaining a private attorney is not required in order to submit a Hague Abduction Convention application to a court in Andorra. The ACA assigns a Public Prosecutor to present a Hague case before the appropriate court. However, the Public Prosecutor does not represent the left-behind parent or legal guardian who submitted the application; instead, the Public Prosecutor represents Andorra and submits the request for return on behalf of the ACA. The Public Prosecutor will not have direct contact with the left-behind parent or legal guardian.
Parents or legal guardians have the option to hire a private attorney to represent them. However, all attorney fees will be the applicant's responsibility. If the applicant hires a private attorney, the ACA will continue to provide information on the Hague Abduction Convention, if requested, and will monitor the progress of the case, if they are aware of it.
The U.S. Consulate in Barcelona, Spain, 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 persons or firms included in this list. Professional credentials and areas of expertise are provided directly by the lawyers.
Andorran Ministry of Health and Welfare may be a resource for information on mediation services available in Andorra in parental child abduction cases.
Exercising Custody Rights
While travelling in a foreign country, you are subject to the laws of that country. It is important for parents to understand that, although a left-behind parent in the United States may have custody or visitation rights pursuant to a U.S. custody order, that order may not be valid and enforceable in the country in which the child is located. For this reason, we strongly encourage you to speak to a local attorney if planning to remove a child from a foreign country without the consent of the other parent. Attempts to remove your child to the United States may:
Endanger your child and others;
Prejudice any future judicial efforts; and
Could result in your arrest and imprisonment.
The U.S. government cannot interfere with another country's court or law enforcement system.
To understand the legal effect of a U.S. order in a foreign country, a parent should consult with a local attorney in the country in which the child is located.
For information about hiring an attorney abroad, see our section on Retaining a Foreign Attorney.
Although we cannot recommend an attorney to you, most U.S. Embassies have lists of attorneys available online. Please visit the local U.S. Embassy or Consulate website for a full listing.
For more information on consular assistance for U.S. citizens arrested abroad, please see our website.
Country officers are available to speak with you Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. For assistance with an abduction in progress or any emergency situation that occurs after normal business hours, on weekends, or federal holidays, please call toll free at 1-888-407-4747. See all contact information.
DISCLAIMER: The information in this flyer is provided for general information only, is not intended to be legal advice, and may change without notice. Questions involving interpretation of law should be addressed to an attorney licensed in the relevant jurisdiction.
+ (34) 932-802-227
BarcelonaACS@state.gov
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