International Parental Child Abduction Turkmenistan

 


 

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 to practice in the relevant jurisdiction.

January 2013

General Information:

For information concerning travel to Turkmenistan, including information about the location of the U.S. Embassy, 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 Turkmenistan.

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Hague Abduction Convention:

Turkmenistan acceded to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (Hague Abduction Convention) on December 29, 1997; however, the United States and Turkmenistan are not yet treaty partners.  Until Turkmenistan and the United States establish a treaty relationship per Article 38 of the Convention, parents whose children have been abducted from the United States to Turkmenistan or wrongfully retained in Turkmenistan are unable to invoke the Convention to pursue their children’s return or to seek access to them.
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Return:

Legal systems and laws pertaining to custody, divorce, and parental abduction vary widely from country to country.  The government of Turkmenistan maintains information in Russian about custody, visitation, and family law on the internet at: http://www.turkmenistan.gov.tm/?id=779

Parents are encouraged to consult with an attorney who specializes in family law in Turkmenistan 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 Issues
2201 C Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20520
Telephone:  1-888-407-4747
Outside the United States or Canada: 1-202-501-4444
Fax:  202-736-9132
Website: travel.state.gov
Email: AskCI@state.gov

Parental child abduction is not a crime in Turkmenistan.

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. 

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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 Turkmenistan 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 U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan for information and possible assistance.

Retaining an Attorney:

Neither the Office of Children’s Issues nor consular officials at the U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan are authorized to provide legal advice.

The U.S. Embassy in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan posts a list of attorneys, including those who specialize in family law at: List of Attorneys.

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.

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Mediation:

The Department is unaware of any mediation programs currently available for abduction cases in Turkmenistan.

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Embassy Contact Information: 

The U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan can be contacted at: 

U.S. Embassy Turkmenistan
9 Pushkin Street
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 744000
Telephone: 993-12-35-00-45
Fax: 993-12-39-26-14
E-mail: 
Website:  U.S. Embassy Turkmenistan

The Embassy of Turkmenistan to the United States is located in Washington, D.C. at:

Embassy of Turkmenistan
2207 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: 202-588-1500
E-mail:  turkmenembassyus@verizon.net
Website:  Embassy of Turkmenistan