EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR U.S. CITIZENS IN MEXICO
From Mexico: 55 5080 2000
From the United States: 011 52 55 5080 2000
U.S. Citizen Services Inquiries: Mexico.ACS@gdit-gss.com

U.S. Embassy Mexico City
Paseo de la Reforma 305
Colonia Cuauhtémoc
06500 Ciudad de México

U.S. Consulate General Ciudad Juarez
Paseo de la Victoria #3650
Fracc. Partido Senecú
32543 Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua

U.S. Consulate General Guadalajara
Manuel Acuña 3410
Colonia Monraz
44670 Guadalajara, Jalisco  

U.S. Consulate General Hermosillo
Consulado General de los Estados Unidos de América en Hermosillo
Blvd. Navarrete 291 Colonia Raquet Club C.P. 83204
Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.

U.S. Consulate General Matamoros
Constitución No. 1
Colonia Jardín
87330 Matamoros, Tamaulipas

U.S. Consulate General Merida
Calle 60 No. 338-K x 29 y 31
Colonia Alcalá Martin
97050 Mérida, Yucatán

U.S. Consulate General Monterrey
Avenida Alfonso Reyes 150
Colonia Valle del Poniente
66196 Santa Catarina, Nuevo León

U.S. Consulate General Nogales   
Calle Kalamata 99
Colonia Jardines de Kalitea
84066 Nogales, Sonora

U.S. Consulate General Nuevo Laredo
Paseo Colon 1901
Colonia Madero
88260 Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas

U.S. Consulate General Tijuana
Paseo de las Culturas s/n
Mesa de Otay
Delegación Centenario
22425 Tijuana, Baja California

Consular Agencies

Acapulco
Hotel Continental Emporio
Costera M. Alemán 121 – Office 14
39670 Acapulco, Guerrero

Cancun
Blvd. Kukulcan Km 13 ZH
Torre La Europea, Despacho 301
77500 Cancún, Quintana Roo

Los Cabos
Las Tiendas de Palmilla L-B221, Km. 27.5 Carretera Transpeninsular
23406 San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur

Mazatlan
Playa Gaviotas 202, Local 10
Zona Dorada
82110 Mazatlán, Sinaloa

Oaxaca
Macedonio Alcalá 407, Office 20
68000 Oaxaca, Oaxaca

Piedras Negras
Abasolo 211, Local 3, Centro
26000 Piedras Negras, Coahuila

Playa del Carmen
Plaza Progreso, Local 33
Carretera Federal Puerto Juarez-Chetumal, Mz. 293 Lt. 1.
77710 Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo

Puerto Vallarta
Paradise Plaza, Paseo de los Cocoteros 85 Sur, Local L-7
63732 Nuevo Nayarit, Nayarit

San Miguel de Allende
Plaza La Luciérnaga, Libramiento Jose Manuel Zavala 165, Locales 4 y 5
Colonia La Luciérnaga
37745 San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato

Mexico and the United States have been treaty partners under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (Hague Abduction Convention) since October 1, 1991.

For information concerning travel to Mexico, 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 Mexico. 

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. 

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 Mexico.  Parents are strongly encouraged to contact the Department of State for assistance prior to initiating the Hague process directly with the foreign Central Authority.

Contact information:

United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
CA/OCS/CI
SA-17, 9th Floor
Washington, DC 20522-1709
Telephone:  1-888-407-4747
Outside the United States or Canada: 1-202-501-4444
Fax: 1-202-485-6221
Website

The Mexican Central Authority for the Hague Abduction Convention is the Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE).  The Mexican Central Authority performs an administrative role in processing Hague Abduction Convention applications.  They can be reached at:

Secretari­a de Relaciones Exteriores
Direccion General de Proteccion a Mexicanos en el Exterior
Direccion de Derecho de Familia
Plaza Juarez No. 20, Piso 17
Colonia Centro, Del. Cuauhtemoc
C.P. 06010 Mexico, D.F.
Telephone: 011-52-55-36865100
Fax: 011-52-55-36865865
Email: dgpmexterior@sre.gob.m
Website

To initiate a Hague case for return of, or access to, a child in Mexico, the left behind parent should submit a Hague application to the Mexican Central Authority, either through the USCA or directly.  In exceptional cases, some courts may accept a petition filed directly.  The Mexican Central Authority will, upon receipt and acceptance of the Hague Convention application, prepare a written communique for the court containing an explanation of the Hague Convention and its objectives and forward the application to the appropriate state court. The USCA is available to answer questions about the Hague application process, to forward a completed application to the Mexican Central Authority, and to subsequently monitor its progress through the foreign administrative and legal processes. 

There are not fees for filing Hague applications with either the United States or Mexican central authorities.  If the applicant parent hires an attorney, attorney fees are the responsibility of the applicant parent.  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, Mexico.  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.

A person may file an application under the Hague Abduction Convention for access to a child living in Mexico.  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.

Applicants are not required to retain an attorney to file a Hague Convention application in Mexico.  A parent may choose to retain an attorney, however, to follow-up on the case and to provide them with direct information on the status of the case. A retained attorney should contact the Mexican Central Authority as soon as possible after the application is submitted.  The Mexican Central Authority does not represent Hague Convention applicants in court or assign an attorney to represent the applicant.

The U.S. Embassy and the U.S. Consulates in Mexico can provide information on local attorneys, including those who specialize in family law; search here.

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.

Courts in Mexico prefer to resolve cases through voluntary agreements, usually negotiated under the supervision of the court. The use of professional mediation services is not widely available in Mexico and is not a prevalent practice in Hague Convention cases with Mexico.