---
kind: "section"
citation: "22 U.S.C. § 9113"
title: "22"
title_heading: "Foreign Relations and Intercourse"
number: "9113"
heading: "Bilateral procedures, including memoranda of understanding"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/22/9113"
units:
  - "Chapter 98 — International Child Abduction Prevention and Return"
  - "Subchapter I — Department of State Actions"
---

# §9113. Bilateral procedures, including memoranda of understanding

- (a) **Development—**
  - (1) **In general—** Not later than 180 days after August 8, 2014, the Secretary of State shall initiate a process to develop and enter into appropriate [bilateral procedures](/usc/22/9101.md?p=8), including memoranda of understanding, as appropriate, with [non-Convention countries](/usc/22/9101.md?p=16) that are unlikely to become [Convention countries](/usc/22/9101.md?p=12) in the foreseeable future, or with [Convention countries](/usc/22/9101.md?p=12) that have [unresolved abduction cases](/usc/22/9101.md?p=23-A) that occurred before the [Hague Abduction Convention](/usc/22/9101.md?p=13) entered into force with respect to the United States or that country.
  - (2) **Prioritization—** In carrying out [paragraph (1)](#a-1), the Secretary of State shall give priority to countries with significant [abduction](/usc/22/9101.md?p=2) cases and related issues.
- (b) **Elements—** The [bilateral procedures](/usc/22/9101.md?p=8) described in [subsection (a)](#a) should include provisions relating to—
  - (1) the identification of—
    - (A) the [Central Authority](/usc/22/9101.md?p=10);
    - (B) the judicial or administrative authority that will promptly adjudicate [abduction](/usc/22/9101.md?p=2) and [access cases](/usc/22/9101.md?p=4);
    - (C) the law enforcement agencies; and
    - (D) the implementation of procedures to ensure the immediate enforcement of an order issued by the authority identified pursuant to [subparagraph (B)](#b-1-B) to return an [abducted child](/usc/22/9101.md?p=1) to a [left-behind parent](/usc/22/9101.md?p=15), including by—
      - (i) conducting an investigation to ascertain the location of the [abducted child](/usc/22/9101.md?p=1);
      - (ii) providing protection to the [abducted child](/usc/22/9101.md?p=1) after such [child](/usc/22/9101.md?p=11) is located; and
      - (iii) retrieving the [abducted child](/usc/22/9101.md?p=1) and making the appropriate arrangements for such [child](/usc/22/9101.md?p=11) to be returned to the [child](/usc/22/9101.md?p=11)’s country of habitual residence;
  - (2) the implementation of a protocol to effectuate the return of an [abducted child](/usc/22/9101.md?p=1) identified in an [abduction](/usc/22/9101.md?p=2) case not later than 6 weeks after the [application](/usc/22/9101.md?p=6) with respect to the [abduction](/usc/22/9101.md?p=2) case has been submitted to the judicial or administrative authority, as applicable, of the country in which the [abducted child](/usc/22/9101.md?p=1) is located;
  - (3) the implementation of a protocol for the establishment and protection of the [rights of interim contact](/usc/22/9101.md?p=22) during pendency of [abduction](/usc/22/9101.md?p=2) cases; and
  - (4) the implementation of a protocol to establish periodic visits between a United States embassy or consular official and an [abducted child](/usc/22/9101.md?p=1), in order to allow the official to ascertain the [child](/usc/22/9101.md?p=11)’s location and welfare.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 113–150, title I, § 103, Aug. 8, 2014, 128 Stat. 1815.)