International Parental Kidnapping
From Inside the FBI by Federal Bureau of Investigation
May 26, 2026 · 11 min · Episode 114
About this episode
This episode discusses international parental kidnapping and how to report it to the FBI.
On this episode of the Inside the FBI Podcast—and in honor of National Missing Children’s Day on May 25—we’ll explain when taking a child outside the United States becomes a federal crime, discuss how we support children and the custodial parents and guardians in these situations, and teach you how to report suspected international parental kidnapping to the Bureau. For a full transcript and additional resources, visit fbi.gov/podcasts . You can also visit fbi.gov/ipk to learn more about this violation. If you’re a parent or guardian who believes your child has been removed from the country to inhibit your parental rights, you should contact your nearest FBI field office and ask to be connected with their Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. You can also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or online at tips.fbi.gov . And if you’re located outside of the U.S., you can contact your nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate . You can also proactively protect your children by downloading the FBI’s free Child ID App. Learn more at fbi.gov/childIDapp . Lastly, you can visit fbi.gov/vcac to learn more about the Bureau’s Violent Crimes Against Children program…
People in this episode
Host: Federal Bureau of Investigation
Topics covered
- international parental kidnapping
- federal crime
- child protection
- custodial rights
- reporting procedures
- National Missing Children’s Day
Keywords
- international kidnapping
- child custody
- FBI reporting
- missing children
- parental rights
- Child ID App
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: FBI, U.S. Embassy, U.S. Consulate, Violent Crimes Against Children program, Spotify, Apple Podcasts
Products: Child ID App
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