Hague Convention Requirements

Publication Date: January 14, 2019
Current as of:

Most Hague Convention countries describe their language and translation requirements on the Hague Conference website in their Country Profiles .

OCSE has summarized these requirements in the table below under these headings:

  • Routine Communication: The language that the country is willing to use for email, telephone, and other communication related to processing Convention actions from the U.S. Most countries allow routine communication in English.
  • Official Language: Most countries have one or more official language, which is a language with a special legal status in that jurisdiction, or in a part of that jurisdiction. Official languages are the languages that are generally used in countries' governments and courts.
  • Forms and Documents: Many Hague Convention countries have specified the language(s) to be used for application forms and accompanying documents being submitted to that country. OCSE has some of the Hague Convention forms available in various foreign languages.
  • Payments Information: If a country has notified OCSE of a payment method that it requires for outgoing child support payments — from the U.S. to the other country — that information is shown here.

Before a state child support agency prepares Hague Convention forms and translates documents, the agency should check the information in the table and also in the relevant Country Profile .

There is no federally mandated type of translation provider that state agencies should use. However, OCSE urges state agencies to have general policies concerning translation into other languages.

If more assistance is needed, contact OCSE.

Albania

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Albanian

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:
Albanian

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

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Austria

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

Austria does not accept child support payments by check. States should transmit payments via the CAP service or send wire payments.

Bank Account Details:

  • Name of Bank: BAWAG - PSK
  • Address of Bank: Wiedner Gürtel 11, 1100 Vienna, AUSTRIA
  • Name of Account Holder: Ministry of Justice
  • Address of Account Holder: Museumstraße 7, 1070 Vienna, AUSTRIA
  • Account Number: 5490000
  • SWIFT / BIC Code: BUNDATWW
  • IBAN Number: AT100100000005490000

Contact Information for Payments:

  • Name of Contact Person: Dr. Robert Fucik
  • Address: Museumstraße 7, 1070 Vienna, AUSTRIA
  • Email Address: robert.fucik@bmvrdj.gv.at
  • Phone Number: 011-43 1 52152 2731
  • Fax Number: 011-43 1 52152 2829

 

Belarus

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

Belarus does not accept child support payments by check. States should follow the payments instructions in the incoming application.

 

Belgium

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES:
Belgium has 4 language areas:

  • a Dutch-speaking area (Flanders),
  • a French-speaking area (Wallonia),
  • a bilingual Dutch/French area (Brussels), and
  • a German-speaking area

To confirm where in Belgium a person resides, states should send an Article 7 Request for Specific Measures to Belgium's Central Authority .

For further assistance, contact OCSE.

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

Belgium requires the correct Transmittal Form for the language area where the person resides. States may submit the other Hague Convention forms to Belgium in English.

If any documents are in Dutch or French or German, they do not need to be translated into English.

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

Bosnia and Herzegovina

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES:
Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

Brazil

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Portuguese

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

Bulgaria

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Bulgarian

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

If any documents are in Bulgarian, they do not need to be translated into English.

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

Cabo Verde

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Portuguese

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

Canada - British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES:
English and French

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

The Hague Convention is not in effect for other Canadian provinces and territories. For those jurisdictions, visit the Canada - Hague Convention and Foreign Reciprocating Country page.

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

States may transmit payments to Ontario via the CAP service.

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Colombia

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Spanish

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

Bilingual English/Spanish forms:

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

Croatia

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

Cyprus

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES:
Greek and Turkish

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

If any documents are in Greek or Turkish, they do not need to be translated into English.

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

Cyprus does not accept child support payments by check. States may transmit payments via the CAP service.

 

Czech Republic

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Czech

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

Forms and documents may be submitted in Czech or Slovak.

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

The Czech Republic does not accept child support payments by check. States should transmit payments via the CAP service or send wire payments.

Bank Account Details:

  • Name of Bank: Komercni banka (Komercni banka, a.s.)
  • Address of Bank: Headquarters: Na Prikope 33, 114 07 Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC
  • Name of Account Holder: Urad pro mezinarodnepravni ochranu deti
  • Address of Account Holder:
    Silingrovo namesti 3/4, 602 00 Brno, CZECH REPUBLIC
  • SWIFT / BIC Code: KOMBCZPPXXX
  • IBAN Number: CZ2601000348330080851621

Contact Information for Payments:

  • Name of Authority: Urad pro mezinarodnepravni ochranu deti(UMPOD)
  • Address: Silingrovo namesti 3/4, 602 00 Brno, CZECH REPUBLIC
  • Email Address: podatelna@umpod.cz
  • Phone Number: 011-420 542 215 526
  • Fax Number: 011-420 542 212 836

Additional Comments:

Provide the Czech central authority's reference number and the child's/children's names.

 

Dominican Republic

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Spanish

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

Bilingual English/Spanish forms:

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

Ecuador

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Spanish

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

Bilingual English/Spanish forms:

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

Estonia

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Estonian

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

If any documents are in Estonian, they do not need to be translated into English.

Will accept abstracts.

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

Finland

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES:
Finnish and Swedish

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

If any documents are in Finnish or Swedish, they do not need to be translated into English.

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

France

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
French

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
French

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

Georgia

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Georgian

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

If any documents are in Georgian, they do not need to be translated into English.

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

Germany

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

Germany does not accept child support payments by check. States should transmit payments via the CAP service or send wire payments.

Bank Account Details:

Name of Bank: Deutsche Bundesbank

Address of Bank: Hafenstrasse 20-22, 66111 Saarbrücken, GERMANY

Name of Account Holder: Bundeskasse Trier

Address of Account Holder: Dasbachstrasse 15, 54292 Trier, GERMANY

SWIFT / BIC Code: MARKDEF1590

IBAN Number: DE81 5900 0000 0059 0010 20

Contact Information for Payments:

  • Name of Contact Person: Claudia Langenhorst
  • Address: Adenauerallee 99-103, 53113 Bonn, GERMANY
  • Email Address: international.payments@bfj.bund.de
  • Phone Number: 011-49 228 99 410-5534
  • Fax Number: 011-49 228 99 210-5202

Provide the German central authority's reference number (format II 4-HC-A-xxxx/year) and the child's/children's names.

 

Greece

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Greek

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

If any documents are in Greek, they do not need to be translated into English.

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

Honduras

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Spanish

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

Bilingual English/Spanish forms:

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

Hungary

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Hungarian

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

Bilingual English/Hungarian forms:

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

Hungary does not accept child support payments by check. States may transmit payments via the CAP service.

 

Ireland

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES:
Irish and English

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

If any documents are in Irish, they do not need to be translated into English.

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

Italy

 

Kazakhstan

 

Kyrgyzstan

 

Latvia

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

Latvia does not accept child support payments by check. States may transmit payments via the CAP service.

 

Lithuania

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Lithuanian

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

If any documents are in Lithuanian, they do not need to be translated into English.

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

Luxembourg

 

Malta

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES:
Maltese and English

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

If any documents are in Maltese, they do not need to be translated into English.

Will accept abstracts.

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

Montenegro

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Montenegrin

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

Netherlands

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Dutch

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

If any documents are in Dutch, they do not need to be translated into English.

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

The Netherlands does not accept child support payments by check. States should send payments by ACH.


ACH Payments:

  • Bank Name: First American Bank
  • Bank Address: P.O. Box 0794, Elk Grove Village, Illinois 60009-0794
  • Account Holder Name: Landelijk Bureau Inning Onderhoudsbijdragen
  • Account Holder Address: Marten Meesweg 111, 3068 AV Rotterdam, NETHERLANDS
  • Account Number: 7813857401
  • Routing Code: 071922777

Use standard CCD+ or CTX820 addenda information

 

New Zealand

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES:
English and Maori

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

If any documents are in Maori, they do not need to be translated into English.

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

< Back to country list

 

Nicaragua

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Spanish

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

Bilingual English/Spanish forms:

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

Norway

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Norwegian

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

If any documents are in Norwegian, they do not need to be translated into English.

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

ACH Payments:

  • Beneficiary: Skatteetaten
  • Account Number: 561414268001
  • ABA: 021000018

Domestic Wire Payments:

To route the payment properly, provide all the following information:

  • Intermediary Bank: BNY Mellon, 101 Barclay Street, New York, NY 10286
  • ABA: 021000018
  • Beneficiary Bank: DNB Bank ASA, 200 Park Avenue, 31st Floor, New York, NY 10166-0396
  • Account Number: 8026001499
  • Beneficiary: Skatteetaten, Grubeveien 4, Bjornevatn, Sor-Varanger 9917, Norway
  • Account Number: 14268001

If the payer is unable to send via an intermediary bank:

  • Beneficiary Bank: BNY Mellon, 101 Barclay Street, New York, NY 10286
  • ABA: 021000018
  • Beneficiary: DNB Bank ASA, 200 Park Avenue, 31st Floor, New York, NY 10166-0396
  • Account Number: 8026001499
  • Information to Beneficiary: "For further credit to: Skatteetaten 14268001" and payment details such as invoice number, as required by beneficiary

Payments by check to Lock Box in the U.S.:

Checks must be payable to Skatteetaten, not the custodial parent, and mailed to the following address:

Skatteetaten, Dept 3623, PO Box 123623, Dallas, TX 75312-3623

Overnight Address: Skatteetaten, Lockbox Box 73719, 885 East Collins Boulevard, Ste 110, Richardson, TX 75081

 

Paraguay

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Spanish

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

Bilingual English/Spanish forms:

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

Philippines

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Filipino (Tagalog)

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

If any documents are in Filipino, they do not need to be translated into English.

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

Poland

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

Poland does not accept child support payments by check. States should follow the payments instructions in the incoming application.

 

Portugal

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Portuguese

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

Requests to Portugal for recognition and enforcement of a non-Portuguese decision should also include:

  • A complete copy of the decision, certified by the competent authority in the State of origin;
  • A statement of arrears, if applicable;
  • In the case of a decision providing for automatic adjustment by indexation, a document providing the information necessary to make the appropriate calculations. (See IM-19-01.)

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

Portugal does not accept child support payments by check. States may transmit payments via the CAP service.

 

Romania

 

Serbia

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Serbian

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:
Serbian

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

< Back to country list

 

Slovakia

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Slovak

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

Forms and documents may be submitted in Slovak or Czech.

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

Slovakia does not accept child support payments by check. States should transmit payments via the CAP service or send wire payments.

Bank Account Details:

  • Name of Bank: Statna pokladnica
  • Address of Bank: Radlinskeho 32, 810 05 Bratislava, SLOVAKIA
  • Bank Branch Number: 8180
  • Name of Account Holder:
    Centre for the International Legal Protection of Children and Youth
  • Address of Account Holder:
    Spitalska 8, P. O. BOX 57, 814 99 Bratislava, SLOVAKIA
  • SWIFT / BIC Code: SPSRSKBAXXX
  • IBAN Number: SK 14 8180 0000 0070 0011 7737

Contact Information for Payments:

  • Name of Contact Person: Katarina Zubkova
  • Address: Spitalska 8, P. O. BOX 57, 814 99 Bratislava, SLOVAKIA
  • Email Address: katarina.zubkova@cipc.gov.sk
  • Phone Number: 011-421 2 2046 3208
  • Fax Number: 011-421 2 2046 3258

Additional Comments:
Provide the Slovakian central authority's reference number and the child's/children's names.

 

Slovenia

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Slovenian

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

Slovenia does not accept child support payments by check. States should follow the payments instructions in the incoming application.

 

Spain

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Spanish

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

Bilingual English/Spanish forms:

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

See the incoming application or the IRG.

 

Sweden

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Swedish

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

Sweden does not accept child support payments by check. States may transmit payments via the CAP service.

 

Turkey

 

Ukraine

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

Ukraine does not accept child support payments by check. States should follow the payments instructions in the incoming application.

 

United Kingdom (England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Gibraltar)

ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
English

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
English

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS:

Updated instructions to states with cases to/from the United Kingdom - see IM-21-01.

 

PAYMENTS INFORMATION:

States may transmit payments to England and Wales, or Scotland, via the CAP service.