When a child does not return from an agreed visit to Brazil, parents often start with an everyday question rather than a legal term: “Where do I begin?” This resource guide brings together official information, further reading and a route to discuss a Brazil-related family matter with MF Ejchel International Family Law.
My child has not returned after a visit
Start with the Brazilian Ministry of Justice’s information about children brought to Brazil from abroad. The page addresses questions about international return requests and the role of the Brazilian authorities. For the treaty itself, consult the official text of the 1980 Hague Convention. Whether that framework applies to a particular family requires an assessment of the facts and the countries involved.
Central Authority assistance and legal representation
The Ministry directs parents seeking a child’s return from Brazil to the Central Authority of the country where the child was habitually resident before the alleged wrongful removal or retention. That authority can coordinate with Brazil’s Autoridade Central Administrativa Federal (ACAF). Where the child’s whereabouts are uncertain, provide reliable identifying and location information through the official channel. The Ministry explains the assistance available in its guidance for incoming cases.
A Central Authority request and private representation perform different functions. In the Brazilian cooperation route, the Advocacia-Geral da União (AGU) brings proceedings on behalf of the Union; it does not act as the requesting parent’s private lawyer. Private counsel may be retained separately. Article 29 of the 1980 Convention also preserves direct applications to the competent authorities.
The Convention concerns children under sixteen, and its application requires verification of the treaty relationship and the relevant custody rights, habitual residence and facts. Return proceedings determine whether the child must return; they do not decide the merits of custody (Articles 3, 4 and 19). An agreed visit followed by a disputed failure to return therefore calls for prompt individual assessment rather than an automatic classification.
Organise the questions for a first conversation
- Where was the child living before the journey?
- When did the child travel, and what return arrangements were agreed?
- Which countries are involved?
- Are there existing court orders or proceedings?
- Is there a current concern about the child’s safety?
These questions help organise an initial conversation. They are not a determination that a removal or retention was unlawful. Avoid posting children’s names, documents or a family’s case history in public comments.
I am planning a move with my child
If your concern is a future move, begin with the Ministry’s prevention information. Keep the questions about travel arrangements and a proposed change of residence separate when seeking advice. For more detailed reading, the firm’s Manual on International Child Abduction brings the subject’s main concepts into one reference.
I am a lawyer outside Brazil
For professional enquiries involving Brazilian proceedings or an opinion on Brazilian law, introduce the jurisdiction, subject and proposed scope of assistance. See the firm’s practice overview and the Knowledge Center for publications and media references.
Discuss a Brazil-related family matter
Contact MF Ejchel International Family Law to ask about an individual consultation or professional collaboration. Begin with a brief description and the countries involved; arrangements for sharing documents can follow through the appropriate channel.
Resource guide reviewed on 17 October 2026. General information only; reading this page or making an initial enquiry does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Official sources are linked for reference and do not endorse the firm.