{"data":{"id":"us/22-u.s.c.-9002","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"22 U.S.C. § 9002","heading":"Definitions","body":"For the purposes of this chapter—(1) the term “applicant” means any person who, pursuant to the Convention, files an application with the United States Central Authority or a Central Authority of any other party to the Convention for the return of a child alleged to have been wrongfully removed or retained or for arrangements for organizing or securing the effective exercise of rights of access pursuant to the Convention; (2) the term “Convention” means the Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, done at The Hague on October 25, 1980; (3) the term “Parent Locator Service” means the service established by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under section 653 of title 42; (4) the term “petitioner” means any person who, in accordance with this chapter, files a petition in court seeking relief under the Convention; (5) the term “person” includes any individual, institution, or other legal entity or body; (6) the term “respondent” means any person against whose interests a petition is filed in court, in accordance with this chapter, which seeks relief under the Convention; (7) the term “rights of access” means visitation rights; (8) the term “State” means any of the several States, the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States; and (9) the term “United States Central Authority” means the agency of the Federal Government designated by the President under section 9006(a) of this title.","path":["Title 22—FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE","CHAPTER 97—INTERNATIONAL CHILD ABDUCTION REMEDIES"],"source_url":"https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/103/xml_usc22@119-103.zip","current_through":"Public Law 119-103 (09/02/2026)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-10T05:57:55Z","sha256":"6ecb2c6873729d96c3c8a7d859ff0ab306c343a176b2f183250c5bcbf9cc5d7a","source_id":"us","stale":false,"prev":"us/22-u.s.c.-9001","next":"us/22-u.s.c.-9003"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}