The Hague Convention on International Child Custody is very clear that a litigant, someone who is seeking a court’s help in seeing their child, cannot demand that a bond or other type of security be posted for the court costs.

The court costs like filing fees and court reporter’s fees may be passed on to a Petitioner, but the court cannot make hearing the case dependent upon posting a bond for fees. In Los Angeles the filing fees are a few hundred dollars, but often times, if the party is unable to pay them the filing fees will be waived upon  application by the litigant for a fee waiver.

Article 22

No security, bond or deposit, however described, shall be required to guarantee the payment of costs and expenses in the judicial or administrative proceedings falling within the scope of this Convention.