Hague Convention Countries
When prospective parents want to adopt a child in a different country, they have to comply with state adoption laws, U.S. immigration laws, and the adoption laws of the home country. Many countries joined together to sign onto the Hague Convention to establish regulations and protections for intercountry adoptions.
A Hague adoption is where a person from the U.S. wants to legally adopt a child from another Hague Convention country. The international adoption process can be long and complex. Consult with a local adoption attorney to help guide you through the process.
What Is the Hague Adoption Convention?
The Hague Adoption Convention is an international treaty that provides standards and safeguards for inter-country adoptions. The convention is intended to protect the best interest of the child in an adoption, and protect the child’s birth parents and the adoptive parents. Prospective parents in the U.S. may still be able to adopt a child from a non-convention country but they may have more protections when adopting a child from a member country.
What Are Hague Adoption Convention Member Countries?
According to the U.S. State Department, as of September 8, 2021, 104 countries had signed on to the Convention, including the United States. The full list of all Hague Adoption Convention countries is listed below:
- Albania
- Andorra
- Armenia
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Belize
- Benin
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Canada
- Cabo Verde
- Chile
- China (and Hong Kong)
- Colombia
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- Fiji
- Eswatini
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Greece
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kyrgyzstan
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macedonia
- Madagascar
- Mali
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Namibia
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Niger
- Norway
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Republic of the Congo
- Romania
- Rwanda
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- San Marino
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- Togo
- Turkey
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Zambia
For more information on intercountry adoption requirements, you can visit the U.S. Department of State. For help getting started with the adoption of a child from another country, talk to an adoption lawyer in your state.
Thinking About Adoption?
The adoption process is complicated. Experienced lawyers in our directory can protect your right throughout your journey to grow your family.
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