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The Hague Convention

Canada became a partner in the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in respect of Intercountry Adoptions in 1993. The Convention was written to help countries co-operate and regulate international adoptions.

The Hague Convention’s main goals are to:

• protect the best interests of adoptive children;
• standardize processes between countries;
• clarify the status of the child; and
• prevent child abuse, such as the trafficking in children.

Before a child can be adopted from one country into another, the convention requires that authorities in both countries agree to proceed with the adoption. In the case of Canadian families wanting to adopt a child from another country, their provincial authorities must agree with authorities in the child’s country of origin.

All provinces and territories have implemented the Hague Convention.

Check the list of countries to see if the country where you plan to adopt has implemented the Hague Convention.

Find out more about the Hague Convention.