Since 2008, The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (the Hague Convention) has been the primary agreement that provides standards for international adoptions between the United States and other countries. Currently, more than 75 countries have joined the Hague Convention. The Hague Convention provides safeguards to increase protection for the adoptive parents, the biological parents, and the adopted children.
Recently, some countries are choosing to enter into what is referred to as a “bilateral agreement” on the process of adoption. Sometimes sending countries just don’t have the resources necessary to become completely Hague compliant as a result of poverty, political instability or natural disasters. This makes it difficult for such a country to implement the Hague regulations. Sometimes countries have their own standards that they believe are important in protecting their most vulnerable citizens. Some of the benefits of a bilateral agreement are that adoptions can continue with a decreased risk for corruption, less burden is placed on the sending country, a country can design their own program, and adoptive parents know what to expect.
