Hague Status
On Friday November 16, 2007 President Bush signed the final instrument of ratification for the Hague Convention. You can read a little more about this here: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2007/nov/95469.htm
Here are some timelines:
- December 12, 2007 - The Department of State will deposit the Instrument of Ratification.
- March 12, 2008 – The Accrediting Entities (Colorado & COA) will inform each applicant in writing whether their application has been granted or denied or remains pending. This date is commonly known as the UND (Uniform Notification Date). The list on this date will be the list as of this date. Other applicant names will be added at a later date as they receive their accreditation.
- April 1, 2008 – The Hague Convention goes into force for the United States.
November 23rd, 2007 at 2:32 pm
I’m not sure how it will work in the U.S., but here in Canada once the Hague was signed, time-to-travel lengthened a bit. Perhaps by a week or two. Apparently, because of a bit of extra paperwork (although I’ve never received adequate clarification on that).
China4
LID Dec. 12/05
November 23rd, 2007 at 3:50 pm
this has always been my question,
how or will this affect us already in process?
November 23rd, 2007 at 5:36 pm
One of the interesting twists of this is that once it is implemented the adoption of american children by canadians (of which there are quite a few) will virtually stop as I understand it. I don’t know the exact details but I believe it has something to do with the ability to get cast-in-stone proof that the birthparents have relinquished their parental rights. Maybe one of my other canadian adoption expert friends can clarify that for me.
November 23rd, 2007 at 7:34 pm
Can anyone put into simplistic terms what this means for those of us in the US?
November 23rd, 2007 at 10:47 pm
Congratulations to the US for signing on the the Hague,
November 24th, 2007 at 2:36 am
windthrow, my understanding is that the possibility of Cdns adopting US babies will be almost nil because under the Hague, the “nation of origin” (my expression) must be able to prove that adoption is not possible within that nation. in short, that there are no US families able to adopt that child.
November 24th, 2007 at 8:21 am
I highly recommend this link at the US Department of State website for information about the Hague and how it will affect adoptions in progress. Apparently, it all depends upon when you filed your I-600A.
http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/intercountry/intercountry_3824.html
IT’s troubling to hear that signing the Hague may make it almost impossible for the signing country to have children available for adoption. There seems to be a very powerful anti-adoption lobby at work in the US and elsewhere that is gaining strength. I approve of and support groups working to make adoption ethical and fair, but other groups just want to banish adoption. It is sad to think some people find adoption to be inherently wrong or racist……I actually find that point of view to be very racist.
Those of us who feel adoption is a wonderful thing for families and children when all parties’ rights are respected really should speak out, or else we may be looking at a world where adoption is almost banned for all practical purposes. There are people who say that it’s the best thing for all children to remain in the land of their birth, with their parents. That may be, but it also ignores reality in the world.
November 24th, 2007 at 8:42 am
http://www.hcch.net/index_en.php?act=text.display&tid=45
for information and full text of The Hague.
November 24th, 2007 at 10:04 am
“The Department of State will deposit the Instrument of Ratification”
That sounds kind of painful. That’s kind of how we felt waiting on line to get our paperwork certified in NYC.
Big Daddy
November 24th, 2007 at 11:08 am
Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but it sounds like once it is in effect (around March) you shouldn’t let your 1600A/I171h expire or you will fall under the new rules. I don’t know if that is good or bad, but they don’t usually reduce paperwork. Does this sound right? I am ok, but if this is true, those who let their approval expire should make sure that they fully understand what this means.
November 24th, 2007 at 11:30 am
Thank you for the information about the Hague status, but where are all the rumors for December??????
November 25th, 2007 at 12:11 am
Bailey…we let our i71-H expire because we are doing a concurrent adoption. Our agency said we could file for a new one later…are you thinking that we need to do this now…..prob. a question for the agency…but just asking you for now.
November 25th, 2007 at 7:34 am
But isn’t it usually enought for Hague countries to prove, that the child has been available for domestic adoption for a reasonable time without finding a new family for the child? That of course would exclude adoption of newborns, but I don’t see how that would be the reason Hague would totally stop adoption from the US to Canada.
November 25th, 2007 at 10:21 am
I think it is primarily newborns that are being adopted from the US to Canada, England, etc. I don’t think there are a lot of older child adoptions, but I’m sure there are some.
November 25th, 2007 at 10:37 am
Once the Hague is said and done in the US, doesn’t China have to be in complicance for adoptions to continue? How do we know if they are in “compliance” and what happens if they are not?
November 25th, 2007 at 10:56 am
LinPatton - I read the FAQs. My interpretation is that if you don’t let your paperwork expire, you are under the current rules/process. If you do, then you are under the new rules/process. I am asking for someone else to provide input as I don’t know if my interpretation is accurate. I don’t know what the new rules involve so it is hard to say if you should renew or not. The safe bet is to remain current under today’s process even if you have to renew a 2nd time.
November 25th, 2007 at 10:47 pm
We will surely get the free extension, but will probably need to renew again also… is this called “new”?
I don’t understand what PAPs have to do other than the training classes… seems most of the stuff falls to the agencies ??
I really don’t want to worry about this for 3-4 years…
LID Summer 2007.
November 26th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Canada is a Hague state and China adoptions seem to be going on as usual so I don’t think you’ll have any “China compliance” issues. Frankly, you might have more “US compliance” issues.
November 26th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
If you are already in process (ie pre-Hague) does your agency have to be Hague acredited? Perhaps this is the difference… so even if an agency doesn’t get acredited immediately, their in-process applications are not jeapordized?
Kate