Difference between revisions of "Turkey and the Hague Convention"

Latest revision as of 05:28, 5 April 2015

Yeni Camii (Yeni-mosque) in Istanbul from the Golden Horn.
Source: Wikipedia.org.

Turkey is party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention). Therefore all adoptions between Turkey and the United States must meet the requirements of the Convention and U.S. law implementing the Convention.

Turkey is not considered a country of origin in intercountry adoption. Many Turkish families both within and outside Turkey are interested in adopting orphans even though there is a several-year waiting period. Turkish families are given preference in adoption of children between the ages of 0 and 6, and are able to adopt children with or without medical problems.

Foreign nationals generally only can adopt children who cannot be placed with Turkish families or who have special needs. The information provided is intended primarily to assist in rare adoption cases from Turkey, including adoptions of Turkish children by Turkish-American dual nationals, relatives in the United States, or adoptions from third countries by Americans living in Turkey.

Note: Turkish law requires prospective adoptive parents to spend a year caring for the child in Turkey prior to finalizing the adoption. Although Turkish law allows for a child to leave Turkey during the one-year probationary period, a U.S. visa cannot be issued until the probationary period is over and the adoption is final. U.S. prospective adoptive parents should be prepared to remain in Turkey for one year.

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