Adopting from Belize

Hague Convention Information

WARNING: Belize is party to the Hague Adoption Convention. If you wish to immigrate your adopted child to the U.S. following the adoption, do not adopt or obtain legal custody of a child in Belize before a U.S. consular officer issues an "Article 5 Letter." See the "How to Adopt" section for more information.

Belize 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 Belize and the United States must meet the requirements of the Convention; the U.S. implementing legislation, the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (IAA); and the IAA implementing regulations.

All adoptions in Belize must be processed in coordination with Belize’s designated Central Adoption Authority, which is the Belize Department of Human Services, within the Ministry of Human Development. There are no private adoptions in Belize or adoptions through extra-judicial processes. All adoptions in Belize must be processed through the Supreme Court of Belize.

Belizean law requires that prospective adoptive parents complete a one year probationary period of custody of the child before a final adoption decree for purposes of immigration can be issued. Prospective adoptive parents are required to provide quarterly reports on the child’s well-being during this period. Prospective adoptive parents may fulfill this one year period in Belize, or may be authorized by the Supreme Court of Belize to fulfill the probationary period in their country of residence. “Provisional”, “Interim” or “Preliminary” adoption decrees issued by the Supreme Court of Belize before the one year probationary period of custody is fulfilled can be considered permission for the prospective adoptive parents to take the child out of Belize during the probationary period, and to pursue an adoption process in accordance with the laws of their country of residence after fulfillment of the one year probationary period of custody. In such cases, quarterly reports regarding the child’s care and progress must still be provided to the Belize Department of Human Services during the probationary period.

Children adopted by residents of Belize may be documented as lawful permanent residents or U.S. citizens after completion of a two year period of physical and legal custody abroad by either filing an I-130 visa petition or by filing an application for a certificate of citizenship. For more information on these processes direct questions to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

After Adoption

SOURCE

Intercountry Adoption, Bureau of Consular Affairs. U.S. Department of State Country Information