Adopting from Canada

Hague Convention Information

Canada 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 Canada and the United States must meet the requirements of the Convention and U.S. law implementing the Convention.

Canada is not considered a country of origin in intercountry adoption. Only 14 Canadian orphans have received U.S. immigrant visas in the past five fiscal years. The information provided is intended primarily to assist in extremely rare adoption cases from Canada, including adoptions of Canada children by relatives in the United States, as well as adoptions from third countries by Americans living in Canada.

Who Can Adopt

Adoption between the United States and Canada is governed by the Hague Adoption Convention. Therefore to adopt from Canada, you must first be found eligible to adopt by the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government agency responsible for making this determination is the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Learn more.

In addition to these U.S. requirements for prospective adoptive parents, Canada also has the following requirements for prospective adoptive parents:

Residency

Eligibility and residence requirements vary by province. In general, non-residents of Canada cannot adopt children for emigration from Canada. There are some very limited exceptions, usually involving relatives of the children. Contact the provincial adoption authorities (see Contact Information) for specific information on additional eligibility requirements to adopt, including any age, marriage, and income requirements.

Age of Adopting Parents

N/A

Marriage

N/A

Income

N/A

Other

N/A

Who Can Be Adopted

Because Canada is party to the Hague Adoption Convention, children from Canada must meet the requirements of the Convention in order to be eligible for adoption. For example, the Convention requires that Canada attempt to place a child with a family in-country before determining that a child is eligible for intercountry adoption. In addition to Canada's requirements, a child must meet the definition of a Convention adoptee for you to bring him or her back to the United States.

After Adoption

SOURCE

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