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New Zealand and the Hague Convention
Source: Wikipedia.org.
New Zealand 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 New Zealand and the United States must meet the requirements of the Convention and U.S. law implementing the Convention. New Zealand is not an intercountry adoption sending country and does not have children available for intercountry adoption in State care. New Zealand will assist with relative adoption inquiries.
New Zealand acceded to the Hague Adoption Convention in 1999. The Adoption (Inter-country) Act of 1997 gives that Convention status in New Zealand. Intercountry adoption in non-Hague countries can be recognized in New Zealand under certain conditions by Section 17 of the Adoption Act of 1955. New Zealand adoption practice is based on the principles outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the child (UNCRC) and in the Hague Convention. These principles support New Zealand children being adopted within New Zealand before any consideration is given to placing with foreigners overseas.
New Zealand usually requires prospective adoptive parents to be permanent residents of New Zealand.. New Zealand follows the principle of locating permanent families for New Zealand-born children in New Zealand.
If the birth mother selects a specific U.S. citizen as an adoptive parent, an otherwise qualified child will not be able to obtain a U.S. immigrant visa as an orphan unless the mother is the sole or surviving parent and is incapable of providing proper care.
NOTE: Special transition provisions apply to adoptions initiated before April 1, 2008.
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