Defence for Children International

The Hague Convention

Recognition of Adoptions

A certified adoption in accordance with the Hague Convention will be automatically recognised by the other contracting States (art. 23) unless it "is manifestly contrary to its public policy", that is, if it runs counter to the fundamental principles of this State

(art. 24).

The recognition of the adoption includes:

the legal parent-child relationship between the child and his or her adoptive parents;

the parental responsibility of the adoptive parents for the child;

the termination of a pre-existing legal relationship between the child and his or her mother and father (art. 26).

If this relation is not terminated, the conversion from a "simple" to a complete adoption is possible in the receiving State under certain conditions (art. 27).

General provisions