The drafting of the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (simply, the Hague Adoption Convention, or HAC) in 1993 marked a turning point in international adoption practices. The HAC created international legal infrastructure facilitating and legitimizing adoptions between member states while prioritizing the well-being of adoptees in order to prevent child trafficking and other forms of abuse. As with the other conventions of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (or HCCH), the HAC balances this goal of cooperation between disparate legal systems with respect for each state’s sovereignty in dictating domestic law. As such, the HAC fosters communication and collaboration between contracting states while leaving details such as criteria for adopter eligibility up to domestic legislation. In other words, the factors determining whether one is an eligible adopter are decided by each member state to the HAC, meaning that an individual or couple eligible to adopt in one member state may be ineligible in another.

Divorce is always challenging, especially when dealing with legal complexities across different countries. If you or your spouse is not a U.S. citizen, or if you were married or currently live in another country, you may be wondering about your options for divorce. Do you need to divorce where you reside, or can you file in the U.S.? Cross-border divorces come with their own set of challenges, from navigating different legal systems to understanding international laws.