[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 18, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71730-71731]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-24494]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6028]


Deposit of Instrument of Ratification by the United States of the 
Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect 
of Intercountry Adoption

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: On December 12, 2007, the United States deposited its 
instrument of ratification for the Hague Convention on Protection of 
Children and Co-operation with Respect to Intercountry Adoption (the 
Convention). In accordance with the terms of the Convention, the 
Convention will enter into force with respect to the United States on 
April 1, 2008.
    The United States signed the Convention on March 31, 1994 and the 
President transmitted it to the Senate for its advice and consent on 
June 11, 1998. (S. Treaty Doc. 105-51 at III (1998)). On September 20, 
2000, the Senate gave its advice and consent to the ratification of the 
Convention, subject to certain declarations, and on October 6, 2000, 
Congress enacted the implementing legislation for the Convention, the 
Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000, Public Law 106-279, 42 U.S.C. 14901-
14952 (the IAA). The President signed the instrument of ratification on 
November 16, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Miki Stebbing at 202-736-9086. Hearing 
or speech-impaired persons may use the Telecommunications Devices for 
the Deaf (TDD) by contacting the Federal Information Relay Service at 
1-800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Convention is a multilateral treaty that 
provides a framework for the adoption of children habitually resident 
in one country that is a party to the Convention by persons habitually 
resident in another country that is also a party to the Convention. The 
Convention establishes procedures to be followed in these intercountry 
adoption cases and imposes safeguards to protect the best interests of 
children. When the Convention enters into force for the United States, 
it will apply to the United States as both a country of origin (in 
outgoing adoption cases, i.e., where children are emigrating from the 
United States to a foreign country) and a receiving country (in 
incoming adoption cases, i.e., where children are immigrating to the 
United States from a foreign country).
    The implementing legislation for the Convention is the IAA. Under 
the Convention, the IAA, and the final rule

[[Page 71731]]

on accreditation, 22 CFR part 96, all agencies and persons providing 
adoption services in Convention cases must be accredited, temporarily 
accredited, approved, supervised or exempt in order to provide adoption 
services in Convention cases. By the terms of the IAA, Convention cases 
are adoption cases initiated in the child's country of residence with 
the filing of the appropriate application (the application for advance 
processing of an orphan petition or petition to classify an orphan as 
an immediate relative in the United States) on or after April 1.

    Dated: December 7, 2007.
Maura Harty,
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Department of State.
 [FR Doc. E7-24494 Filed 12-17-07; 8:45 am]
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