United States of America
Legislation and Central Authority
USA ratified the Hague Convention on
Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoptions and
it entered into force on April 1, 2008.
By ratifying the Hague Convention and the adoption of the Intercountry Adoptions Act, the U.S. Department of State has been designated as the United States Central Authority for the Hague Convention and the powers and responsibilities of various government agencies have been defined.
Functions of the Central Authority
In the adoption process, officials from the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Homeland Security and representatives of agencies, accredited to intermediate in the intercountry adoption process, communicate with the Bulgarian Central Authority in relation to the different phases of the adoption process.
Recognizing of the adoption
According the legislation of the USA, the child adopted abroad automatically acquires U.S. citizenship on the date they immigrate to the United States.
By ratifying the Hague Convention and the adoption of the Intercountry Adoptions Act, the U.S. Department of State has been designated as the United States Central Authority for the Hague Convention and the powers and responsibilities of various government agencies have been defined.
- The Office of Children’s Issues at the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, actively engages in the operative issues in the intercountry adoption process;
- The US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) at the US Homeland Security is responsible for many stages in the intercountry adoption process, related to the immigration of the children adopted abroad in the USA. USCIS is also the authority that issues the adoption approval;
- Other government institutions also can perform part of the functions of the Central Authority, especially in the cases of adoption of child under the Hague Convention who immigrates in a different country.
Functions of the Central Authority
In the adoption process, officials from the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Homeland Security and representatives of agencies, accredited to intermediate in the intercountry adoption process, communicate with the Bulgarian Central Authority in relation to the different phases of the adoption process.
Recognizing of the adoption
According the legislation of the USA, the child adopted abroad automatically acquires U.S. citizenship on the date they immigrate to the United States.