Intercountry adoptions

Arranging an intercountry adoption is often the last resort to ensure a child’s development in a healthy family environment. The process of intercountry adoption is a very complex and formal process that aims to protect and ensure the best interests of child. The Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in respect of Intercountry Adoption of 29 May 1993 (hereafter referred to as the Adoption Convention) sets out the ground rules for this process. Its specific terms subsequently vary depending on the legal arrangements in the States involved in the process.

Surrogate (or substitute) family care in the form of intercountry adoption is implemented on the basis of the principle of subsidiarity and the principle of the best interests of child.

Currently, mediation of intercountry adoption is underway in the case of applicants from abroad in respect of adoption of children having habitual residence in Slovakia. Slovakia, as the child’s country of origin, cooperates strictly with the Convention on Adoption signatory States that have concluded the so-called Protocol on Cooperation, which specifies in more detail the administrative procedure and obligations of the individual entities involved in the process of intercountry adoption. CIPC is involved in constant communication with the partner authorities in order to improve the quality of cooperation and the adoption mediation itself.

CIPC strives to make Slovakia an active country for adoptions, so that applicants who are habitually resident in Slovakia may adopt children from abroad. CIPC is actively looking for opportunities to establish cooperation with the child’s country of origin.