The Ministry of Children and Family Development, Adoption Services would like to bring the following information to the attention of prospective adoptive parents who are considering adoption from the Republic of Georgia.

• The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Convention) has the force of law in both British Columbia and the Republic of Georgia. This has been confirmed by the Depository of the Hague Convention.
• A domestic law in Georgia permited lawyers to arrange private adoptions, however these lawyers are not licensed or accredited under the Hague Convention to arrange intercountry adoptions. These privately arranged adoptions contravene the Hague Convention. Throughout Canada, there have been reports of irregularities with these privately arranged adoptions.
• The Canadian Embassy, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) and the Ministry of Justice have confirmed that the Government of Georgia is not able to comply with the Hague Convention at this time.
• New legislation has been signed by the President of Georgia which effectively terminates private adoptions by foreigners. However, the Ministry of Education in Georgia will be making a legislative proposal to improve the existing adoption legislation, which would include the implementation of the Hague Convention.

Consultations occurred with all provinces, DFAIT, Ministry of Justice, Citizenship and Immigration Canada and Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) to discuss these irregularities and contraventions.

DFAIT has recommended that no new applications to adopt children in Georgia be approved until the Central Authority in Georgia can be involved in all adoption cases.

Effective immediately (November 3, 2003), the Director of Adoption will not issue Letters of Approval and Notifications of Agreement for privately arranged adoptions of children from Georgia. No exceptions will be made. This situation will be reviewed regularly by the Director of Adoption.