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

The Hague Convention on Protection of Children & Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Convention) is an international law. The purpose of the Hague Convention is to require a process which ensures that intercountry adoption of a child is determined to be in the child’s best interests, and that all measures are taken to prevent abduction, sale or traffic in children.

Both the Philippines and British Columbia are signatories to the Hague Convention and therefore, it has the force of law in all intercountry adoptions between the Philippines and British Columbia. As a result, all BC residents must follow the process dictated by the Hague Convention when adopting a relative or non-relative child from the Philippines.

In order to begin the adoption process, please contact a British Columbia licensed adoption agency. A list of these agencies can be found on the ministry’s web site http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/adoption/contacts.htm

Information regarding the Hague Convention and the process that must be followed to adopt a relative or non-relative child can be found on the ministry’s web site http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/adoption/index.htm

If an adoption order has already been obtained from a Regional Trial Court in the Philippines, please contact a British Columbia licensed adoption agency in order to proceed with the Hague Convention adoption process.