Intercountry Adoption and the 1993 Hague Convention

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What forms and documents will the court need?

The court will need:

• Your completed form A59 Application for a Convention adoption order, and three copies; and
• where the UK is the child's place of birth, a certified copy of the full birth certificate for the child or, if the child has previously been adopted, a certified copy of the entry in the Adopted Children Register;
• where the child was born outside the UK, a certified copy of the child's original birth certificate, any abandonment certificate/declaration, or where the child has been adopted, a certified copy of the entry in the register of adoptions as recognised in the State of Origin or a certified copy of the adoption certificate.

You may also have to provide any of the following, depending on your circumstances:

• if you were a party to the proceedings, a copy of any other final order relating to the child that has effect and, if possible, a copy of any maintenance agreement or maintenance award relating to the child;
• if you were a party to the proceedings, a copy of any final order relating to a full, half or step brother or sister of the child that has effect;
• where a parent of the child has died, a certified copy of the death certificate;
• if you are submitting evidence of your marriage or civil partnership, a certified copy of your marriage certificate or certificate of civil partnership;
• if your spouse or civil partner has died, a certified copy of the death certificate;
• if you are divorced or your civil partnership has been dissolved, a copy of any decree absolute or decree of nullity of your marriage or a copy of any dissolution order or nullity order of your civil partnership;
• any documentary evidence supporting the reasons why you are applying to adopt the child without your spouse or civil partner, such as a decree of judicial separation;
• where the child is coming to live in the UK and you are (or in the case of a couple, one of you is) not a British Citizen, confirmation from the Home Office that the child is authorised to enter and reside permanently in the UK;
• if your name as entered on the application form is different from the name shown on any evidence of marriage or civil partnership you are sending with your application, any documentary evidence to explain the difference.

This is not an exhaustive list of the documents the court may need. You will find a list of documents to be attached on the application form A59. You may obtain copies of form A59 from any of the specialist courts that are intercountry adoption centres, or from the HMCS website: http://www.dca.gov.uk/family/procrules/