On 31 January 2002, the Bulgarian Parliament ratified the 1993 Hague Convention on protection of children and cooperation in respect of intercountry adoption.

The Convention is in force for Bulgaria from 1 September 2002.

The Convention shall apply where a child habitually resident in one Contracting State (the State of origin), has been, is being or is to be moved to another Contracting State (the Receiving State).

The Convention covers only adoptions which create a permanent parent-child relationship.

For instance:

1. A Bulgarian family resides in Greece for the last 6 years where the spouses work. They file an application for adoption before the Child Protection Department at their permanent address in Bulgaria as they have willingness to adopt a Bulgarian child under the conditions of full adoption.
2. A Bulgarian woman who lives in Spain for 7 years is willing to adopt her niece who is full orphan and lives in Bulgaria in a specialised institution.

How International Social Service - Bulgaria can help

• By providing information and consultancy to Bulgarian citizens who have their permanent residence abroad and who are willing to adopt a child from Bulgaria. The consultancy may include in particularly information about the procedures that have to be followed and the bodies and the agencies to which the applicants can make their referral.
• By assisting in obtaining post-adoption report on the adaptation of the child into his/her family for a period up to 2 years after the adoption.