What to Expect for Armenian Children Adopted by Foreigners: Clarification from the Ministry of Justice

The Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia has issued a statement regarding the adoption process in response to the inquiries of National Assembly member Sofia Hovhannisyan.

“1. The Ministry of Justice of Armenia has been recognized as the central authority operating under the framework of the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption.

2. The relationships and processes related to the subsequent monitoring of the fates of children adopted in foreign states are clearly regulated.

3. The central authority applies annually, until the child reaches the age of five post-adoption, to the central authority or accredited organization of that foreign state for information about the living conditions of the child adopted from Armenia.

4. Reports regarding the living conditions of adopted children, which include assessments of the child's living conditions, health status information, and photographs compiled by the competent authorities of the cooperating state, are received, examined, and maintained by the central authority.

5. The central authority, in cooperation with its partners, maintains ongoing communication with adoptive families, including visits to adoptive families at the invitation of the central authorities of the cooperating country, aimed at directly interacting with the adopted children.

It is noteworthy that to date, the central authority has not received any negative reports or information regarding children adopted by foreigners, and the living conditions of these children abroad are adequately ensured, receiving the necessary medical assistance and being under the supervision of the relevant authorities of that state.

6. The confidentiality of the adopted child's data is guaranteed by the legislation of the Republic of Armenia; therefore, the central authority has no right to present any personalized information about the fact of foreign adoption, the process, and the child to individuals not involved in the process.

7. As of January 2019, more than 240 children who have not been adopted by citizens of Armenia are registered with the central authority. The central authority is fully confident in finding families for these children, regardless of geographical location and national affiliation,” the statement reads.