Slovenia is a party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Convention). Intercountry adoption processing in Convention countries must be done in accordance with the Convention; the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (IAA); the IAA’s implementing regulations; and all applicable legislation and regulations of Slovenia.
While adoption is legally possible, children from Slovenia generally are not placed for intercountry adoption. The Slovenian Family Code (Official Gazette RS, no. 15/17, 21/18-ZNOrg, 22/19 and 67/19- ZMatR-C) permits foreign nationals to adopt a Slovenian child when the adopting parent is the spouse of the child’s parent, or is a relative of the Slovenian child. A foreign national may also adopt a Slovene orphan in the exceptional case that the Slovene Central Authority is unable to find a permanent domestic placement for the child among citizens of Slovenia. Such an exception would need to be approved by the Minister of Labor, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities. At this time, Slovenia’s Central Authority receives more adoption applications from Slovene nationals than there are children eligible for adoption. Therefore, intercountry adoptions of Slovene orphans are not occurring at this time.
No child from Slovenia has received a U.S. immigrant visa based on an intercountry adoption in more than 17 years. The information provided is intended primarily to assist in extremely rare adoption cases from Slovenia, including adoptions of children from Slovenia by relatives in the United States, as well as adoptions from third countries by U.S. citizens living in Slovenia.
U.S. citizens interested in adopting children from Slovenia should contact the Central Authority of Slovenia to inquire about applicable laws and procedures. U.S. citizen prospective adoptive parents living in Slovenia who would like to adopt a child from the United States or from a third country should also contact Slovenia’s Central Authority. Prospective adoptive parents who are stationed overseas on U.S. military orders, posted overseas on U.S. government orders, or are private citizens living abroad are cautioned that the Convention may apply to an adoption completed in the United States, in the host country, and/or involving a child from a third country. We also strongly encourage such prospective adoptive parents to consult with the Central Authority of the country where they are physically residing, and/or where the child is residing, to determine whether the Convention applies to a proposed adoption. See contact information below.
Please visit the Department of State’s country pages for more information on traveling to Slovenia and the U.S. Embassy in Ljubljana website for information on consular services.
The consular officer will send a letter (referred to as an “Article 5/17 Letter”) to Slovenia’s Central Authority in any intercountry adoption involving U.S. citizen adoptive parents and a child from Slovenia if all Convention requirements are met and the child appears eligible to immigrate to the United States. This letter will inform Slovenia’s Central Authority that the parents are suitable and eligible to adopt, that the child appears eligible to enter and reside permanently in the United States, and that the U.S. Central Authority agrees that the adoption may proceed.
Warning: Do not attempt to adopt a child in Slovenia before USCIS has provisionally approved your Form I-800 petition AND a U.S. consular officer issues the “Article 5/17 Letter” for your adoption case.
Remember: The consular officer will make a final decision about a child’s eligibility for an immigrant visa later in the adoption process.
