Gabon is not a party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention or Convention). Under the Intercountry Adoption Universal Accreditation Act of 2012 (UAA), which became effective on July 14, 2014, the requirement that adoption service providers be accredited or approved, and therefore meet the accreditation standards, which previously only applied in Convention cases, now also applies in non-Convention (“orphan”) cases under section 101(b)(1)(F) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The UAA requires that an accredited or approved adoption service provider act as the primary provider in every Convention or non-Convention intercountry adoption case, and that adoption service providers providing any adoption services, as defined at 22 CFR Part 96.2, on behalf of prospective adoptive parents be accredited or approved, or be a supervised or exempted provider. See additional guidance for limited situations when a primary provider may not be required. Intercountry adoptions of children from non-Convention countries continue to be processed under the Orphan Process with the filing of the Forms I-600A and I-600. However, adoption service providers should be aware of the information on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website on the impact of the UAA on Form I-600A and Form I-600 adjudications, including the requirement that all home studies, including home study updates and amendments, comply with the home study requirements listed at 8 CFR 204.311, which differ from the orphan home study requirements that were in effect before July 14, 2014.

U.S. citizens interested in adopting children from Gabon should contact the adoption authority of Gabon to inquire about applicable laws and procedures. U.S. citizen prospective adoptive parents living in Gabon who would like to adopt a child from the United States or from a third country should also contact Gabon’s adoption authority. See contact information below.

Caution: Prospective adoptive parents should be aware that not all children in orphanages or children’s homes are eligible for adoption. In many countries, birth parents place their child(ren) temporarily in an orphanage or children’s home due to financial or other hardship, intending that the child return home when possible. In such cases, the birth parent(s) have rarely relinquished their parental rights or consented to the adoption of their child(ren).

Please visit the Department of State’s country page for more information on travelling to Gabon and U.S. Embassy Libreville’s website for information on consular services.

Gabonese Adoption Authority

Ministère De La Promotion Et De L’intégration De La Femme Au Développement, Chargé De La Lutte Contre Les Violences Faites Aux Femmes, Chargé Du Suivi De La Stratégie De L’investissement Humain, Et Des Solidarités Nationales: La Direction Générale Des Affaires Sociales. The primary contact is Paul Saturnine ONDO ENGOUROU.

Boulevard du Bord de Mer, BP 5684, Libreville, Gabon
Tel: + (241) 77 28 42 01
Internet: famille.gouv.ga 

Embassy Of The Gabonese Republic To The United States Of America
2034 20th St, NW Washington, DC 20009
Tel: 202-797-1000
​Fax: 202-332-0668
Email: info@gabonembassyusa.org
Internet: gabonembassyusa.org

U.S. Embassy in Libreville, Gabon
Sablière B.P. 4000, Libreville
Tel: +241 01-45-71-00
Email:  LibrevilleACS@state.gov
Internet: ga.usembassy.gov

Office of Children’s Issues
U.S. Department of State
CA/OCS/CI
SA-17, 9^th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20522-1709
Tel: 1-888-407-4747
Email: Adoption@state.gov
Internet: adoption.state.gov

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

For questions about filing a Form I-600A application or a Form I-600 petition with the

USCIS National Benefits Center (NBC):

Tel: 1-877-424-8374 (toll free); 1-913-275-5480 (local); Fax:1- 913-214-5808
Email: NBC.Adoptions@uscis.dhs.gov

For general questions about immigration procedures:

USCIS Contact Center
Tel: 1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833)
Internet: uscis.gov