Intercountry Adoption Closed Between Latvia and the United States

Last Updated: July 20, 2022

In December 2021, the Latvian Parliament passed amendments to the Law on the Protection of the Children's Rights, which effectively prohibits intercountry adoptions to the United States. Under the new law, intercountry adoption from Latvia is only permitted to countries that have ratified both the Hague Adoption Convention and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and have concluded a bilateral agreement with Latvia establishing a specific process for adoption. As of July 1, 2022, U.S. prospective adoptive parents are therefore no longer able to pursue intercountry adoption of children from Latvia to the United States.