INTRODUCTION

Objectives of the Questionnaire

1. This 2026 Questionnaire on the practical operation of the 1993 Adoption Convention (2026 Questionnaire) has been drafted in preparation for the upcoming Sixth Meeting of the Special Commission (SC) on the practical operation of the Convention of 29 May 1993 on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (1993 Adoption Convention) scheduled to take place from Tuesday 15 to Friday 18 June 2027 (for 3.5 working days).^[1]
    
2. The objective of this 2026 Questionnaire is to compile information on how Contracting Parties to the 1993 Adoption Convention currently operate this Convention. It covers topics identified by States in their responses to the 2025 Questionnaire on possible topics for discussion at the Sixth Meeting of the SC (2025 Questionnaire),^[2] which were then compiled in the Analysis of the responses to the 2025 Questionnaire.^[3]
    
3. The responses received will assist the Permanent Bureau (PB) of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) in drafting documentation to assist the discussions during the Sixth Meeting of the SC.

Coordination for answering and submitting the Questionnaire

4. This 2026 Questionnaire is sent to Central Authorities of Contracting Parties to the 1993 Adoption Convention as well as to National and Contact Organs of Members of the HCCH:

• Members and Contracting Parties are invited to conduct consultations with competent authorities, bodies and relevant stakeholders in their respective State in filling out this Questionnaire.
   
• For States with more than one Central Authority, these authorities are kindly asked to coordinate, as appropriate, between themselves.
   
• For Contracting Parties to the 1993 Adoption Convention, Central Authorities are ultimately responsible for submitting the completed Questionnaire to the PB.
   
• Members and Contracting Parties to the 1993 Adoption Convention are kindly requested to send only one (coordinated) response per State.

Practical instructions for completion

5. Please note the following to complete this 2026 Questionnaire:

• Submitting your response: Please respond to the questionnaire via this online version in LimeSurvey. You can consult the complete questionnaire in PDF via the following link. The PDF version is only for consultation, not for responding.
   
• Deadline for submitting responses: Thursday 15 October 2026.
   
• Questions for States of origin only, for receiving States only and for both: Each question specifies whether the question is addressed to States of origin, receiving States or to both. If your State is both a State of origin and a receiving State, please respond from both perspectives and identify to which your response refers, if necessary. If a question is not applicable in your State, please respond “N/A”.
   
• (e-)Country Profiles:
  • Responses: Please ensure that you have responded to your State’s (e-)Country Profile for the 1993 Adoption Convention and / or that it is up to date.
     
  • Cross-reference: If your response to your State’s (e-)Country Profile for the 1993 Adoption Convention assists with your answer to any question herein, you can either indicate so in your answer to this Questionnaire (please indicate the (e-)Country Profile’s question number) and / or you can reproduce that response in this Questionnaire for ease of reference.
     
• Visibility of responses: The PB intends, except where expressly asked not to do so, to place all responses to this 2026 Questionnaire, as well as a compilation of responses, on the HCCH website (www.hcch.net). Respondents are therefore requested to clearly indicate if their response (or responses to specific questions) should not be made available on the HCCH website.

6. Thank you in advance for responding to the Questionnaire which will assist the PB in preparing for the Sixth Meeting of the SC