The Intercountry Adoption Universal Accreditation Act of 2012 (UAA) went into effect on July 14, 2014. As a result, individuals may no longer privately adopt internationally. The UAA requires American families to use an accredited adoption service provider (ASP) to serve as a Primary Provider in every international adoption case in which a US Citizen is the adoptive parent. In simple terms, families wishing to adopt relative or pre-identified children from overseas can no longer do so without the involvement of an accredited agency.

For many countries, there are long established adoption programs and agencies already providing experienced and quality adoption services. However, for countries where there are no established adoption programs, US Citizens wishing to adopt must identify a Primary Adoption Service Provider in order to adopt the child and obtain an immigrant US Visa for their adopted child (often a relative child).

Frank Adoption Services is proud to act as one of the few Hague accredited agencies to offer a Universal Accreditation/Primary Adoption Service Provider program to families wishing to adopt from countries without well-established adoption programs. We work with Kelly Dempsey, PLLC, a highly experienced adoption attorney and would be happy to help you complete an international adoption where feasible.

We are open to considering cases from around the globe; please contact admin@frankadopt.org to talk further. To see a list of countries where Frank Adoption Center has worked, click on the link below.