The number of international adoptions to the United States has significantly declined, plummeting by 94% since 2004, according to the latest data from the U.S. State Department.
In fiscal year 2004, U.S. officials recorded a staggering 22,988 international adoptions.
However, that figure dropped sharply to just 1,275 by fiscal year 2023, marking a stark shift in adoption trends over nearly two decades.
International adoptions have also begun to represent a smaller percentage of all adoptions within the United States.
Historically, from 1999, the majority of international adoptees to the U.S. came from five primary countries: China, Russia, Guatemala, South Korea, and Ethiopia.
Together, these nations accounted for varying shares of international adoptions—29% from China, 16% from Russia, 10% from Guatemala, 8% from South Korea, and 6% from Ethiopia.
Recently, however, all five countries have moved to impose restrictions on international adoptions.
China and Ethiopia enacted bans on foreign adoptions in 2024 and 2018, respectively.
In Russia, U.S. citizens have been barred from adopting children since 2013, with new regulations further limiting adoptions to citizens of various countries last year.
As a result, reports indicate that no Russian children were adopted internationally in 2024.
Guatemala halted international adoptions in 2008 amid concerns regarding corruption and child trafficking issues.
As of July 2024, South Korea declared it will cease all private international adoptions following a government investigation that uncovered long-standing irregularities.
The decline in international adoptions is not unique to the United States, as other countries that once recorded high numbers of adoptions, including Canada, France, Italy, and Spain, have also seen significant decreases over the past two decades.
In France, for example, international adoptions peaked at 4,079 in 2004 but fell to just 103 by 2024, representing a dramatic 97% drop.
Spain has experienced a similar trend, with its international adoptions declining by 96% between 2004 and 2023, the most recent year for which data is available.
Additionally, some nations have started to restrict their citizens’ ability to adopt children from overseas.
In December 2024, the Netherlands outlined a plan to phase out international adoptions by the year 2030.
Denmark effectively ended its international adoption programs after the closure of its sole agency dedicated to such adoptions early last year.
The regulation of international adoptions is primarily governed by the 1993 Hague Convention, which aims to set ethical standards for foreign adoptions to prioritize the best interests of adoptees and combat child trafficking.
Both the U.S. and members of the European Union are signatories to this convention.
Under this framework, international adoptions are overseen by a centralized network of government authorities in participating countries.
To proceed with an adoption, essential requirements include obtaining parental consent and giving fair consideration to placements within the child’s international origin.
This complex landscape of regulations and shifting policies illustrates the challenges facing international adoptions today.
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