Rule 5:10-16.Adoptions of United States Citizens by Residents of Foreign Countries That Are...
Last amended September 1, 2011 · Current through September 1, 2026 · Last verified September 8, 2026
Full Text of Rule 5:10-16
Amendment History
New Jersey publishes each rule’s amendment record in a “Note” beneath the rule. It is reproduced verbatim below; a “Source” line names the former rule the current one grew out of, and “R. (1969)” citations refer to the earlier numbering it replaced.
Note: Adopted July 21, 2011 to be effective September 1, 2011.
Plain-English Summary
One sentence, and it is the counterpart to the rule before it. Where the receiving country is not a signatory to the Hague Adoption Convention, none of that Convention's machinery applies.
Instead the adoption conforms to the rules for domestic adoptions — the same complaint contents, the same Surrogate review, the same hearings. The child's destination abroad does not change the New Jersey procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What rules apply if the adopting family lives in a non-Hague country?
The rules for domestic adoptions.
How is that different from a Hague country adoption?
Rule 5:10-15 applies where the Convention governs, requiring evidence on a detailed list of points and findings supporting a Hague Certificate or Custody Declaration. Where the country is not a signatory, none of that applies.