The Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, is a treaty that covers adoptions of children between countries that are party to it. This international agreement, among other things, requires countries to create a Central Authority responsible for adoptions, and establishes uniform requirements and procedures that govern international adoption of children that move from one Hague country to another.

Since October 5, 1961, abolished the requirement of legalization for foreign public documents, and established a basic certification, of public documents, outside their country of origination. Member countries have adopted a standard of the authenticity of public documents, called an Apostille. See also: Apostille