L'Agence Française d'Adoption (AFA)

According to a Note from the Central Authority, received 1by the Hague Convention on 2 December 2006:

"(unofficial translation)
The French Agency of Adoption was set up by Law of Parliament n° 2005-744 promulgated on 4 July 2005. It is a public organisation placed under the control of the State with a mandate to provide information and advice and to act as an intermediary body for the adoption of foreign minors less than 15-year-old.
As per above-mentioned law, this agency is entitled to intervene as an intermediary for adoption in all countries that are parties to the Hague Convention of May 29, 1993 on protection of children and cooperation in respect of intercountry adoption.
A.F.A thus became, within the meaning of chapter III and of the provisions of article 22 of the convention, a body accredited by France to intervene in all the other contracting States.
It is in particular entitled to perform the procedural functions laid down in articles 14 to 17, 19 and 20 of the convention, whether be it for sending new applications for adoption or for taking over from the Mission of the International Adoption (M.A.I.) of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs the follow-up of the procedures already initiated by the latter. This includes:

- making the report relating to the applicant provided for in article 15,
- delivering the agreement that the adoption may further proceed and, when necessary, the certificate relating to the authorization to enter and reside permanently in France, provided for in article 17.