Countries
Depending on the habitual residence of the adoptive candidates, the intercountry adoption procedure is characterized with different requirements and is being monitored by different central authorities.
Legislation and Central Authority
UK signed the Hague Convention on Protection and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption on 12 january 1994, ratifies it on 27 February 2003 and it entered into force on 1 June 2003.
Central Authorities under the Hague Convention in the UK are:
For England – The Department for Education
For Wales – National assembly of Wales
For Scotland – Scottish Executive
For Northern Ireland – Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
The Central authorities issue the Certificate of Eligibility to Adopt and the Certificates under art.17 and art. 23 of the Hague Convention.
Home study
You need to contact a local authority or a voluntary adoption agency which works on intercountry adoption. You will need to be assessed and approved as eligible and suitable to adopt. The law allows only local authorities and voluntary adoption agencies registered to deal with intercountry adoption to assess prospective adopters who want to adopt from abroad. Once you are approved for an adoptive parent, your agency will send your application to the Department of Education. After reviewing your application and documents, the Department of Education will issue the Certificate of Eligibility to Adopt.
For more information about the international adoption procedure you can visit the website of the Department of Education (http://www.education.gov.uk/b0074482/the-process-of-intercountry-adoption/current).
Eligibility requirements
In order to be able to adopt you need to meet the UK law requirements, i.e. you shall be 21 years old, you shall not have any criminal convictions and you shall have permanent residency in the UK for at least a year prior the submission of the application.
Recognition of the adoption
Achildadoptedfromacountry,partytotheHagueConventionbyacitizenofthe UKisautomaticallyrecognizedinthecountry.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require additional information.
Legislation and Central Authority
Federal Republic of Germany is a party to the Hague Convention on Protection and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption since 1 March 2002.
For the Federal Republic of Germany on federal level the functions of the Centra Authority under the Hague Convention are entrusted to the German Chief Federal Prosecutor at the Supreme Federal Court.
On a reagional level the powers of the Central Authority are executed by the central bureaus for adoptions at the Regional social services for children and youths.
The Central Federal Bureau has a coordinating function in general matters related to international cooperation, such as exchange of information regarding the applicable legislation, questions related to the adoption procedure, statistic and questions related to specific cases.
Citizenship of the adopted child:
Regarding the citizenship of a child adopted through intercounry adoption, the Law on citizenship as of 22 July 1913 are applied, last amendment adopted on 15 July 1999.
According to Second chapter of this law: Citizenship in a federal provice can be aquired through adoption unless the adopted child has turned 18 at the time of the submission of the application for adoption.
The children of the adopted child by a German citizen also becomes a German citizen according to par. 6 of the Law on Citizenship.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require additional information.
Legislation and Central Authority
Greece ratified the Hague Convention on Protection and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption on 2 september 2009 and it became effective on 01 January 2010.
The functions of the Central Authority under the Hague Convention are entrusted to the Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity and to agencies and organizations, specialized in the field of intercounrty adoptions.
The intercountry adoption in Greece as a consequence of an adoption decree, that has become effective in a foreign country – party to the Convention is regognized if the following conditions are met:
- a) A certificate by the Central Authorty is received, stating that the adoption was realized according the Convention
- b) The adoption is in the best interest of the child
Please contact us if you have any questions or require additional information.
Legislation and Central Authority
Italy ratified the Hague Convention on Protection and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption on 31 December 1998 and entered into force on 16 November 2000. The Central Authority under the Hague Convention is the Commission on intercounry adoptions in Rome.
Who can adopt?
According art. 6 of Law №184/04 as of May 1983 for adoption of minor children from Italian citizens, the adoption is allowed in the following cases:
- The prospective adoptive parents are married for at least three years and that there were not separated during the last three years. It is not possible for Italian couples to adopt if they were separated.
- Spouses that are not separated and who are capable of raising, educating and financially supporting the minor children, who they want to adopt.
- The prospective adoptive parents shall have a home study prepared by the local Social services
- The prospective adoptive parents shall be assesed as eligible to adopt with a decision by the Court for minors
- There are strickt requirements related to the age difference between the adoptive parents and the adopted child:
- a) The minimum age between the adoptive parent and the child shall be at least 18 years
- b) The maximum age difference shall be 45 for one of the parents and 55 for the other, as this age difference can be different if the adoptive parents adopt two or more childeren or if they have either a biological or adopted child.
Home study:
According art. 29, par. 3, par. 4 and par. 5 the municipal social services provide information on the intercountry adoption, prepare the adoptive parents and prepare the home study about their eligibility to adopt.
Main stages:
The prospective adoptive parents shall inform the Minors Court about their permanent residence and by providing a declaration for predesposition to adopt they request the Court to declare them suitable to adopt.
Pursuant to Art. 30, par. 3 of Law №476, a copy of the decision of the Minors Court, and a copy of the report of the Services for social support the whole available information is being sent to the Central Authority – the Commission on intercountry adoptions in Rome.
The term of the approval is valid for the whole adoption procedure.
Validity term of the certificate of eligibility:
The decision issued by the Italian Minors Court about the eligibility to adopt is valid throughout the procedure. The adoption procedure shall be initiated by the adoptive parents within one year of the date of the decision. Within this period the prospective adoptive parents shall authorize an Italian accredited agency to intermediate in their adoption procedure.
Partner organizations in Italy:
Saо Jose Amici del Mondo (SJAMO), Lo Scoiatollo ЕТС, Associazione "Il Mantello ONLUS", Fondazione Patrizia Nidoli
Please contact us if you have any questions or require additional information.
Legislation and Central Autority
The Kingdom of Spain is a party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. The Central Authority under the Hague Convention with coordinating functions, cooperation and communication is the Ministry of Labour and Social Services in Madrid. Each region or autonous communities in the Kingdom of Spain has a local central authority, responsible for the preparation of the home study and the approval of the prospective adoptive parents for intercountry adoption. These are the General Directorate for Social Services, Childeren and Families and the directorates at the Social Service Councels in each autonomous community in Spain. The local central autorities, at the regional and autonomous communities in the Kingdom of Spain are responsible for the preparation of the home study of the prospective adoptive parents and their approval. Each autonomous community has their own specific reglations in the preparation of the adoption process.
Adoption in Spain
The adoption is full and leads to the establishement of new family relationship, equal to the biological and therefor the relationship of the adopted child with his/her biological parents is terminaed.
According the instructions of the Spanish Ministry of Justice as of 15 February 1999, the registration of an adopted child in the civil register shall be done with the names of the adoptive parents, without mentioning the adoption, as it is equal to registering a biological child.
Eligibility requirements towards the prospective adoptive parents applying to adopt a child through intercountry adoption
Pursuant to Art.175 of №21/1987, amending the Civil Code and the Law on the citizenship, regulating the adoptions, the prospective adoptive parents must be at least 25 years old. When married couples apply to adopt, it is enough for one of the parents to be at least 25 years old. In any case, the adoptive parent shall be at least 14 years older than the adopted child.
Competent authorities under the Hague Convention
The eligibility certificate and the home studies for intercounry adoptions are prepared by the Local Central Authorities at the place of residence of the applicants.
Main stages:
The adoptive parents that wish to apply for approval for intercountry adoption shall be registered in the registry of the Central Authority in their place of residence in order for their eligibility to be evaluated.
Validity of the Certificate of eligibility
The validity of the Certificate of eligibility to adopt of the adoptive parents is different in the different communities in Spain, but it is always mentioned in the document. Pursuant to Art.10 of Law № 54/2007 the Certificate of eligibility is valid for 3 years.
Recognition of the intercounry adoption
Pursuant to Art.23 of the Hague Convention, upon certifying that the adoption is realized in line with the Convention, the adoption is recognized by the accepting country and in this sense the adoption of a child in a country, party to the Hague convention is automatically recognized in Spain.
Partner organizations in Spain:
ADECOP
Please contact us if you have any questions or require additional information.
Legislation and Central Authority
Sweden ratified the Hague Convention on Protection and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption on 1 September 1997, pursuant to art. 1 of the Act consequent on Sweden's accession to the Hague Convention.
Central Authority
According to art. 2 of the Act consequent on Sweden's accession to the Convention, the Central Autority of Sweden according to art. 6 of the Convention is the Swedish Intercountry Adoptions Authority (MIA).
Swedish Intercountry Adoptions Authority (MIA) is a government authority under the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. MIA is also the central authority as referred to in the Convention and performs the tasks incumnent on such an authority, except where otherwise indicated by law or other statute.
Functions of the Central Authority
The primary tasks of MIA are:
- Authorizing and supervising the non-government organizations. The accreditation is granted for a specific period of time and it shall mention the specific country it has been issued for. Each organization is accredited for 5 years and 2 years is the accreditation for each particular country the organization works with;
- Considering whether the adoption procedure is acceptable or not in certain individual cases such as family-related adoptions;
- Observing the international development and research;
- Negotiating with authorities and non-governmental organizations in other countries in relation to signing of bilateral agreements and to sign such agreemets;
- Conducting information activities and providing information and support to the public autorities and non-governmental organizations;
- Issuing certificates under art. 23 of the Convention when the adoption has taken place in Sweden or when a foreign adoption order has been transported in Sweden as provided in Artcile 27 of the Convention.
Recognition of the intercountry adoption in Sweden
Pursuant to Art.4 of the Intercountry Adoption Intermediation Act, adoption court decrees issued in a foreigh country shall be accepted in Sweden and the the adopted child shall acquires the same status as it it has been born in the family.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require additional information.
Legislation and Central Authority
USA ratified the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercounry Adoptions and it eneterd into force on 1 April 2008.
By ratifying the Hague Convention and the adoption of the Intercountry Adoptions Act, the U.S. Department of State has been designated as the United States Central Authority for the Hague Convention and the powers and responsibilities of various government agencies have been defined.
- The Office of Children’s Issues at the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, actively engages in the operative issues in the intercountry adoption process;
- The US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) at the US Homeland Security is responsible for many stages in the intercountry adoption process, related to the immigration of the children adopted abroad in the USA. USCIS is also the authority that issues the adoption approval;
- Other government institutions also can perform part of the functions of the Central Authority, especially in the cases of adoption of child under the Hague Convention who immigrates in a different country.
Functions of the Central Authority
In the adoption process, officials from the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Homeland Security and representatives of agencies, accredited to intermediate in the intercountry adoption process, communicate with the Bulgrian Central Authority in relation to the different phases of the adoption process.
Recogizing of the adoption
According the legislation of the USA, the child adopted abroad automatically acquires U.S. citizenship on the date they immigrate to the United States.
Partner organizations in USA:
All God’s Children International (AGCI), „International Christian Adoptions“,“Children`s House International“, „Nightlight Christian Adoption”, “Hand in Hand International”, Holt International Children`s Services”
Please contact us if you have any questions or require additional information.
Legislation and Central authority
In Canada the intercountry adoption is regulated under provincial, territorial and foreign adoption laws and the adoption eligibility is determined by the provinces and territories. It is either the provinces and territories or licensed adoption agencies that carry out adoption case management. For information on the intercountry adoption process, prospective adoptive families shall contact their provincial or territorial adoption authority: Adoption Authorities – Provincial / Territorial Governments.
In Canada, adoption is under provincial or territorial jurisdiction. To be eligible to adopt a child, you must meet the adoption requirements of the province/territory where you live if you are living in Canada or the country where you live if you are living abroad; the central adoption authority of the country where the child lives.
Your provincial or territorial adoption autorities or the central adoption authority of the country in which you live if living abroad will tell you if you need to contact a licensed adoption agency, will advise you on the adoption laws of the country from where you want to adopt and explain the requirements of the Hague Convention that apply to intercountry adoptions between countries that have ratified the Hague Convention.
Visit Citizenship and Immigration Canada for information on how to bring your adopted child to Canada: International adoption.
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) is the federal department responsible for intercountry adoption issues at the national and international levels.
Intercountry Adoption Services (IAS), a unit within, works directly with the provinces and territories to provide information and guidance. However, the provinces and territories make the decisions regarding eligibility and assist Canadians in their efforts to adopt.
IAS’s role in intercountry adoption includes:
- developing pan-Canadian responses on issues such as unethical and irregular adoption practices and child trafficking;
- acting as a central database on adoption legislation, policies and practices of “sending” countries, research, data and statistics; and,
- encouraging communications and continually building on working relationships with provincial and territorial, federal, and foreign government counterparts in the adoption community.
Who can adopt?
In order to be able to adopt you should meet the requiremets of your province/territory.
Recognition of the Bulgarian adoption decree
The full adoption of a child from a country, party to the Hague convention is automatically recognized in all provinces and teritories of Canada.
Partner organizations in Canada:
UAS
Please contact us if you have any questions or require additional information.
Legislation and Central Authority
France signed the Hague Convention on Protection and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption on 5 April 1995 and ratified it on 30 June 1998. The Hague Convention became effective in France on 1 October 1998.
The Central Authority of France under the Hague Convention is the Intercountry Adoption Service (Service de l’Adoption Internationale) at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.
The Intercountry Adoption Service monitors the compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child of 1989 and the Hague Convention of 1993 and has strategic, regulatory and control functions.
Among the main functions if the central authority are: monitoring of the relationships between the countries and the Central Authorities of the various countries; signing of bilateral agreements; developing of strategies for international cooperation; control of the activities of the French Adoption Agency (l'AFA) and the licensed adoption agencies.
In order to be able for the French families to apply to adopt in Bulgaria, they must have an approval to adopt. The following persons may apply for approval to adopt:
- Prospective adoptive parents who are French citizens and live in France;
- Prospective adoptive parents who are foreigners and live in France;
- Prospective adoptive parents who are French citizens but live
Bulgaria is a party to the Hague Convention and the French families who wish to adopt from Bulgaria shall contact either a licensed accredited agency in France or to send their dossier to the French or to send their dossier to the French adoption agency (http://www.agence-adoption.fr/home/).
Who can adopt?
- Adoptive parents can be married couples who have been married for at least 2 Each of the adoptive parents shall be at least 28 years old;
- Single parents can also They shall be at least 28 years old;
- The adoptive parent shall be at least 15 years older than the adopted child;
- French citizens can adopt children younger than 15 years of
Recognition of the adoption
The full adoption of a child from a country, party to the Hague convention, such as Bulgaria is automatically recognized in France.
Partner organizations in France:
AYUDA
Please contact us if you have any questions or require additional information.
Legislation:
Adoption Act, 2010
Children Act, 1957
Child Care Act, 1964
Health Act, 1970
Status of Children Act, 1987
Central Authority:
The Adoption Board in the Department of Children and Youth Affairs is designated as the Central Authority (CA) under the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption in Ireland. The Board of Directors of the Adoption Board currently consists of 6 members.
Home Study Report
Applications for an assessment for a Declaration of Suitability for Adoption (also known as a Declaration under Article 15 of the Hague Convention) are submitted to the Agency for Children and Families or to an accredited body that carries out the assessment of prospective adoptive parents.
Applicants fill out an application form - a declaration in which they certify their identity, marital status, the country from which they intend to adopt a child and their place of residence. A social worker is appointed to prepare an assessment for the applicants. When the assessment is made, an Assessment Report for Intercountry Adoption is prepared, which is again prepared by the appointed social worker. A recommendation is prepared by the social worker, which contains his opinion on whether or not the Declaration of Suitability for prospective adoptive parents should be issued. The same letter also contains information about the profile of the child/children for whom they are suitable to adopt. This report is reviewed and signed by the social worker and his/her supervisor. The report is sent to the local adoption committee, which reviews the content of the report and also makes a recommendation. A copy of the report and recommendations are sent to the Central Adoption Office.
Age and other requirements for prospective adopters in international adoption
According to the Adoption Act of 2010, in order to proceed with an adoption, it is necessary:
the adopter, or in the case of the adopters being married, to be at least 21 years of age;
when adopting a married couple, both of them must be at least 21 years of age/;
when the adopters are a couple and one of them is the mother or father of the child or is close to the child, each of them must be at least 21 years of age.
There is no maximum age limit, but it is always considered whether the specific age of the candidates for adoption and their desire for the age of the child they want to adopt are compatible and in the best interests of the child.
Adoption of a child from Bulgaria is considered valid and automatically recognized in Ireland.
Partner organizations in Ireland:
Helping Hands
If you have any further questions, please contact us.
TABLE I – STATE OF ORIGIN
COSTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS
TO BE PAID IN [NAME OF THE STATE OF ORIGIN]
[YEAR]
Date completed:
Please note: In order to obtain a comprehensive overview of the costs and contributions which may need to be paid by the PAPs, one will need also to refer to Table II (costs and contributions to be paid in the receiving State) as completed by the receiving State in which the PAPs habitually reside.
|
COSTS |
|
|||||
|
Purpose of the service covered by the cost |
Charged by |
Name of the authority, body or person |
Amount[1] [currency] |
|
||
|
Administrative application fee[2] |
X CAN □ CAR □ PA □ N/A |
Ministry of Justice of republic of Bulgaria |
€ 51 |
|
||
|
Administrative processing fee[3] |
X CAN □ CAR □ PA □ N/A |
Ministry of Justice of republic of Bulgaria |
€ 26 |
|
||
|
Court fees |
X CT □ N/A |
Sofia’s Civil Court |
€ 63 |
|
||
|
Visa(s) for PAPs to enter the State of origin |
□ PA □ N/A |
- |
- |
|
||
|
Specialised professionals |
Legal services (e.g., legal advice and representation in the State of origin) |
X AB SO □ AB RS[4] □ OP □ N/A |
NGO Vesta |
€ 600 - € 1000 |
|
|
|
Notary’s fees |
X OP □ N/A |
Notary office |
€ 51 |
|
||
|
Medical services (e.g., health examination for the child) |
X OP □ N/A |
|
€ 0 - € 150 |
|
||
|
Specialised professionals |
Psychologists / counselling |
□ AB SO □ AB RS[5] X OP □ N/A |
|
€ 0 - € 150 |
|
|
|
Interpreter in the State of origin |
X AB SO □ AB RS[6] □ OP □ N/A |
|
€ 870 |
|
||
|
Other: |
|
|
|
|
||
|
Documentation |
Birth certificate(s) of the child |
X PA □ CT □ N/A |
|
€ 8 |
||
|
Passport from the State of origin |
X PA □ N/A |
|
€ 41 |
|||
|
Legalization of documents in the State of origin |
X PA □ CT □ N/A |
|
€ 410 |
|||
|
Translation of documents in the State of origin |
□ AB SO □ AB RS[7] X OP □ N/A |
|
€ 1150 |
|||
|
Other: Amount of the expenses for intermediation |
X AB SO |
|
€ 2710 - € 3110 |
|||
|
Other costs charged by an AB of the State of origin (not included in other categories) Amount of the administrative costs of VESTA, out of the range of activities on the specific adoption procedure, designated to cover expenses related to the overall functioning of the business`s organization of the mediation in international adoption and staff. |
X AB SO □ N/A |
|
€ 820 - € 1420 |
|||
|
Emigration / Exit fees for the child (e.g., fee to exit the State)[8] |
□ PA □ N/A |
|
|
|||
|
Other: [please specify] |
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CONTRIBUTIONS |
|||
|
Purpose |
Charged by |
Name of the authority, body or person |
Amount [currency] |
|
[Please specify for what purpose this money is collected] |
□ CAN □ CAR □ PA □ N/A |
- |
- |
|
[Please specify for what purpose this money is collected (e.g. for the care of the child)] |
□ AB SO □ N/A |
- |
- |
|
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS |
|
|
[Please specify if prospective adoptive parent(s) is / are required to personally travel to the State of origin and the number of compulsory trips[9] as well as the minimum number of days which he / she / they are required to stay in the State of origin]. |
According to he Regulation No.3/2014 of the Ministry of Justice the adoption applicants are obliged to establish a personal contact with the child by visiting them for at least 5 days. Only one parent can travel. In case of important circumstances the stay could be shorter.
The second trip`s duration is between 3-10 days depending on the receiving country`s requirements. Only one parent can travel with explicit Power of attorney from the other parent. There is also an option for escort of the child by representative explicitly authorized by the adoptive parents.
|
[1] For each category of costs, please indicate the currency, fixed amount, if applicable, or the range (minimum to maximum) that is charged for each category. See also p. 2 of this document for more details on the way to enter the “amount” in the tables.
[2] States should use this category to indicate whether they charge a standard fee when PAPs submit an application to adopt.
[3] States should use this category to indicate whether they charge subsequent fees at different stages of the adoption procedure (e.g., when the matching is done).
[4] Only applicable if not included already in the costs for services by a receiving States accredited body mentioned in Table II.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.
[8] This category of costs does not refer to costs associated with the immigration of the child into the receiving State; instead, it refers to any fees charged by the authorities of the State of origin in order for the child to exit the territory.
[9] States should be aware of the psychological trauma to the child which could occur when several trips are made to meet the child before the he or she is finally entrusted to the adoptive parents.