Who can adopt?

Find out if you could grow your family with intercountry adoption

We are looking for special parents to adopt some of the world’s most vulnerable children who are waiting for families. Our adoptive parents come from a range of backgrounds; single, married, LGBTQ+, already a parent or managing a disability. Many of our adopters are from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds adopting from countries they are connected to.

 

To adopt from overseas, you need to be eligible in both the UK and the country you wish to adopt from. To be eligible in the UK, you must:

  • Be over 21 years of age
  • Be habitually resident in the UK
  • Have not been found guilty of or cautioned for a prescribed offence. These are generally offences against or involving children.

Other countries have their own criteria, which are often more extensive than the UK, and look at things like age, religion, health or marital status. You can do your own research into the eligibility criteria of the country you are seeking to adopt from. If your Local Authority subscribes to our services, you can contact our Advice Line to discuss the specific requirements of the country.

You will need to be able to travel to your chosen country on at least one occasion. For some countries, you would need to travel there on more than one occasion or be prepared to remain in the country for a period of time.

“We are sitting here watching ‘Room on the Broom’. And it’s just lovely. Not just the movie, but the experience of sitting here with our daughter, whilst our tiny 9 month old is down for his snooze. And this is an unimaginable dream.”
Mr and Mrs MN, who adopted from Pakistan
“We adopted our beautiful daughter from Pakistan with the help of Intercountry Adoption Centre. The staff are very friendly and helpful and the organisation is efficient and professional. We were assisted throughout the whole procedure and especially whilst we were out in Pakistan.”
Mr and Mrs U, who adopted from Pakistan

Speak to our friendly team

Don’t know where to start? Contact us to find out whether you’re eligible for intercountry adoption. You can also use our free Advice Line service for further information on what to expect on the intercountry adoption journey.