Adopting a child from another country involves navigating legal requirements in both the child's country of origin and the United Kingdom. The process is governed by the Hague Convention on Inter-Country Adoption for convention countries, and by separate regulations for non-convention countries.
Nara Solicitors advises prospective adoptive parents on the legal steps involved in inter-country adoption. This includes understanding the eligibility requirements, the home study and approval process, working with the relevant central authorities, and ensuring compliance with both UK immigration rules and adoption legislation.
Once an adoption is completed overseas, there are further steps required to bring the child to the UK and to ensure the adoption is legally recognised. Depending on the country of origin and the type of adoption order, you may need to apply for entry clearance for the child and subsequently register the adoption in the UK.
We also advise on British citizenship applications for adopted children, where the child may be eligible depending on the immigration status of the adoptive parents and the nature of the adoption order.
If you are considering adopting a child from overseas or are already in the process, contact us for guidance on the UK legal requirements.