Thailand Child Adoption

The process of adopting children in Thailand varies depending on the nationality of the adoptive parents as well as the age and needs requirements of the child.  The Thailand government is very protective of Thai orphans and the adoption process reflects the government’s efforts to ensure orphans are adopted by qualified parents.

Thai Adoption Process

Adoption in Thailand is dealt with exclusively by the Child Adoption Center of the Department of Welfare (DPW).  There are no legally authorized private adoption agencies that adopt Thai children to foreign parents. However, there are non-government agencies that work directly with the DPW and are licensed to recommend placement of children with international adoptive parents. Nevertheless,  all applications are processed by the DPW.  The process for adopting children from Thailand can vary depending on the agency or lawyer that facilitates the process from Thailand and the laws of the adoptive parents’ home country.  One important consideration is the process of acquiring visas for the adopted child for the adoptive parents’ home country.

Thai Adoption Requirements

For potential adoptive parents of a Thai child, there are certain requirements that must be met; a) Adoptive parents must be married, b) both adoptive parents must be at least 25 years of age and c) Significantly older than the child to be adopted, and d) legally qualified to adopt in his/her own country.  Thai law also requires confirmation from an authorized agency in the foreign country that the adoption will be legalized before the DPW will begin the application process. 

Adoption Lawyer Thailand

Our Thai adoption attorneys can assist with all stages of the adoption process—including initially applying for the adoption as well as facilitating the issuance of visas in the adoptive parents’ home country.  Chaninat and Leeds is a bilingual firm that employs Thai and foreign lawyers; we have recently published an English translation of the Thai Child Adoption Act, the primary legal text on adoption in Thailand, available through selected resellers.