Which countries have children you can adopt?
In theory you can adopt from any country in the world as long as a moratorium has not being placed on that country and you fulfil their criteria.
There are two countries, Guatemala and Cambodia, where Britain has placed a suspension on adoption. You will not be permitted to adopt from either of these two countries.
Some countries, like Romania, have placed a stop on international adoptions and thus they will not allow you to adopt one of their children.
Some countries have very positive international adoption procedures in place e.g. Russia and others, like India, although it has an international adoption programme are reluctant to work with UK families (there is a new linking service which may change this attitude)
Traditionally, China has had a good inter-country adoption process, however, at present, there is a very long wait (up to 6 years) for Chinese children.
Remember though, that 'all things change in international adoption' and where one country is accepting applicants one day, it could stop at any time, and one country that did not have an adoption programme, may introduce one. Processes are always being improved and systems overhauled. International adoption has as its very core, the idea of honour and shame, and thus each country endeavours to do the very best for their children in need. International Adoption Guide aims to keep the most up to date information available.
It is important to bear in mind, a country who is choosing to adopt its children out of the country needs to make sure that the potential parents are going to provide a better home for the child, then the child's birth parents (if still alive) or the institution where they are at the moment. The criteria that the set out are one way that they can begin to screen applicants.
A brief outline of specific country's criteria for adoption follows. Only in very exceptional circumstances, (and kinship adoption,) will authorities allow you to adopt without fulfilling the standard criteria.
The main criteria that country's look at in prospective adoptive parents for their children are:
1. Age
2. Marital status
3. Religion
4. Number of Marriages
5. Number of Children
6. Financial Status
7. Health both Mental and Physical
8. Other
Some countries have very strict criteria, eg. China has a limit on body mass, others only have two or three criteria that you have to fulfil.
If you do not meet the conditions that they stipulate, that country is unlikely to accept you as possible potential parents for their children in need.
A brief outline of specific country's criteria for adoption are included here. Only in very exceptional circumstances (and kinship adoption) will authorities allow you to adopt without fulfilling the standard criteria. Look through the country lists to find out if you fit before you decide to adopt from that country.
