Adopt a child from abroad
Adopting a child from abroad is also known as 'intercountry adoption'.
Get legal advice
It's important to consider getting legal advice if you're thinking about adopting a child from abroad. The process will be different depending on the country you want to adopt from.
Find a solicitor
The Law Society of Scotland has a database of law firms that you can search to find legal advice. You can search by 'area of law' to look for solicitors to help with families and relationships.
Find a solicitor on the Law Society of Scotland.
Research the country you're adopting from
You should research the country you're adopting from to find out their adoption criteria and what fees you may be charged. The country's embassy or consulate can help you find information and give you advice about adoption.
Find information about other countries' embassies in the UK on GOV.UK.
Countries with adoption restrictions
There are currently restrictions on adopting a child from:
- Cambodia
- Ethiopia
- Guatemala
- Haiti
- Nepal
- Nigeria
This means you'll not normally be able to adopt from these countries unless you have an exemption to the restrictions.
Find out why there are restrictions for these countries and how to request an exemption.
Apply to adopt a child from abroad
You need to apply through your local council's adoption service.
Find your local council's adoption service to start your application
- Aberdeen City Council
- Aberdeenshire Council
- Angus Council
- Argyll and Bute Council
- Clackmannanshire Council
- Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
- Dumfries and Galloway Council
- Dundee City Council
- East Ayrshire Council
- East Dunbartonshire Council
- East Lothian Council
- East Renfrewshire Council
- Edinburgh Council
- Falkirk Council
- Fife Council
- Glasgow City Council
- Highland Council
- Inverclyde Council
- Midlothian Council
- Moray Council
- North Ayrshire Council
- North Lanarkshire Council
- Orkney Islands Council
- Perth and Kinross Council
- Renfrewshire Council
- Scottish Borders Council
- Shetland Islands Council
- South Ayrshire Council
- South Lanarkshire Council
- Stirling Council
- West Dunbartonshire Council
- West Lothian Council
The application process
Your local council will check whether you're suitable to adopt a child once you've applied.
A social worker will work with you through the application process. They'll visit you at home and may meet with your friends and family members. They'll also check things such as your:
- medical history
- criminal record
- finances
- home - to make sure it's safe for a child
Your local council will decide whether your can adopt after speaking to an adoption panel.
The Scottish Government will give you a certificate of eligibility to confirm you're able to adopt a child from abroad once they've checked your application.
It can take several months to complete the checks and decide if you're able to adopt a child.
Costs of adopting a child from abroad
You may need to pay a fee to the Scottish Government to adopt a child from abroad. This is called an Intercountry Adoption Fee.
You may also have to pay fees to your local council to continue the application process if they decide you're suitable to adopt.
There are other costs you may also need to pay during the adoption process.
Intercountry Adoption Fee
You may need to pay an Intercountry Adoption Fee to the Scottish Government depending on your household income.
You'll need to pay an Intercountry Adoption Fee of:
- nothing if your household income is £25,000 or less
- £837.50 if your household income is between £25,001 and £45,000
- £1,675 if your household income is £45,001 or more
Local council fees
Your local council will also charge a fee to assess your application for adoption.
The fee is different for each local council. Contact your council to find out how much they'll charge.
Other costs
You may have other costs for things like:
- legal fees
- translation services
- immigration
- travel to the child's country
Matching you with a child
The country you're adopting from will try to match you with a child if they accept your application.
It can take several years to match you with a child depending on the number of applications they have and the number of children waiting for a permanent home.
Immigration
Your child will need immigration approval to enter the UK. This is known as 'entry clearance'.
Find out more about entry clearance on GOV.UK.
Make the adoption legal
Depending on the country you're adopting the child from, you'll either:
- finalise the adoption in the child's country of origin
- bring the child back to Scotland and finalise the adoption here
Your local council's adoption team and your solicitor can give you advice on this process.
Get more help with adopting a child from abroad
You can email the Scottish Government's intercountry adoption team at intercountryadoption@gov.scot if you have any questions about adopting a child from abroad.