adopting from overseas: intercountry adoptions
DoCS is currently the only agency in NSW which can arrange intercountry adoption.
waiting times
Current waiting times across most intercountry adoption programs have increased significantly in recent months.
Also, the number of children requiring overseas adoptive families is declining as these countries are better able to place the children with families within their own country.
Understandably this is a difficult period for prospective adoptive applicants who invest a great deal of time and energy into the adoption process.
We encourage you to refer to the Federal Attorney General’s website for up-to-date information on the existing intercountry adoption programs and their relevant waiting times.
fees and charges
The fees for intercountry adoptions changed in July 2004. See the fact sheet on fees and costs for the latest information.
DoCS acknowledges that there are circumstances where the fee structure may disadvantage applicants with lower incomes. Some fee relief is available under the new Hardship Policy. For more information on the hardship policy and fee relief provisions, see the Hardship Policy fact sheet.
support organisations
There are many organisations which exist to support and assist families who wish to or have adopted a child from overseas. Find an organisation to suit your needs.
ethics and rights
DoCS works to safeguard and protect the rights, welfare and interests of children being adopted, while providing applicants with a professional adoption service.
We work only through overseas government adoption authorities or their accredited agencies.
We are very strict about which adoption programs we support, and will only facilitate the adoption of a child if we're satisfied that every alternative which would have enabled the child to remain in their country has been explored.
All intercountry adoptions are governed by the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in respect of Intercountry Adoption which places obligations on both the child’s country of origin and the receiving country.
illegal adoptions
NSW applicants must adopt only through DoCS or an accredited adoption service provider.
DoCS is currently the only agency in NSW which can arrange intercountry adoption.
Private adoption arrangements are illegal and there are penalties for all involved in such arrangements.
DoCS will not support applications to independent adoption agents in another country.
The Department of Immigration & Citizenship (DIAC) will refuse a child an entry visa to Australia if the adoption arrangements are not initiated by DoCS and approved by the Department PRIOR to placement of a child.
adoption statistics – Intercountry
|
Country |
2007 Adoption Proposals |
2008 Adoption Proposals |
Jan- April 2009 Adoption Proposals |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Bolivia |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Chile |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
China |
27 |
22 |
6 |
|
Colombia |
3 |
3 |
4 |
|
Ethiopia |
9 |
13 |
1 |
|
Fiji |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Hong Kong |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
India |
4 |
4 |
2 |
|
Lithuania |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Philippines |
23 |
15 |
11 |
|
South Korea |
11 |
11 |
6 |
|
Sri Lanka |
3 |
1 |
0 |
|
Taiwan |
11 |
9 |
1 |
|
Thailand |
6 |
2 |
1 |
|
Total |
98 |
82 |
33 |
related links:
- current adoption news
- Fees and costs for intercountry adoptions (fact sheet)
- Hardship Policy (fact sheet)
-
Adoption of a relative or specific child who lives in an overseas country (fact sheet)
- Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in respect of Intercountry Adoption
- Australian Attorney General’s website