Feststellung der allgemeinen Eignung von Adoptionsbewerber/Adoptionsbewerberinnen für eine internationale Adoption

Would you like to adopt a child from abroad? Then you must first qualify as adoptive parents.

International adoption is divided into 2 aptitude tests: The general suitability test at the local adoption agency and the country-specific suitability test at an independent international adoption agency or the central adoption agency of the state youth welfare office.

The general suitability test examines the suitability of potential adoptive parents to take in a child from abroad. This involves, for example, the reasons for the adoption, the stability of the partnership or health aspects.

Documents must be submitted for the suitability assessment, which are then checked by the adoption agency. This will be discussed in advance during a consultation.

If you wish to adopt a child, you must have unlimited legal capacity under German law and be at least 25 years old. If you are married, at least one of the two spouses must be 25 years old, whereby the younger spouse must be at least 21 years old. There is no legal maximum age for adoptive parents. According to the Federal Working Group of State Youth Welfare Offices, the age difference to the adoptive child should correspond to a natural distance.

Normally, a married couple - regardless of gender - can only adopt a child together. Whether international adoption by same-sex couples is possible depends largely on the legal situation in the adoptive child's country of origin. However, single people can also adopt a child.

They must be suitable for adoption.

Please contact your local adoption agency or an international adoption agency. This can either be the central adoption office of the state youth welfare office or a non-governmental placement agency that is licensed for international adoptions from various countries. The specialists will provide you with initial advice.

All relevant topics relating to the adoption will be discussed in personal meetings.

This process can take several months. An international adoption is only possible after a general suitability has been determined by the youth welfare office and a country-specific suitability has been determined by the international placement agency working for you.

However, this is no guarantee that an adoption placement will actually take place.

A general aptitude test for the admission of a child from abroad usually takes several months.

The adoption agency does not have a deadline within which a decision on suitability must be made. Even after a positive suitability test, there is no legal entitlement to the placement of a child.

• Suitability assessment of adoption applicants for international adoption (general) Assessment
• Initial consultation necessary
• Examination through interviews and documents
• No guarantee for an adoption placement
• Later: country-specific examination
• Responsible bodies: local adoption placement agency for the general suitability test and international placement agency for the country-specific suitability test and the implementation of an international adoption placement procedure

Please contact your local adoption agency, your recognized foreign adoption agency in independent sponsorship or the joint Central Adoption Agency Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse.