Intercountry adoption by foreign applicants
The document route for foreign applicants or applicants resident abroad, handled through the Child Adoption Centre of the Department of Children and Youth under the 1993 Hague Adoption Convention.
Thailand is a party to the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, so adoption of a Thai child by an applicant residing abroad runs through the central authorities of both countries rather than a private arrangement between families.
On the Thai side the Child Adoption Centre of the Department of Children and Youth receives the file and places it before the Child Adoption Board. In the receiving country an accredited body prepares the home study and confirms the applicants' eligibility.
Every foreign document — home study, birth certificates, marriage certificate, medical reports, proof of income and police clearance — follows the origin country's certification chain and the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate, and is then translated into Thai with the certification Thai authorities require.
After approval and the trial-custody period required by law, the adoption is registered. Immigration and nationality outcomes for the child in the receiving country follow that country's own law, so run those checks with the receiving central authority in parallel.
Documents to prepare
- Home-study report from an accredited body
- Passports, birth certificates and marriage certificate of the applicants
- Medical certificates and police clearance certificates
- Evidence of income, assets and housing
- Eligibility statement from the receiving country's central authority
- Certified Thai translations with Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate legalisation
Certification order
- Engage the central authority or accredited body where you live to produce the home study
- Collect personal documents and certify them through the origin country's chain
- Legalise at the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate, then translate into Thai with certification
- File the dossier with the Child Adoption Centre, Department of Children and Youth
- Complete the Board's assessment and the statutory trial-custody period
- Register the adoption and pursue immigration or nationality steps in the receiving country
Pre-filing checklist
- Check foreign documents will still be within validity limits on the Thai filing date
- Work with both central authorities in parallel rather than one side only
- Avoid private placements arranged directly with a family outside the official route
- Keep names and authority titles consistent across the whole Thai translation set
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner adopt a Thai child by agreement with the family?
That is not the lawful route. Adoption falls under the Child Adoption Act B.E. 2522, and where the applicant lives abroad it also sits within the 1993 Hague Convention, so both central authorities must be involved.
What is a home study and who prepares it?
It is an assessment of the applicants' family circumstances and suitability, prepared by the central authority or an accredited body where the applicants live, and submitted as part of the Thai dossier.
Do foreign documents need an Apostille?
Before the Convention takes effect for Thailand, documents still follow the origin country's chain plus Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate legalisation. After it takes effect, follow the implementing practice Thai authorities publish.
How many trips to Thailand are needed?
It depends on the steps set for the case — meeting the child, trial custody and registration — so plan travel around the appointments the authorities give rather than an assumed schedule.
Does the child automatically acquire the receiving country's nationality?
That is not a matter of Thai law. Nationality and immigration outcomes follow the receiving country's rules and must be checked with its authorities separately.
Can anyone translate the documents into Thai?
Thai authorities require translations certified as the regulations provide. Use a translator who can issue a translation certificate and take the file through Department of Consular Affairs legalisation to avoid rejection.
Can same-sex spouses apply?
Eligibility is assessed under the Thai law in force at the time of filing together with the receiving country's conditions, so ask the Child Adoption Centre directly before assembling the dossier.
How long does the process take?
No timeline can be guaranteed: it depends on the Board's schedule, the trial-custody period and coordination between two central authorities. Follow the dates the authorities give in your case.
For a document review before filing with a registrar or court, contact LINE @nycli, phone +66-83-249-4999 or email nycli@ilc.ltd. Our team will confirm the steps, anything still missing and a realistic timeline.