NYC · A5 Service

Adoption — Domestic & Intercountry under Hague 1993

Attorneys prepare adoption petitions under the Adoption Act 1979 (B.E. 2522) and Hague Convention 1993 — covering domestic Thai adoption and intercountry adoption for foreign adopters.

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Min. adopter age: 25
Age gap: ≥15 yrs
Trial period: 6 months
Fee: THB 45,000

Quick answer

Adoption in Thailand goes through the Department of Children and Youth (DCY). Adopters must be ≥25 years old and ≥15 years older than the child. Foreign adopters proceed via Hague 1993 through their national Central Authority. Trial custody 6 months (domestic) or 6-12 months (intercountry) before court approval finalises the adoption.

Adopter eligibility

CCC §1598/19-22: (1) age ≥25 (2) ≥15 years older than child (3) if married, both spouses must join (4) singles only for relative or exceptional cases (5) sufficient income and stable family (6) no child-related criminal record.

Hague 1993 intercountry adoption

Foreign adopters route through their Central Authority (USCIS US, DfE UK, DSS Australia) → coordinate with DCY Thailand → Article 17 Approval → child leaves Thailand under Article 5. Total timeline 12-24 months. Non-Hague states such as Laos and Cambodia require bilateral agreements.

Birth-parent consent

CCC §1598/21 requires written consent from birth parents before DCY. Where the child has been in institutional care ≥1 year and parents are unreachable, the court may consent in their place (§1598/22).

Legal effect

CCC §1598/28: the child becomes the adopter's legitimate child — right to inherit, right to surname, eligible for citizenship under the Nationality Act. Relationship with birth parents ends except inheritance rights from birth parents remain (§1598/29).

Termination of adoption

CCC §§1598/31-38: three routes — (1) mutual agreement registered at district office (2) court order for serious misconduct (3) court order after the adopted child reaches majority with good cause. Termination is retroactive to the registration date.

How it works

1. Application + Home Study
File Kor.Ror.1 with DCY (domestic) or Central Authority (foreign) with a Home Study Report by a licensed social worker.
2. Suitability review
Adoption Board convenes within 60-90 days — checks income (≥THB 30,000/month), criminal record, and mental health.
3. Matching + placement
DCY matches child with family → visits at children's home → 6-month trial custody under Adoption Act §19.
4. Follow-up reports
Two social-worker visits during the trial period with a fitness report to DCY.
5. Court + registration
Petition to the Juvenile and Family Court → court order → registered at the district office under CCC §1598/27.

FAQ

Can foreigners adopt Thai children?

Yes, through the 1993 Hague Intercountry Adoption Convention, which links Thailand with more than thirty contracting states including the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. Expect twelve to twenty-four months, because both the Thai Child Adoption Board and your home central authority must approve the placement.

Can same-sex couples adopt?

Yes. Since the Marriage Equality Act took effect on 22 January 2025, registered same-sex spouses may adopt jointly on exactly the same terms as opposite-sex couples. The Child Adoption Board applies the same home study, probation period and best-interests assessment to every applicant couple.

At what age does the child consent?

From fifteen years of age the child must personally consent under section 1598/20 of the Civil and Commercial Code, in addition to the consent of the parents or guardian. Without that consent on the record, the registration of the adoption is not legally complete.

Does the child gain Thai citizenship immediately?

Not immediately. Adoption does not confer nationality automatically; a separate application under section 12 of the Nationality Act is required after the adoption is registered and the child has resided in Thailand continuously for at least five years, supported by character references.

Total cost?

Domestic adoptions typically run THB 45,000 to 120,000, while intercountry cases run THB 200,000 to 400,000 once certified translation, MFA legalisation, Apostille and travel are included. The spread reflects the number of documents each receiving country demands rather than the complexity of the adoption itself.

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