Thai Adoption

Thai adoption comes with many hurdles and it is time consuming. We have completed a number of them successfully over the years. If you are considering adopting in Thailand, then consider the services of an attorney in Thailand who knows the legal hurdles and have done a number of Thai adoptions over the years. Note that adoptions do take time and the process can take up to two years to complete so errors are not what you want, that would delay it any further.

Thai Adoption

In order to adopt in Thailand, you will need to be at least 25 years old and you will also need to be at least 15 years older than the child you are adopting. You would have to have lived in Thailand for a least a year and have a permanent address.

If not, then you will need to have a 1-year visa with at least 6 months remaining on the visa. You are best advised to consult an Bangkok family lawyer about the requirements for adoption. The average age of those adopting with our law firm as a consultant have been in the 30 to 40-year-old range when it came to expatriates or foreigners.

Note also that if you have been declared insolvent then you are not going to be able to adopt in Thailand. If you have also been declared an incompetent. Then again an adoption is not possible. These issues are normally solved when you have started the adoption process in your country. This  where they will check your background as part of your home study.

Once your home study is complete then you will be able to reach this stage of the adoption process. This when you contact a law firm in the country you will be adopting from. If you are unfit to take care of a person then you will also be excluded. This may include a disability which make you incapable of taking care of another person. Highly unlikely but if you have a legal dispute with the relatives of the minor child or the minor child himself/herself then that will also exclude you from the process.

Adoption Process in Thailand

Another note on the adoption process with regard to family law in Thailand, is that you do not have the right to inherit from the adopted child. The reason being that it could encourage bad behaviour by putting the adopted child at physical risk. The adopted child however can inherit from you just as a biological child. Note also that the adopted child has the right to use your surname or family name. See also arbitration in Thailand while you are here.

The Thai adoption process takes time and the wait times can be very long. Many of the adopted children still have parents. So very few are truly orphans in that sense. Adoption does come with its own issues such as the language barrier and also cultural barriers.

You would be wise to read up more on Thai culture and traditions. This would make the after adoption experience less stressful. Many of the children have been through very difficult times to the point where they ended up in an orphanage. These are all the things to keep in mind. Speak to our lawyers today for more assistance and guidance.

The information contained on our website is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For further information, please contact us.