You are here:

Check suitability as adoptive parents for domestic adoption


You would like to adopt a child from within Germany? Then you must first qualify as adoptive parents.

The aim of an adoption is to find the most suitable parents for a child who, for various reasons, cannot grow up with his or her birth parents.

For this reason, the adoption agencies carefully examine the suitability of the potential adoptive parents. This involves, for example, the motives for the adoption, the stability of the partnership or health aspects.

Requirements

If you wish to adopt a child in Germany, 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 that age, and the younger spouse must be at least 21. There is no maximum age for adoptive parents. However, the age difference to the adopted child should correspond to a natural distance, according to the Federal Working Group of the State Youth Welfare Offices.

Normally, a married couple - regardless of gender - can only adopt a child jointly. But single people can also adopt a child.

The adoption agency will check your suitability as an applicant.

What documents do I need?

  • Miscellaneous documents

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