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.
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Basic information
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.
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Procedure
You apply to an adoption agency for an adoption. This can either be your youth welfare office or a recognized non-governmental adoption agency.
This is followed by a suitability test. The specialists at the placement agency will talk to you to find out more about you.This process can take several months. Adoption is only possible after a positive suitability test by the youth welfare office.
However, this is no guarantee that an adoption placement will actually take place.
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Necessary Documents
- 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.
- Miscellaneous documents
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Competent Department
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Adoptionsstelle Bremen
- +49 421 361 18444
- Rembertiring 39, 28203 Bremen
- Website
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Online Services
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Online service adoption
The online service "Adoption Digital" is a digital service for citizens interested in adoption.
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Deadlines & processing time
What deadlines must be paid attention to?
The adoption agency does not have a time limit in which to decide on suitability. There is no legal claim to the placement of a child even after a positive suitability test.
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Legal Bases
This page has been automatically translated by DeepL. We cannot guarantee that the translation is correct.
The official information in German is complete and correct. 12.11.2025