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Declaration by the adoption applicants that they are willing to adopt the child proposed to them. Partnerschaft und Familie

If the adoption of a child originating from abroad is possible, the adoption applicants are requested by the international placement office to declare that they are willing to adopt this child if it enters Germany. This declaration must be notarized.

  • Basic information

    If you are interested in adopting a child from abroad and if a child can be proposed to you for adoption, you will be asked by the International Placement Office to make a statement that you are willing to adopt this child.

    A specific form is required for this declaration. The declaration must be "publicly notarized". This certification can take place in a notary's office or in a youth welfare office. The certification in the youth welfare office is free of charge. There are costs for the notarization in a notary's office.

    If you agree to adopt the child proposed to you, you are obliged to reimburse various public services provided for the child. This obligation lasts for a maximum of six years and ends when the child is adopted.

    There is no reimbursement obligation for services provided for the child when the child is already living in your household but has not yet been adopted. In these cases, you only have to pay a contribution to costs to the extent that parents would have to. The same applies to services that would also have to be provided if the child were already living in your household.

    Requirements

    • The international placement agency must have requested you to make a declaration in accordance with Section 7 (1) AdÜbAG as part of the adoption procedure and you must be willing to adopt the child proposed to you.

  • Procedure
    • If the foreign placement agency has asked you to make a declaration in accordance with § 7 Para. 1 AdÜbAG and you are prepared to adopt the child proposed to you, please contact the agency where you would like to have the document notarized.
      It is best to make an appointment with the office that is to record the deed. Before notarization, the person recording the deed will inform you of the legal consequences of the notarization.
    • Notarization can usually take place immediately.
    • The deed is sent to the foreign mediation office.

    More information

    The declaration of willingness to adopt a child must be publicly notarized. This is possible in a notary's office and in a youth welfare office.

  • Necessary Documents
    • Proof of identity

      Identity must be proven for the certification. You must therefore be able to identify yourself with an ID card, passport or comparable documents.

  • Competent Department

    Contact Person

    • Adoptionsvermittlungsstelle Bremerhaven

  • Fees / Costs

    Notarial certification incurs costs in accordance with the applicable schedule of fees. The notary's office can inform about the exact amount of the costs before a notarization.
    The public certification of the declaration before the notary of a youth welfare office is free of charge.

  • Deadlines & processing time

    What deadlines must be paid attention to?

    If the international placement office requests you to certify your declaration, it will set you a deadline by which the certification must take place. If you cannot meet this deadline for compelling reasons, but want to adopt the child proposed to you, you must contact the international placement office for an extension of the deadline.

    How long does it take to process

    The required legal briefings and questions that may need to be asked prior to notarization require a time commitment. The time required is different in each individual case. In addition, there is a possible waiting time on site.

  • Legal Bases

  • More Information

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The official information in German is complete and correct. 12.11.2025

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