International adoption

Intercountry adoption, also called international adoption, is a process that recognizes an individual or couple as the legal and permanent parent(s) of a child from another country.

Not all countries allow intercountry adoptions. Before you consider adopting a child, you should contact the adoption central authority in your province or territory or the embassy of the country where you are interested in adopting in Canada to find out whether adoption is permitted there.

There are 2 components to the international adoption process:

  1. the adoption process
  2. the immigration or citizenship process

You must complete both processes before you can bring the child to live with you in Canada.

The adoption process

To adopt a child from a foreign country, you must meet the adoption requirements of the province or territory where you live and the adoption requirements in the child’s home country.

First, contact your provincial or territorial government adoption authority, which will:

The immigration or citizenship process

Some adoptive parents are eligible to apply for citizenship for their adopted child, while others must first sponsor the child for permanent residence. For more information, visit Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's Adopt a child from abroad page.

The adopted child must have a grant of Canadian citizenship or a permanent resident visa issued by the Canadian embassy or consulate in the country where he or she was adopted, and the necessary travel documents, before he or she can be brought back to Canada.

Canadian officials abroad can help you by:

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