Adoptions

Adopted Children Register


Overseas adoption

  1. I live in England or Wales, how do I register a child born and adopted overseas?
  2. I adopted overseas a child who was born in England or Wales. Can I register the adoption with you?

1. I live in England or Wales, how do I register a child born and adopted overseas?

Overseas adoptions are generally known as Registrable Foreign Adoptions. These can be registered in the Adopted Children Register providing the adoptive parent(s) were habitually resident in England or Wales at the time of the adoption. If not, you will need to seek legal advice as to the recognition of the adoption in this country.

To check if the country in which the adoption occurred is recognised please refer to Department for Children, Schools and Families website.

Who may apply for registration?
A Registrable Foreign Adoption application may be made by:

  • the adoptive parent(s)
  • any other person who has appropriate parental responsibility for the adopted child
  • the adopted person when aged 18 or over

How do I apply for the adoption to be registered in the Adoption Children Register?
You can download and post one of the following forms to us, or email the information, see contact us for contact details.

  • if resident in England at the time of adoption complete Form 52 (pdf, 98kb)
  • if resident in Wales at the time of adoption complete Form 52w (pdf, 137kb). This allows the option of having the adopted child’s details shown either in English or in English and Welsh.

Will I need to provide supporting documentation?
Yes, please provide the original evidence of the adoption. This could be:

  • a certified copy of an adoption entry
  • a certificate that the adoption has been granted

We cannot accept certified or notarized copies from solicitors.

Any supporting documentation supplied should be from the organisation granting the adoption and signed by a person authorised to do so.

If the documentation is not in English a translation will be required. This must be signed and endorsed by the translator with their:

  • name
  • address
  • occupation
  • and a statement that the translation is true and accurate

If we have any queries with the application, we will contact you either by letter, email or telephone. If there are no problems your supporting documentation will be returned.

What happens next?
When we have registered the adoption in the Adopted Children Register, we will notify you enclosing a free short birth certificate.

2. I adopted overseas a child who was born in England or Wales. Can I register the adoption with you?

Yes, if the original birth was registered within England or Wales you can apply to the General Register Office for the adoption to be registered in the Adopted Children Register.

You can download and post the following form to us, or email the information, see contact us for contact details.

For information as to whether the country granting the adoption is on the designated list for recognition in England and Wales, see the Department for Children Schools and Families.

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