Information on International Adoptions
Welcome to Adoption Australia. The following is a little more information on what is involved.

International adoptions have increased substantially in the last ten years, partly to do with the increased publicity but also because very few local children are available for adoption. Adoption from either within Australia or internationally can be a daunting process and requires patience. All adoptions in Australia are public and must be done through the state office or their accredited agencies. Even international adoptions must be done this way otherwise you risk the child being denied access to Australia. That may seen harsh but this is to protect children from trafficking and to make sure that the adoption meet the Hague convention. It is important to get your application through correctly the first time as a failed application can harm your chances of being accepted the next time. If you are considering adopting you may like:

Detailed information on the Adoption process in your state
Information on adopting a child from Australia
Information on inter-country (overseas) adoption
Our recommendations on what you may need to do to meet the eligibility criteria of your local state adoption department
Details on the eligibility criteria from countries that are open to adoption by Australian families
Information on estimated costs and fees for the various adoption processes
Information on international law and how this effects inter-country adoptions, and recommendations to ensure everything you do is above board and meets international law
Contact details for agencies, support groups and non-governmental organisation involved in the adoption process

The process can vary from state to state however when adopting internationally the process usually follows these steps

1 enquiry
2 education program
3aplication, assessment and approval
4 home study, waiting and matching
5 travel to meet and pick up child
6 supervision and application for child to receive Australian citizenship
7 completion – 1 year after receiving child both governments will finalise adoption

Parenting an adopted child is a rewarding and life changing experience, much like parenting a biological child. Adoption, however, is a different process that has started for you and your adopted child well before you have even met

If you have any questions on International Adoptions or about other issues involved with adoption, please fill in the form on our services page.