How To Adopt A Baby In South Africa

Adoption is the process through which a person, the adoptive parent, assumes permanent legal responsibility for a child.

Adoption requires the biological parents (the ones responsible for the birth of the child) to give up their legal right to custody of their child.

Find below is How To Adopt A Baby In South Africa

If you want to adopt a child in South Africa, you must approach a registered adoption agency that will screen you and help you look for a child who is available for adoption.

You can apply for national adoption if you are a South African citizen living in South Africa

If you are a foreigner living in South Africa and want to adopt a South African child, your application will be regarded as national adoption.

You must have been in South Africa for a period of five years and must submit proof of residence and your work permit.

If you are a foreigner interested in adopting a South African child, but your country has not signed the Hague Convention(link is external), you can adopt through the competent authority or the International Social Services (ISS)(link is external) in the country where you live. Find out more about this type of adoption.

If you live in a country that has signed the Hague Convention, the Central Authority in the country where you live should refer you to an accredited child protection organization for screening.

The organization will also liaise with an accredited child protection organization in South Africa to help look for a child available for adoption. Find out more about this type of adoption.

It is possible to adopt the child of your South African relative and have the child live with you abroad. If you are in South Africa and the child lives in another country, the child may join you in South Africa once you have adopted the child in the foreign country. This is called inter-country family adoption.

Information on adoption in South Africa is available under the Services section of this website in all official languages.

Contact the National Adoption Coalition(link is external) for a list of reputable social workers and agencies. The website also has more FAQs on the process.

Call center number: 0800 864 658.

How do you adopt a child in South Africa?

If you are looking to adopt a child in South Africa, you must approach an adoption agency that will screen you and help you look for a child who is available for adoption.

You can only apply for national adoption if you are a South African citizen residing in South Africa and you want to adopt a South African child.

Who is eligible to adopt from South Africa ?

Age of Parents

Both parents must be between 25 and 48 years of age.

Marital Status

Couples married at least 1 year are welcome to adopt from South Africa. If there is a history of divorce, the current marriage must be at least 2 years. Each spouse may have up to 2 divorces.

Single Applicant

Single parents are eligible to adopt from South Africa.

Children in Family

Families with children are welcome to adopt from South Africa. The youngest child in the home must be at least 3 years old at the time the dossier is submitted.

Income

Families must have a positive net worth and an income of at least $10,000 per family member, including the adopted child.

Criminal History

Applicants cannot have a history of felonies and no more than two misdemeanors in their lifetime. Misdemeanors will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Medical History

Applicants without a past or current diagnosis of a life-threatening or communicable disease or other condition that impairs their ability to parent and/or the quality of life of a child are eligible to adopt from South Africa.