Adoption of children is carried out by the Adoption Center under the Department of Social Development and Welfare, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, which was established in 1977 according to the Cabinet resolution on July 20, 1977, and under Section 15 of the Adoption Act of 1979. It is the responsible agency for conducting and overseeing adoptions throughout the kingdom, as well as serving as the secretariat office of the Adoption Committee, operating in accordance with the Adoption Act (No. 2) of 1990 and the ministerial regulations issued under the said Act. In the provinces, a provincial adoption subcommittee is appointed in every province to perform duties, with the Provincial Social Development and Human Security Office serving as the secretariat office.
Adoption is a child welfare service. The process of adopting a child requires the principles of law alongside social work principles. The relevant laws include the Civil and Commercial Code, the Adoption Act of 1979, the Adoption Act (No. 2) of 1990, Ministerial Regulation No. 9 (2000) issued under the Adoption Act of 1979, the Family Registration Act, the Civil Registration Act, etc.
Application for Adoption of a Child (Minor) under the Civil and Commercial Code and the Adoption Act
Legal Qualifications of the Applicant for Adoption
1. Must be at least 25 years old (from birth date to the date of application submission)
2. Must be at least 15 years older than the child to be adopted
3. Must not be prohibited from being a guardian of the child under Section 1587 of the Civil and Commercial Code, which includes:
- A person declared by the court to be incompetent or quasi-incompetent
- A person who is bankrupt
- A person deemed unsuitable to be a guardian of the minor or the minor’s property
- A person who has or has had a court case with the minor, the minor’s parents, or siblings of the same father and mother, or of the same father or mother as the minor
- A person whom the deceased parent has named in writing to prohibit from being a guardian
Criteria for Applying for Adoption
1. The applicant for adoption is a Thai national residing in Thailand, applying to adopt a Thai child whose parents or one parent consents, or a child for whom the court has granted permission in lieu of parental consent, and who has completed the trial period of care.
2. The applicant for adoption is a Thai national residing in Thailand, applying to adopt a Thai child exempted from the trial period of care under the law.
Social Qualifications of the Applicant for Adoption
1. A complete family, warm family, with good family relationships
2. Must be physically and mentally healthy
3. Must have a stable living condition, with certain assets and income, no debts, and no issues with expenses for child care or educational support
4. Must have a permanent residence, hygienic, in a good environment, not too far from the community
5. Must have time for the child to be adopted, prioritize and closely care for the child
6. Must have appropriate reasons for adoption, not superstitious, adopt openly and sincerely, without opposition from family members or relatives
7. Must not have too many children or dependents to ensure the adopted child receives full love and attention
8. Must not have a history of legal offenses or violent behavior towards others or misconduct against good morals and traditions
9. Must have the maturity to support, nurture, and teach the adopted child to be a good person
Supporting Documents for Consideration of the Applicant and Spouse
1. Copy of ID card or government official card, 1 copy each
2. Copy of house registration, 1 copy each
3. Copy of marriage certificate, 1 copy, or copy of divorce certificate, or copy of death certificate (in case of spouse’s death)
4. Evidence of name or surname change, 1 copy each
5. Medical certificate showing physical and mental health, 1 copy each (not older than 6 months)
6. Straight face photo, 2 inches in size, 1 photo each (taken not more than 6 months ago)
7. If the applicant has a child aged 15 or older, the child must sign consent for the parents to adopt a child in front of an official and attach a copy of the child’s ID card, 1 copy each. If the child cannot sign, the applicant must record the reason why the child cannot sign consent, and the child must record consent for the parents to adopt a child to the Governor of Chiang Mai.
8. If the spouse does not wish to adopt the child, the spouse must sign consent for the applicant to adopt the child alone in front of an official. If the spouse cannot give consent, has left the domicile or residence, and cannot be found for at least 1 year, a court order must be obtained in lieu of the spouse’s consent.
9. In case the applicant (Thai national, not CITIZEN or GREENCARD) works and resides abroad, they must provide a copy of the passport, work permit, employment and income certificate, and request cooperation for a home visit abroad, specifying the nearest Thai embassy or consulate to their residence, and agree to pay all expenses incurred in the home visit and child care trial (if required by law) to the Governor of Chiang Mai and the Director-General of the Department of Social Development and Welfare (foreign language documents must be translated into Thai, accurately translated, and certified).
10. If the applicant has a spouse who is not legally married but lives together as husband and wife, that spouse cannot jointly adopt the child and must sign the adoption application documents with the above-mentioned evidence.
Supporting Documents for Consideration of the Child’s Parents
- Copy of ID card or government official card, 1 copy each
- Copy of house registration, 1 copy each
- Copy of marriage certificate or copy of divorce certificate and divorce record indicating which party has custody of the child, or copy of death certificate (in case of spouse’s death), 1 copy
- Evidence of name or surname change, 1 copy each
- Straight face photo, 2 inches in size, 1 photo each (taken not more than 6 months ago)
- The child’s parents must sign consent to give the child up for adoption in front of an official, even if the parents are not legally married, unless one party is deceased or has been deprived of custody.
Supporting Documents for Consideration of the Child
- Copy of the child’s birth certificate, 1 copy
- Copy of house registration, 1 copy
- Copy of ID card, 1 copy
- Copy of evidence of name – surname change, 1 copy
- Straight face photo, 2 inches in size, 1 photo (taken not more than 6 months ago). For children aged from birth to 5 years, a postcard-sized photo is allowed.
- If the child is 15 years or older, the child must sign consent to be adopted in front of an official.
- If the child is 12 years or older, the child must write a note stating the reasons and consent to be adopted by the applicant.
Supporting Documents for Consideration of the Guarantors Number 2 People The guarantors must know the applicant for adoption such as parents, relatives, friends, village headman, sub-district headman, or head of the agency
1. Copy of ID card or government official card, 1 copy each
2. Copy of house registration, 1 copy each
The guarantors do not need to be present on the day the applicant submits the application, but must certify their own document copies.
** A reliable person in form B.T.4, page 5, the guarantor in form B.T. 7, item 11, and the guarantor signing the certificate must be the same person.
*** The certification in form B.T. 7, item 11 of the guarantor should write a certification of how the applicant is suitable to care for the child according to the guarantor’s opinion, such as income stability, job responsibilities, behavior, emotional state, family condition, and specify the period the applicant has supported and cared for the child.
Note
1. All documents (except those of the guarantors) must be presented in their original form on the day the adoption application is submitted.
2. The applicant or any other person is not allowed to take consent documents to be signed elsewhere by those who must sign in front of an official in any case.
Case of Foreigners Adopting a Stepchild or Niece/Nephew of the Wife as an Adopted Child
Contact Location for Submission
Adoption Center, No. 255 Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi District, Bangkok 10400, Phone 0-2354-7500, 0-2354-7509 (located in the Ratchawithi Home for Girls)
Documents to Prepare (along with preparing the original documents to show to the official)
Applicant and Spouse
1. Copy of passport or document used in place of a passport
2. Copy of alien identification card or copy of ID card, 2 copies each
3. Medical certificate showing physical and mental health, 1 copy each
4. Straight face photo, 2 inches in size, 4 photos each, along with family child photos (if any)
5. Asset documents
6. Employment and income certificate and financial statement not older than 6 months and work permit for aliens (WORK PERMIT)
7. Copy of marriage certificate or copy of divorce certificate
8. Copy of residence certificate or copy of house registration, 2 copies each
9. Document from the relevant agency of the applicant’s country of domicile certifying that the applicant can adopt a child according to the law
10. Document from the immigration agency of the applicant’s country of domicile certifying that the child to be adopted can enter the country
11. Certificate of behavior and general suitability from 2 reliable persons, the document must be certified by the embassy or consulate of the applicant’s country.
Child’s Parents or Guardians
1. Copy of ID card of the child’s parents or guardians, 2 copies each
2. Copy of house registration, 2 copies each
3. Copy of marriage certificate or copy of divorce certificate with divorce record or copy of death certificate or court order
4. Straight face photo, 2 inches in size, 2 photos each (taken not more than 6 months ago)
5. Evidence of name – surname change
Child to be Adopted
1. Copy of the child’s birth certificate, 2 copies
2. Copy of the child’s house registration, 2 copies
3. Copy of name – surname change (if any)
4. Straight face photo, 2 inches in size, 2 photos (for children, a postcard-sized photo is allowed)
5. If the child is over 15 years old, copy of ID card, 2 copies
Note
Contact the Adoption Center E-mail Address:ad******@lo*****.th
*** In the case of a foreign country submitting an adoption application through a foreign agency, the child’s parents will not be allowed to sign the consent form (B.T.6) before the Adoption Center receives the adoption application documents from the agency of the country where the applicant has domicile or residence.
Source: Sahathai Foundation. 2011. Adoption Application Documents: Adoption Center. Department of Social Development and Welfare, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security