Selection criteria for persons wishing to undertake an intercountry adoption project according to the child's country of origin

It is recommended that you contact a consultant at the Secrétariat aux services internationales à l’enfant or a representative of a certified body to find out the main requirements of the countries of origin where registration is possible at this time.

Eligibility criteria for adopting a child domiciled in Bulgaria:

• be a married heterosexual couple, with or without children
  or
• be a single person;
• be at least 18 years of age;
• be between 15 and 50 years older than the child to be adopted (this criterion may apply to only one of the applicants);
• have never been the subject of a withdrawal of parental rights.

The requirements concerning the age difference between the applicants and the child to be adopted do not apply if one of the spouses wants to adopt the other spouse’s child.

Same‑sex couples or unmarried couples may not adopt.

Applications from single men are accepted depending on the project, the child’s profile, and only if a female is present on a daily basis.

Other criteria may be required by the country.

Eligibility criteria for adopting a child domiciled in Burkina Faso:

• be a heterosexual couple who have been married for 5 years and who live together;
• not have more than one biological or adopted child;
• be under 55 years of age;
• be 15 years older than the child to be adopted (if the child is the biological child of one of the applicants, the other applicant must be at least 10 years older than the child).

One of the applicants must be at least 30 years of age.

Same‑sex couples or single people may not adopt.

Additional requirement for intra‑family adoption:

• applicants must be of Burkinabe nationality.

Eligibility criteria for adopting a child domiciled in Colombia:

• be a homosexual or heterosexual couple, married or in a civil union
  or
  be a single person
  or
  be de facto spouses and show that they have been living together continuously for 2 years;
• be 25 years of age or older;
• be between 15 and 45 years older than the child to be adopted (the criteria regarding the age difference between the applicants and the child to be adopted may vary depending on a number of factors. Contact the relevant certified body for more information);
• have full legal capacity.

Single people and same‑sex couples may adopt.

Other criteria may be required by the country.

Following the August 28, 2024, announcement by the Chinese authorities, intercountry adoptions with China are closed.

For more information, please contact the Secrétariat aux services internationales à l’enfant.

Eligibility criteria for adopting a child domiciled in South Korea:

• be a heterosexual couple, married or in a civil union for at least 3 years;
• be between 25 and 44 years of age;
• not have divorced more than once;
• not have more than two children, biological or adopted;
• have Canadian citizenship;
• have a family income of approximately $30,000 (USD);
• be in good physical and mental health and not have any physical disabilities;
• have a healthy weight or not have exceeded the obesity threshold;
• not have a criminal record.

Same‑sex couples or unmarried couples may not adopt.

People who have had a mental health problem, even a mild one, must submit a medical assessment to the country for approval.

Other criteria may be required by the country.

Due to the socio-political situation in Haiti, the suspension of intercountry adoption procedures for all files not related to a child is in effect in Québec. The priority is to find the children's family members.

The suspension of intercountry adoption procedures will remain in effect until the situation in Haiti allows adoption procedures to resume in accordance with the international principles guiding intercountry adoption. For more information, visit International adoption after a disaster.

For more information, please contact the Secrétariat aux services internationaux à l’enfant.

Eligibility criteria for adopting a child domiciled in Madagascar:

• be a heterosexual couple, married or in a civil union;
• not have more than 3 children;
• be between 30 and 55 years of age (this criterion may apply to only one of the applicants);
• have Malagasy nationality (this criterion may apply to only one of the applicants).

Same‑sex couples may not adopt.

Other criteria may be required by the country.

Eligibility criteria for adopting a child domiciled in Niger:

• be a heterosexual couple who have been married or in a civil union for at least 10 years;
• not have children;
• be between 35 and 55 years of age (this criterion may apply to only one of the applicants);
• be 15 years older than the child to be adopted (this criterion does not apply if one of the spouses wants to adopt the other spouse’s child. In this case, the applicant must be 10 years older than the child to be adopted).

Same‑sex couples may not adopt.

Other criteria may be required by the country.

Eligibility criteria for adopting a child domiciled in the Philippines:

• be a heterosexual couple who have been married for at least three years (or married for one year if they lived together for two years beforehand);
• be between 27 and 45 years of age;
• be at least 16 years older than the child to be adopted (this criterion does not apply if one of the spouses wants to adopt the other spouse’s child);
• not have divorced more than twice;
• not have a criminal record.

Same‑sex couples may not adopt.

Other criteria may be required by the country.

Eligibility criteria for adopting a child domiciled in Romania:

• be a married heterosexual couple, with or without children
  or
  be a single person;
• be at least 18 years older than the child to be adopted;
• have Romanian nationality (this criterion may apply to only one of the applicants)
  or
  be a family member of the child to be adopted, up to the 4th degree;
• not have a criminal record;
• have never been the subject of a withdrawal of parental rights;
• not have children who have been the subject of special protection measures.

Same‑sex couples may not adopt.

Other criteria may be required by the country.

Eligibility criteria for adopting a child domiciled in Taiwan:

• be a homosexual or heterosexual couple, married or in a civil union
  or
  be a single person;
• be at least 20 years older than the child to be adopted (if one of the applicants meets this criterion, the other must be 16 years older than the child to be adopted).

Single people and same‑sex couples may adopt.

Other criteria may be required by the country.

Eligibility criteria for adopting a child domiciled in Thailand:

• be a heterosexual couple, married or in a civil union for at least one year, with or without children, and have been living together for a few years
  or
  be a single woman (in the case of a child with special needs);
• be 25 years of age or older;
• be at least 15 years older than the child to be adopted;
• complete an adoption preparation course;
• be a Canadian citizen (this criterion may apply to only one of the applicants).

Same‑sex couples may not adopt.

Other criteria may be required by the country.

Eligibility criteria for adopting a child domiciled in Togo:

• be a married heterosexual couple, with or without children, and not separated from each other
  or
  be a single woman;
• be over 30 years of age (this criterion may apply to only one of the applicants);
• be at least 18 years older than the child to be adopted (if the applicant wants to adopt their spouse’s child, the age difference must be 10 years or more).

Same‑sex couples may not adopt.

Applications from single men are considered in cases of intra‑family adoption.

Other criteria may be required by the country.

Eligibility criteria for adopting a child domiciled in Tunisia:

• be a married heterosexual couple
  or
  ​be a single, divorced or widowed woman (with the authorization of a Tunisian judge);
• be of full age;
  • a female applicant must not be over 45 years of age;
  • a male applicant must not be over 50 years of age;
• be at least 15 years older than the child to be adopted (except in the case of the adoption of the spouse’s child);
• one of the applicants must be of Tunisian nationality;
• be in good physical and mental health;
• not have a criminal record.

Same‑sex couples may not adopt.

Single men may not adopt.

Other criteria may be required by the country.

Due to the war in the Ukraine, the suspension of international adoption procedures for all files is in effect in Québec. The priority is to find the children's family members. For more information, visit International adoption after a disaster.

For more information, please contact the Secrétariat aux services internationaux à l’enfant.

Eligibility criteria for adopting a child domiciled in Vietnam:

• be a married heterosexual couple
  or
  be a single person;
• be 20 years older than the child to be adopted;
• have never been the subject of a withdrawal of parental rights;
• not have a criminal record.

Same‑sex couples may not adopt.

Different criteria may apply when it comes to intra‑family adoption.

Other criteria may be required by the country.