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Intercountry Adoption Application (Hague Convention — State/Territory Central Authority)

Australians wishing to adopt a child from overseas apply to their state or territory central authority to commence the intercountry adoption process; the federal Department of Social Services (Australian Central Authority) oversees compliance with the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption and manages Australia's bilateral adoption programs.

Issuing authority

State and Territory Central Authorities (primary application point) + Department of Social Services (Australian Central Authority, federal oversight) via intercountryadoption.gov.au

Official source

intercountryadoption.gov.au

Cost

Varies significantly by state/territory and partner country; applicants pay STCA assessment fees plus partner country fees; typically ranges from several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars total.

Deadline

No fixed statutory deadline; the process is initiated by the applicant and can take several years from initial application to finalisation depending on the partner country.

How to apply

  1. Check eligibility and current partner countries via intercountryadoption.gov.au — note that not all countries are open; China ceased intercountry adoptions as of August 2024.
  2. Attend a mandatory information session run by your state or territory central authority (STCA) — sessions cover the process, eligibility, costs, and timeframes.
  3. Submit an Expression of Interest or initial questionnaire to your STCA; the STCA conducts a pre-assessment eligibility test.
  4. Undergo a full intercountry adoption assessment conducted by your STCA, including home study, police checks, medical assessments, and character references.
  5. The STCA submits your approved application and assessment report to the relevant overseas central authority in the partner country.
  6. The overseas authority matches you with a child and provides a proposal; your STCA reviews and confirms the match meets the child's best interests and Hague Convention requirements.
  7. If approved, the child travels to Australia on an adoption visa (subclass 102) or is adopted under Australian state/territory law upon arrival.
  8. Post-placement support and reporting requirements are managed by your STCA until the adoption is finalised in Australian courts if required.

Related topics

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FormFinder is not affiliated with any Australian government body. Always verify details on official websites. Not legal advice.

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