Child Adoption Process in India – Adoption of children is thought to be on the rise both in India and globally. Most adoptions occur either because the biological parents are unable to care for their children or because the adoptive parents wish to provide a child who has been abandoned with support and a fresh start in life. Adoption was always frowned upon in Indian society, but it is now discussed and thought about openly. Adoption of children is governed by laws and regulations in India, as it is in many other nations. The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), a division of the Ministry of Women and Child Care, is the key organisation for overseeing and regulating domestic and international adoption in India. Read the complete post to get complete information related to How to Adopt A Child in India.
Child Adoption Process in India 2024
One important method of creating families and giving kids loving homes is through adoption. Accepting the responsibility of raising a kid who is not biologically linked to the adoptive parents is a legal and emotional procedure. Adoption provides children with the security, love, and support they require to flourish. It is a beautiful way for single people or couples to start families, and for both the adoptive parents and the adopted kid, it frequently changes their lives.
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Eligibility Criteria for Child Adoption Process in India
In order for adopting parents to be qualified to adopt a child, they must meet the following fundamental requirements:
- An Indian citizen, an NRI, or a foreign national may adopt a child in India, but for each of the three, the adoption process is unique.
- Adoption is open to all individuals, regardless of gender or marital status.
- There should be at least a 25-year age gap between the adopted parent and the child.
- When adopting a child, a couple must have had a steady marriage for at least two years and come to a mutual decision to adopt the child.
- The adoptive parents need to be emotionally, psychologically, and physically stable.
- The adoptive parents can’t be older than 55, but they can’t be younger than 25 either.
- The adoptive parents must have enough money to meet the child’s necessities.
- Male or female individuals alone are also able to adopt a child.
Eligibility Criteria for a Child in Order to be Eligible for Adoption
A child must meet the following requirements in order to be eligible for adoption:
- According to rules set forth by the Central Government, a child is only eligible for adoption if he is an orphan, has been given up for adoption, or has been abandoned. He should also be declared legally available for adoption by the Child Welfare Committee.
- When a child is abandoned, it indicates that their guardians or parents have given up on them. Moreover, the child welfare commission needs to declare them abandoned.
- A child without guardians or legal parents is called an orphan. A child may also be considered an orphan if their parents are no longer able to care for them.
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Guidelines to be Fulfilled by Parents for Child Adoption Process in India
CARA has specified the eligibility conditions for potential adoptive parents in order to be able to adopt a child. They are as follows:
- Their financial situation ought to be secure.
- The potential parents should not be suffering from any life-threatening disorders.
- A child of any gender can be adopted by a single woman. However, a single male is not eligible to adopt a girl child.
- Couples with three or more kids are not accepted for adoption unless in the case of special-needs children.
- A single parent cannot be more than 55 years of age.
- It is the responsibility of parents to make sure that their child has both financial and emotional support and affection. They should be affectionate towards their child and provide encouragement and appreciation for their successes.
- Parents must establish a safe and secure home environment for their children.
- Parents must satisfy their children’s fundamental necessities, including food, clothes, shelter, and healthcare.
Documents Required
Some of the important documents required for Child Adoption Process in India are as follows:
- Photograph 4 copies of husband and wife together
- Marriage Certificate
- Age Proof
- Adoption application
- Reason for adoption
- Latest HIV and Hepatitis B report of the couple
- Residence Proof
- Income certificate
- Reference letter from 3 people
- Investment details
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How to Adopt A Child in India – Step by Step Process
The steps for Child Adoption Process in India are as follows:
- Registration: It is necessary for prospective adopting parents to register with an approved agency. The organisations authorised to register for these types of adoptions in India are Special Adoption Agencies (SPA) and Recognised Indian Placement Agencies (RIPA). Furthermore, the prospective adoptive parents have the opportunity to attend the local adoption coordination agency, where a social worker will walk them through the necessary paperwork, formalities, and general preparation for registration.
- Counselling and Home Study: To conduct a home study, a social worker from the registration agency will pay the potential adoptive parent’s house a visit. In order to assess potential parents’ readiness, motivation, and strengths and weaknesses, the agency may also require the parents to attend therapy sessions. Completing the home study within three months after the registration date is required by CARA regulation. The results of the counselling sessions and home study are subsequently reported to the honourable court.
- Child’s Referral: The prospective couple will be notified by the agency whenever a child becomes available for adoption. The pair will be given access to medical records, physical examination reports, and other pertinent information by the agency, and after they feel satisfied with the details, they will be permitted to spend time with the child.
- Child Acceptance: The parents will need to sign a few papers acknowledging the child’s acceptance once they feel at ease with them.
- Petition Filing: A lawyer receives all required paperwork and uses it to draft a petition that will be heard in court. The adoptive parents will need to appear in court and sign the petition in front of the court officer after it is prepared.
- Pre-Adoption Foster Care: After the court petition is signed, the adoptive parents can bring the child to a foster care facility for pre-adoption so they can observe the child’s routines from the staff before bringing them home.
- Hearing in Court: The child and parents are required to appear in court together. A judge presides over the closed-door hearing. The sum that must be invested in the child’s name may be mentioned by the judge along with a few other inquiries.
- Court Decision: The judge will issue adoption orders after the investment receipt is presented.
- Follow up: The agency is required to provide the court with follow-up reports regarding the child’s welfare after the adoption is finalised. For a year or two, this might go on.
How much time does it take in India to adopt a child?
For most families, the adoption process takes two to four years on average. The primary problem impeding the adoption process in India is the wait for a kid referral. Reducing wait times for parents may be possible if they are willing to adopt a boy or a child with special needs.
Indian Laws Governing Adoption
In India, adoption law is enacted by the personal laws of each respective religion; hence, adoption is prohibited by the laws of Muslims, Christians, Parsis, and Jews. However, the Guardians and Wards Act of 1890 permits adoption from an orphanage with the consent of the court. In this instance, the adoptive pair is the child’s guardian rather than parent. Christians are only permitted to adopt children under foster care under this Act, and once a foster child reaches adulthood, they are allowed to sever all ties with their guardians.
The Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956, which was passed as part of the Hindu code laws, permits Indian residents who practise Hinduism, Jains, Buddhism, or Sikhism to formally adopt a child. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 governs adoption of children who have been abandoned, turned over, or mistreated. There isn’t currently a formal law governing foreign nationals’ or NRIs’ adoption of children in India; instead, the Guidelines Governing Adoption of Children, 2015, oversee this process. The Guardians and Wards Act, 1890’s procedures are followed when there is no specific Act for intercountry adoption.