Legislation and Central Body

uk-z

Great Britain signs The Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-Country Adoption (Hague convention) on 12th January 1994 ratifies it on 27th February 2003 and it goes in force on 1st June 2003

Central bodies under the Convention for Great Britain are:

  • For England – Department of education
  • For Wales – National assembly of Wales
  • For Scotland – Scottish Executive
  • For Northern Ireland – Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety;

The Central body is issuing a Certificate of Eligibility to Adopt as well as Certificates under art.17 and art.23 from the Convention.

Approval for adoption

In order to prepare a Home Study the candidate-adopter must connect with the local body or voluntary adoption agency, which have permit to perform evaluations of candidate-adopters for international adoption. After he/she is approved for adoption with a positive Home Study, the agency sends the application for examination in the Department of education. After examination of the application the Department is issuing Certificate of Eligibility to Adopt with 2 years term of validity.                                                        

Requirements towards the candidate-adopters

The adopter must have turned 21 years. There is no upper age border.

The candidate can be:

  • Single adopter
  • Married or in factual cohabitation
  • In couple relationship from other or the same gender
  • Partner of the parent of the child.
  • The candidate may be UK citizen or he/she or his/her partner/husband or wife to have habitual residence in Great Britain, Normand Isles or the Isle of Man.
  • He/she or his/her partner or husband/wife to reside in UK at least a year before submitting an application for adoption

Required documents for signing in the Register of MOJ

  1. Application to MOJ.
  2. Copy from the identity document.
  3. Notification from the Central body and confirmation that the adoption will be performed in compliance with the legal regulations of UK and Northern Ireland .
  4. Certificate for eligibility and approval.
  5. Home Study.
  6. Certificate stating that the candidate-adopter is not deprived from parental rights and there is a lack of misuse, physical and domestic violence.
  7. Conviction Status Certificate.
  8. Medical certificate.
  9. Psychological evaluation form.
  10. Birth certificate / Marriage certificate.
  11. Power of attorney in favor of AMOR.
  12. Contract with AMOR for mediation in international adoption.
  13. Information about the exact amount of fees and expenses.
  14. Declaration for AMOR under art.20, p.10 from Regulation№ 2 from 24th October 2014.
  15. Photos.

More detailed information about the required documents can be found in section Procedure – Required documents

Acknowledgement of the adoption

The decision for allowing the full adoption of a child with habitual residence in country, party of the Convention by citizens of UK is automatically acknowledged.

Character of the adoption

The legal consequences from the court decision for allowing the adoption are terminating the parental rights of the biological parents and their transition on to the adopter.

When the adopter is British citizen, the child receives British citizenship automatically. For the entrance and the permanent residence in UK the adopted child does not need a visa. He/she departs Bulgaria with the foreign passport.