Intercountry Adoption in Wales: The Process, Costs, and Current Restrictions

Intercountry adoption — adopting a child from another country — is legally possible for Welsh residents but has become substantially more complex over the past decade. The number of intercountry adoptions completed in the UK each year has fallen sharply: from several thousand annually in the early 2000s to a few hundred nationwide now. For Welsh families considering this route, the current landscape involves significant cost, a lengthy and uncertain timeline, and restrictions that mean some countries are no longer viable at all.

Wales Has Its Own Central Authority

This is the most important thing to understand if you are a Welsh resident: the Welsh Government acts as the Central Authority for intercountry adoption in Wales, not the UK Government or the Department for Education (DfE). While the DfE handles England, Welsh residents' applications are processed separately through the Welsh Government.

The practical consequence is that after a regional NAS collaborative or Voluntary Adoption Agency approves you, the assessment report is sent to the Welsh Government for a Certificate of Eligibility. This certificate confirms to the receiving country's authorities that you have been assessed and approved as suitable adopters under Welsh law.

The Two Routes: Hague Convention and Non-Hague Countries

Hague Convention countries

The 1993 Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption is an international treaty that standardises the process between signatory countries. Where Wales and the sending country are both Hague signatories, the adoption is automatically recognised in Wales once completed. The child must meet the applicable UK entry and immigration requirements, and the adoption order does not need to be made again in a Welsh court. Confirm the current requirements before travel.

Country programmes and restrictions change frequently. Hague membership does not guarantee that a country's adoption programme is open or available to Welsh applicants, so check current Welsh Government guidance and the relevant country's authority.

Non-Hague countries and "designated" vs "non-designated" countries

For countries not on the Hague Convention, the process is more complex. Some countries are "designated" under the Adoption (Designation of Overseas Adoptions) Order 1973 — meaning their adoption orders are automatically recognised in the UK. Others are not, and families must apply for a new Adoption Order in the Welsh family court after the child arrives.

The Welsh Government's guidance specifies which countries fall into each category. For any non-designated country, the family must apply for a new Adoption Order in the family court after the child arrives in the UK, and the court will assess the adoption independently. This is not a formality — it is a full judicial process.

Assessment Process for Intercountry Adoption in Wales

The assessment for intercountry adoption follows the same two-stage framework as domestic adoption but includes additional elements:

• Stage 1 and Stage 2 assessment through a NAS regional collaborative or VAA — the same checks, medical, references, and Prospective Adopter's Report apply
• An additional section in the PAR covering your understanding of the specific cultural, linguistic, and national context of the country you are adopting from
• Post-placement reports sent to the sending country's authorities (frequency varies by country)
• Assessment of your readiness for transracial and transcultural parenting if the child is from a different ethnic background

Once approved, the report is submitted to the Welsh Government for the Certificate of Eligibility, which is then forwarded through the appropriate international channel (Hague Central Authority or bilateral agreement).

Costs

This is where intercountry adoption in Wales differs sharply from domestic adoption, which is free.

Costs identified in current guidance:

• DfE processing fee: £2,500
• Court fees for the UK Adoption Order application (where required for non-designated countries)

Variable costs depending on the country: Assessment may cost several thousand pounds, plus travel, legal, translation, overseas-authority and other route-specific costs. Total costs vary substantially by country and process.

Support and employment arrangements depend on the route and individual circumstances; confirm current details before budgeting.

Country Availability Changes Frequently

Country programmes and restrictions change frequently. Check the current guidance with the Welsh Government Central Authority and the relevant country; Hague membership alone does not guarantee an open programme.

Is Intercountry Adoption Right for You?

For Welsh families who have a genuine connection to a specific country — through birth, heritage, language, or extended family — intercountry adoption can be the right path. For families who are primarily considering it because domestic adoption timelines feel long, it is worth understanding that intercountry adoption can be lengthy and uncertain.

Domestic adoption through NAS Wales — including older children, sibling groups, and children with additional needs — remains the faster, lower-cost, and typically lower-uncertainty route.

If you are committed to intercountry adoption, the starting point is contacting a Welsh NAS regional collaborative or an approved VAA and asking specifically about their intercountry assessment capacity. Not all collaboratives maintain current expertise in this area.

For a comprehensive guide to the NAS Wales process, eligibility, and the full domestic adoption framework, the Wales Adoption Process Guide is the right starting point — intercountry families will still follow the same assessment foundation before proceeding internationally.

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