Turkey has a long history of adoption and has been a party to the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption since 2004. This means adopting a child from Turkey must follow a specific legal process that complies with the requirements of the Hague Convention.
Overview of Adopting from Turkey
Adopting a child from Turkey involves working with the Central Authority in Turkey, completing a home study, being matched with a child, finalizing the adoption in Turkey, and obtaining a visa to bring the child home to the United States The entire process usually takes 12-24 months to complete
Some key facts about adopting from Turkey:
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Turkey primarily places older children and children with special needs for intercountry adoption. Adopting healthy infants is extremely rare.
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Prospective adoptive parents must travel to Turkey to meet the child and sign a 1-year probationary period contract before finalizing the adoption.
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Adoptions by foreigners are only approved for children who cannot be placed with Turkish families,
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Unmarried individuals may adopt, but married couples have priority. Both spouses must adopt together.
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Adoptive parents must be at least 18 years older than the child they wish to adopt.
Requirements to Adopt from Turkey
The requirements to adopt from Turkey include:
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You must be at least 25 years old to adopt. There is no upper age limit.
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Married couples must adopt together. Single men and women may adopt alone.
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Adoptive parents must be at least 18 years older than the child they are adopting.
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Adoptive parents must meet Turkey’s eligibility requirements, which includes a home study, background checks, and financial stability.
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Adoptive parents must travel to Turkey to meet the child and sign a 1-year probationary period contract before finalizing the adoption.
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Adoptive parents must complete all required steps under the Hague Convention.
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Adoptive parents must work with an accredited adoption agency in the U.S.
The Adoption Process
The typical process for adopting a child from Turkey includes the following steps:
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Choose an accredited adoption agency to assist you.
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Complete a home study and background checks. Apply to USCIS for approval to adopt (I-800A form).
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If approved, work with your agency to submit your dossier to Turkey’s Central Authority.
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If matched with a child, apply for provisional approval to adopt that child (I-800 form).
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Travel to Turkey, meet the child, and sign a 1-year probationary period contract.
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After completing the 1-year period, finalize the adoption in a Turkish court.
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Apply for the child’s passport, birth certificate, and U.S. immigrant visa.
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Bring your child home to the U.S. and finalize the adoption under U.S. law.
The entire process takes an average of 12-24 months to complete. Having an experienced adoption agency to guide you through the process is highly recommended.
Who Can Be Adopted?
Turkey places primarily older children (over the age of 4) and children with special needs for intercountry adoption. The children available are usually:
- Living in orphanages/institutions
- Abandoned with no relatives to care for them
- Born to a mother who wishes to place the child for adoption
Healthy infants are rarely placed for intercountry adoption in Turkey. Adopting a healthy baby or toddler from Turkey is extremely uncommon.
Why Adopt from Turkey?
There are several benefits to adopting from Turkey:
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Turkey has well-established adoption policies and procedures that comply with Hague standards.
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Adoption provides a loving home to an older child or a child with special needs.
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Adopting from Turkey preserves the child’s cultural heritage.
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Turkey has a rich history and culture that adoptive families can experience.
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Turkey has a stable government and economy.
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Health care and social services for children are good.
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Traveling to Turkey allows families to get to know the country.
However, the wait time can be long, and adopting healthy infants is extremely rare. Families must be open to older children and children with minor to moderate special needs.
Turkey offers a Hague-compliant adoption program focused on providing homes for older and special needs children who cannot be placed domestically. The process follows strict legal procedures and requires travel to Turkey. While not for every family, adopting from Turkey can be very rewarding for those wishing to give a loving home to a child in need. Working with an experienced agency ensures a smooth adoption journey.
Adoption Authority
General Directorate of Social Services and Child Protection Agency (T.C. Basbakanlik Sosyal Hizmetler ve Cocuk Esirgeme Kurumu Genel Mudurlugu).
Can foreigners adopt orphaned Turkish children? – the Turkish ambassador answered
FAQ
How much does it cost to adopt from Turkey?
Are Turkish kids being adopted in the USA?
What is the cheapest country to adopt a child?
Can a US citizen adopt a child from Turkey?
For adoption of children from Turkey, you must be found eligible to do so by the U.S government if you are a U.S citizen. The central authority responsible for the same is the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. In addition to the requirements by the U.S, you will also have to abide by the adoption laws of Turkey.
Can you adopt a matched child in Turkey?
The law requires adoptive parents to stay with the matched child in Turkey for a year before legally adopting them. A U.S visa can only be issued for the child once the probation period is over. The adoptive parent must be at least 30 years of age. There should also be at least 18 years between the parent and the adopted child.
Are private adoptions allowed in Turkey?
Private adoptions in Turkey are currently not allowed. All adoptions must go through the General Directorate of Social Service & Child Protection Agency. The agency currently only allows private adoptions between relatives. The process of immigrating adopted relatives to United States is the same.
How much does it cost to adopt a child in Turkey?
ADOPTION FEES: There are no Turkish government fees for adoption. Prospective adoptive families can expect to pay notary public ($20-$50 per document depending on the subject), translations ($10 per page), birth registration ($10 -$20), and the child’s Turkish passport of the child ($80-$100).