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Intercountry adoption
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Registration of foreign adoptions
Certain adoptions made in countries outside the UK can be registered in the Adopted Children Register. The types of adoption which can be registered are those made in Designated Countries and those made in Hague Convention Countries under the provisions of the Hague Convention. This is because the effect of an adoption order made in these countries is recognised in the UK .
The effect of recognition is that, for most practical purposes, the adoption is treated as if it were the result of a court order in the United Kingdom : there is no need for the child to be re-adopted under British law.
Adopted Children Register
The Registrar General is responsible for maintaining the 'Adopted Children Register'. The register is created from adoption orders which date back from the present day to 1927. It contains particulars of all adoptions granted by a court in England and Wales and foreign adoptions and convention order adoptions. The latter categories include those registrable foreign adoptions that meet the legislative requirements and where an application has been made for registration. Two forms of birth certificate are issued, at a fee, from the Register: a full certified copy of the entry and a short certified copy that omits any mention of adoption.
The information held in the register is:
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Number of entry
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Date and Country of birth or date and registration district and sub-district
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Name and surname of child
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Sex
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Name and address and occupation of adopter or adoptee if available
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Date of adoption order and description of court by which made
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Date of entry
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Signature of officer deputed by the Registrar General to attest the entry
Applications to Register an Intercountry Adoption
An application to register a foreign adoption may be made by the adoptive parent (or in the case of a joint adoption, one of the adoptive parents), any other person who has parental responsibility for the adopted child (within the meaning of Section 3 of the Children Act 1989) and an adopted person aged 18 or over.
You can download an application form at http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/adoptions/adoptedchildrenregister/Overseas_adoption.asp
Alternatively you can request an application form at General Register Office, Adoptions GRO, Smedley Hydro, Trafalgar Road, Southport PR8 2HH Tel no 0151 471 4830 or by email adoptions@ons.gov.uk. Once you have completed your application form you must return it to the same address. The application form must be signed by the applicant and submitted with evidence of the adoption and a range of background information.
An application must be supported in the case of an overseas adoption (i.e. an adoption from a designated list country) by either a certified copy of an entry into a public register recording adoptions or a certified copy of an adoption certificate. In the case of a Convention adoption (i.e. an adoption made in a Hague Convention contracting State after an article 17(c) agreement was made by the two central authorities) an application must be supported by the actual certificate confirming that an adoption had been made as a convention adoption (in accordance with Article 23 of the Hague Convention).
Please note that registration in the Adopted Children Register does not convey British Citizenship on a child. For more information on British citizenship, please click here to download the Home Office intercountry adoption leaflet .
For more information on registration of adoption, please contact:
General Register Office (GRO)
Trafalgar Road
Southport
PR8 2HH
Tel: 0151 471 4830
http://www.gro.gov.uk
Email: adoptions@ons.gov.uk
