International adoption

1. International adoption, by permanent residents of the Republic of Belarus, foreign citizens and non-citizens, of children-citizens of the Republic of Belarus, as well as international adoption of foreign children permanently residing in the Republic of Belarus   

    In the Republic of Belarus, adoptive parents may be persons permanently residing in the Republic of Belarus, regardless of citizenship.

     In accordance with Article 1 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus of January 4, 2010 No. 105-Z "On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus", a document confirming the permanent residence of a foreigner in the Republic of Belarus is a residence permit in the Republic of Belarus.

    International adoption in the territory of the Republic of Belarus is subject to obtaining in each individual case a written permission for adoption by the Minister of Education of the Republic of Belarus.

      Orphans and children left without parental care may be transferred for adoption to foreign citizens who are not relatives of children after one year from the date of placement of these children on centralized registration in the national data bank on adoption (with the exception of adoption by spouses, one of whom is a citizen of the Republic of Belarus permanently residing in the territory of the Republic of Belarus).

    In case of adoption in the territory of the Republic of Belarus by citizens of the Republic of Belarus, foreign citizens or stateless persons of a child who is a foreign citizen residing in the territory of the Republic of Belarus, it is also necessary to obtain a written permission from the competent authority of the state of which the child is a citizen..

2. International adoption of children-citizens of the Republic of Belarus permanently residing outside the Republic of Belarus by foreign citizens, persons without citizenship and citizens of the Republic of Belarus

     In accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Belarus, foreign citizens, stateless persons and citizens of the Republic of Belarus permanently residing in the territory of a foreign state have the opportunity to adopt a child in the territory of the Republic of Belarus included in the list of children in respect of whom international adoption is possible (hereinafter - the list), as well as subject to the coordination of the procedure of international adoption between the competent authorities of the Republic of Belarus and a foreign state.

  The need to harmonize the procedure for international adoption is provided for in article 233 of the Marriage and Family Code (with the exception of cases of international adoption by stepfathers /stepmothers or relatives of the child, with documentary evidence of kinship).

      The Republic of Belarus has agreed on the procedure of international adoption only with the Italian Republic (Protocol on Cooperation between the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus and the Commission on International Adoption under the Presidium of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic on the adoption of minor citizens of the Republic of Belarus by citizens of the Italian Republic). Citizens of the Italian Republic adopt those children in our country whom they have repeatedly taken in their family for a wellness holiday, as well as in the case of establishing full-fledged child-parent relations between the child and the family (the average age of Belarusian children adopted in Italy is 14 years), included in the list.