What are the requirements for a foreigner to adopt a Vietnamese child?

Legal basis:

• Law on Adoption 2010

Concept

Adoption means the establishment of parent and child relationships between the adopting and adopted persons.

Intercountry adoption means the adoption between a Vietnamese citizen and a foreigner, between foreigners permanently residing in Vietnam and between Vietnamese citizens either of whom settles abroad.

Can a foreigner adopt a Vietnamese child?

Foreigners permanently residing in the countries contracting parties to an adoption treaty along with Vietnam can adopt Vietnamese children.

Foreigners permanently residing abroad may adopt a specific child in the following cases:

– He/She is the stepfather or stepmother of the to-be-adopted child;

– He/She is the natural aunt or uncle of the to-be-adopted child;

– He/She has adopted a child who is a sibling of the to-be-adopted child;

– He/She adopts a child who is disabled or infected with HIV/AIDS or another dangerous disease;

– He/She is a foreigner currently working or studying in Vietnam for at least 1 year;

Conditions required when a foreigner adopts a Vietnamese child: 

Foreigners permanently residing abroad who seek to adopt a Vietnamese must meet all conditions required by the law of the country in which they permanently reside and the provisions of Law on Adoption 2010, including the conditions for an adopting person and cases where persons may not adopt a child.