Domestic adoption happens between Vietnamese citizens who are permanently residing in Vietnam. Here is the latest and most detailed guide to domestic adoption procedures.

Documents to be provided:

• Profile of the adopter

• • An application for adoption according to the prescribed form; (Original copy)
  • Passport/ID card or other valid substitute documents; (Scanned copy)
  • Criminal record card; (Original copy, issued within 06 months)
  • Written confirmation of marital status (Copy if it is Marriage Certificate or original if it is certificate of single status;
  • Health certificate issued by a district-level medical facility or higher (the original, issued within 6 months);
  • A written certification of family situation, housing status and economic conditions (not required in the case of stepfather, stepmother or aunt, uncle) of the person being adopted, issued by the People’s Committee of the commune where the adopter permanently resides (original, issued within 06 months).

• Profile of the person being adopted

• • Birth certificate;
  • Health certificate issued by a district-level health agency or higher;
  • Two full-body photos, looking straight ahead, taken within 6 months;
  • A written certification made by the People’s Committee or the commune-level police station where the abandoned child is discovered, for abandoned children; The death certificate of the biological father or mother or a decision of the Court declaring the biological father or mother of the child to be dead, for orphaned children; the court’s decision declaring the biological father or mother of the child introduced for adoption missing, for the person introduced for adoption, whose natural father or mother is missing; the court’s decision declaring that the biological father or mother of the person introduced for adoption loses the civil act capacity for the person introduced for adoption but the biological father or mother loses the civil act capacity;
  • Decision on admission for children in foster care.

Implementation procedure:

• Step 1: The adopter submits his/her own dossier and that of the adopted person at the commune-level People’s Committee where the adoptee permanently resides (for normal cases) or at the commune-level People’s Committee where the adoptee resides. permanent adoption (if he is a stepfather, stepmother or aunt, uncle, uncle or aunt or uncle of the adopted person or there is an agreement between the adopter and his/her natural parents or guardians) the person being adopted);
• Step 2: The commune-level People’s Committee checks the dossier and collects opinions from relevant people;
• Step 3: The civil status – judicial officer shall record in the adoption registration book and the adoption certificate;
• Step 4: Chairman of the commune-level People’s Committee signs the adoption registration certificate;
• Step 5: The adopter receives the adoption registration certificate at the office of the commune-level People’s Committee.

Implementation time:

Clause 2, Article 19 of the Law on Adoption states: “The time limit for settling an adoption is 30 days from the date the commune-level People’s Committee receives a complete and valid dossier.”

Thus, according to this regulation, the commune-level People’s Committee where the adoption is competent will handle this procedure within 30 working days from the date of receipt of a complete dossier.

If you need more detailed advice as well as how to access this service, please contact Lawyer Nhat Nam via hotline: 0912.35.65.75, 0912.35.53.53 or call the legal consulting centre at 1900.6575 or send a service request via email: lienheluathongbang@gmail.com.

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