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Adoption

• About adoption
  • Adopting a child
  • Differences between biological and adoptive parenting
  • Adoption programs
  • Adoptive parent education
• For birth parents
  • Consent to adoption
  • Finalising adoption
  • After your child is adopted
• Adopting a child from Queensland
  • General Children's Adoption Program
  • Frequently asked questions about Queensland adoption
• Adopting a step-child or relative
  • Relative and Step-Parent Adoption Program
  • Issues to consider
  • Alternatives to adoption
  • Consent requirements
  • Leave of the Family Court
• Adopting a child with special needs
  • Special Needs Children's Adoption Program
• Adopting a child born overseas
  • Intercountry Adoption Program
  • Overseas country information
  • Frequently asked questions about overseas adoption
  • Intercountry adoptive parent education
• After adoption
  • Release of information
  • Mailbox Program
• Library
• Contacts
  • Community organisations
  • Other government contacts
  • Raising concerns or complaints

Thailand

A quota established by Thai adoption authorities states that only seven files can be forwarded from Queensland per year. No quota exists for Thailand's special needs children program.

Specific Eligibility Criteria

• Couples must be at least 25 years of age.
• There is no formal upper age limit, although couples who are in their mid to late 40's may experience more difficulty being considered for a possible placement.
• Couples who have more than one biological or adopted child can be considered for a possible placement from Thailand. However, preference will usually be given to childless and infertile couples. Other factors will be considered for couples with children, such as age and health.
• Couples of the Jehovah's Witness faith are not accepted.

Information about children requiring adoptive placements

• Children may have been abandoned or relinquished by a birth parent.
• The majority of children are boys, between two and five years of age.
• Files can be sent for children aged between one to five years.  Couples who are under 40 years of age can be considered for a younger or older child, whereas couples over 40 years of age will most likely be considered for an older child between three to five years of age.
• Children are usually living in orphanages or institutions.
• Couples may specify the gender of the child they wish to adopt, but may wait longer to be considered for a female child.
• Special needs program includes children aged over four years, sibling groups and children with health issues or developmental delays. Please note, children will need to meet immigration health standards.
• Every child adopted through the Thailand program must have their adoption finalised in person at the Thai Embassy in either Canberra or Sydney.

Costs

• The costs of this program are approximately A$10,000, including airfares, accommodation, legal costs and translation of documents.

Further information

For further information on the individual country programs, refer to overseas country information or contact our Adoption Services Queensland Unit.

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Last updated

26 October 2007