Intercountry adoption in Nepal

The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare has announced commencement of the Inter-Country adoption process in Nepal by Foreign Nationals from January 2009.

The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare has agreed to accept applications directly from the Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) in the United Kingdom.

British Nationals resident in the United Kingdom or any part of the world except British Residents in Nepal should enquire directly with the DCSF in the UK. The address for DCSF is

Department for Children, Schools and Families
Santuary Buildings
Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BT
Telephone: 0870 000 2288
Fax:           0192 879 4248

Phone Lines are open 0900 to 1700hrs Monday to Friday.

Website: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk

Email: info@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk

If you know the name of the person you want to speak to please telephone 08700012345.

Nepal has signed the Hague Convention.

The procedures of the convention consider the best interests of children and prevention of abduction, exploitation, sale, or trafficking of children.

The guidelines and procedures that are set forth in the Hague Convention are also for the protection of biological as well as adoptive parents.

A part of the convention's guidelines ensures that one central authority is in place in each country to ensure that adoptive parents get accurate information regarding adoption.

The Ministry is in the process of rectifying the present laws with regards to the Hague Convention. In the mean time they will be accepting applications according to the present rule.

Foreign Applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible to adopt a Nepalese child from Nepal.

Terms and Conditions and Process for Granting Approval for Adoption of Nepalese Child by a Foreign National.

All the documents should be in English. Notary public/Authorised entity must attest documents translated from other languages.

• Married Couples with more than 4 years of marriage.
• Single women 35 years of age but not exceeding 55 years. The single women may be either unmarried, a widow, divorced or legally separated.
• The age difference between the children to be adopted and the adoptive parents must be more than 30 years.
• Parents already having son or daughter shall not be allowed to adopt the children of same sex.
• If the parents bear any biological or adopted son or daughter at home, the newly adopting son or daughter must be younger than the children already at home. But this provision no longer will prevail if the adopting children are siblings.
• Consent Letter from concerned authority of the home country of adoptive parents.
• Guarantee Letter from the concerned authority of the home country specifying that under the law of the country, the status of the adopted child is equal to that of biological child.
• Birth certificate of applicants.
• Documents proving the marital status of the applicants.
• Family status including the birth certificates of biological/adoptive (if any)
• Health certificate of applicants issued by licensed medical practitioner.
• Character Certificate of applicants issued by Government authority.
• Documents proving properties and income sources of the applicants.
• Photocopy of passport applicants.
• Social, psychological and home study report of applicants.
• Covering Letter from the Adoption agency.
• Photographs depicting exteriors and interiors of living apartment/residence.
• Commitment of the applicant to comply with the adoption requirements.
• A total fee of US $ 8000 payable to the Ministry and the Children Home.

There are certain steps to pay the fee. The breakdown is as follows:

a) US$3000.00 payable to the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare. 10%, US$ 300.00 should be paid at the beginning of the process. This is non-refundable. The remaining amount US$. 2700.00 should be paid at the end of the process.

b) US$ 5000.00 to the Children Home, when the selection process is complete.

All applications should attach the proof of bank transfer of an advance payment of US$ 300 with their application.

Payment should be made to:

Name of the Bank: Nepal Rastra Bank
Swift Code No: 27-56-02
Bank Account No: KA 1-1-150
Revenue Head 1-1-05-99

The contact address for the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare

Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare
Adoption Department
Singha Durbar
Kathmandu
Nepal

Telephone: 009 771 4240408

Email: info@mowcsw.gov.np
Website: www.mowcsw.gov.np

All the prospective adopting parents should submit the following forms along with the application.

Sample application (pdf)

Application form (pdf)

Terms of Reference (pdf)