Adopting in Bulgaria

Agencies and the Ministry of Justice provide updated, comprehensive information about each child to prospective adoptive families and to families matched with a child.

Children Available for Adoption:

• Children 18 months and older at the time of referral
• Waiting children include children with special needs, sibling groups, or children 8 years and older who are considered healthy
• Children of all ages with special needs

Parent Requirements:

• Parents must be 25 or older
• Single women may adopt
• Single men may be considered on a case by case basis
• The age difference between the child and the parents can be no more than 50 years from the youngest parent or single parent.
• The older parent can be no more than 55 years older than the child.
• Parents must be between 18 -50 years older than the child

Travel Requirements

• Two trips to Bulgaria
  • First Trip: 7 to 8 days
  • Second Trip: 10 to 12 days
• There must be 4 to 6 months between the two trips

Adoption Timeline

• 1 to 2 months from submitting a dossier to registering with the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice
• Waiting Children: 2-4 months from registration to match to a child
• Non-special Needs: 5+ years from registration to match to a child