As they say, love knows no bounds. It transcends race, nationality and even age. It is the beauty of love that some foreign national and local Thai spouse meet one another and decide to tie the knot.
Of course, you have to consider the legalities that are associated with such a decision. For one, what if the Thai woman already has a child or children from a previous partnership? Most, if not all, cases result in the child being adopted by the new husband.
It is but the proper thing to do, so the child can be brought under your lawful protection and enjoy the appropriate benefits like financial support, etc.
Adoption in Thailand is governed by specific rules. Let’s walk through the process of adoption and see how it is done in the Kingdom.
Requirements and Eligibility
Here are a few guidelines for adopting a child in Thailand:
- The adoptive parent must be at least 25 years of age in order to qualify.
- Only couples who are legally married (whose marriage is duly registered in Thailand) for at least six months. Proper documentation must be furnished like marriage contract.
- There must be a significant age gap between the child and at least one of the prospective adopters.
- If one of the prospects is a foreign national, he or she must also be certified by their local government as eligible for adopting a child in their own country.
The process is quite straightforward, however, and the rules are clear. If you think you qualify, it’s time to see how you can go about the process.
Make Your Request Through an Authorized Government Agency in Your Country
The first step to adopting a child in Thailand is to furnish a letter of request stating your intention to bring the child into your family legally.
The process requires that you make the request, through a letter, to the appropriate government agency in your country. It is this agency that will coordinate with the Child Adoption Center of the Department of Welfare in the Kingdom, or the DPW. Your government will forward the request to the DPW, which is the sole authorized office in Thailand to process these requests.
This part of the procedure is intended to make sure that your home government will recognize or legalize the adoption under your own laws. It actually smoothens up the entire process, because the adoption is already considered legal in your country. After that, the DPW will start moving to finalize the adoption of the child.
Allow for a Background Check
Before your application is finalized, the Thai government will run a background check on prospective parents. This is necessary as it is the DPW’s goal to make sure that the child will go to parents who are capable of their protection, their upbringing and education.
One of the things they will check is your financial capability to tend to your responsibilities to the child. They might also check your family background, among others.
If you’re planning to adopt a child of your Thai spouse from another relationship, it’s best to consult an English-speaking legal advisor in Thailand like Hawryluk Legal.
