State wise listing of some Child Care Agencies in India

           Obtain all relevant documentation (Click here to see list of required documents) to support your application for adoption.

           Request a social or child welfare agency recognized by the government of the country of which you are a citizen or permanent resident to sponsor your application, and forward it to a recognized social or child welfare agency in India (Click here to see a list of some welfare agencies recognized by the Government of India. Lawyers specializing in adoption cases could help with identifying an agency in your country of residence and in India). Please note that applications sent directly by you will not be entertained.

           Please also ensure that all certificates, declarations and documents accompanying the application are attested by the Consular Wing of the Indian Embassy/High Commission/Commission/Consulate in your country of residence (Click here for more information on attestation services offered by Indian missions abroad).

           Once the Indian agency is satisfied that all legal requirements have been met it will, on your behalf, petition a competent court of law in whose jurisdiction the child in question resides. This court will examine the petition on the merits of the case and grant legal guardianship to the applicant, as also permission for the child to emigrate, so that you can take the child out of India to the country of adoption.

           Once you have been certified as the legal guardian by the competent court, you need to apply for a passport for the child so that you can take him/her out of India as your legal ward pending completion of adoption formalities in your country (Click here for information on how to obtain a passport).

Documentation required for Adoption of an Indian Child

• Application form, duly filled in (the forms can be obtained from any child welfare agency in India)

• A report prepared by a professional social worker/agency confirming that you and your spouse will be able to provide a suitable environment for the child

• Recent photographs of you and your spouse

• Marriage certificate

• Declaration regarding the health and medical fitness condition of you and your spouse duly certified by a medical doctor.

• Certificate of your financial status/suitability along with supporting documents, specifically income tax returns, bank references, particulars of properties owned by you, and certificate of employment, where applicable.

• A formal declaration from both of you certifying your willingness to be appointed legal guardians of the child in question

• An undertaking from the social or child welfare enlisted agency sponsoring your application to the effect that the child would be legally adopted by you and your spouse, according to the laws of your country, within two years. (Please note that once the adoption is effected, your sponsoring social or child welfare agency should send three certified copies of the adoption order to the social or child welfare agency in India through which the application for guardianship is processed – one copy for the agency, one for the Court which passed the order and one copy to be filed with the Central Adoption Resources Agency (CARA), Ministry of Welfare, Government of India).

• A formal undertaking that you will provide the adopted child with necessary education and an upbringing in accordance with your status

• Certificate from your sponsoring social/child welfare agency to the effect that you and your spouse are permitted to adopt a child according to the laws of your country of residence

• An undertaking from your sponsoring social/child welfare agency to the effect that, in case of disruption of your family status before legal adoption has been effected, the agency will take care of the child and find a suitable alternative placement for the child in consultation with the concerned social or child welfare agency in India. Once a suitable alternative has been identified, the guardianship status granted by the Indian court would also need to be transferred to the new adoptive parents, and approval of CARA would also need to be obtained.

• An undertaking from your sponsoring social/child welfare agency that it will reimburse, to the concerned Indian social or child welfare agency, all expenses as fixed by competent court towards maintenance of the child and processing charges

• An undertaking from your sponsoring social/child welfare agency that reports on the progress of the child along with recent photographs would be sent quarterly during the first two years and half yearly for the next three years in the prescribed proforma which can be obtained from the Indian agency handling your case

• Any other documentation that you feel will help satisfy the competent court with regard to the following:-

• That as legal guardian, you will be accountable to the concerned court in India for the welfare of the child.

• That the adopted child will be treated on par with a natural born child with regard to legal status and inheritance rights

• That if adoption fails, an alternative adoption placement will be arranged by the foreign social or child welfare agency which sponsored your application

• That migration facilities will be allowed to the child, and that the child will be repatriated to India if so required by an Indian court

• That the child will also be granted the citizenship of your country on adoption (this applies if you are not an Indian citizen resident abroad)

• Your Power of Attorney in favour of the social or child welfare agency in India which is to process the case, so that it can handle the case on your behalf, in case you are not in a position to come to India.

• A financial guarantee from the Indian Social or Child welfare agency concerned, ensuring that if the child becomes destitute or the guardianship is terminated, the legal guardian, or the guarantor, will meet all expenses relating to the proper maintenance of the child abroad and his/her return to India. (This is required when applying for a passport for the child, after the court has declared you his or her legal guardians)