In most cases, the process of an international adoption takes place in 3 steps:

1. Mediation procedure in Germany
2. Adoption procedure abroad
3. Recognition of the adoption in Germany

In detail:

• You register with a placement office for intercountry adoptions. This can either be the central adoption office of the state youth welfare office or a non-governmental placement office that is licensed for foreign adoptions. You will receive an initial consultation from the specialists.
• This will be followed by an examination to determine whether you are suitable for adoption. This suitability test consists of two parts:
• In the general suitability test, it is checked whether you are basically suitable for adoption. This is usually done by your youth welfare office.
• In the country-specific suitability test, it is checked whether you are specifically suitable for the adoption of a child from abroad. This is done by your international placement agency to which you have applied.
• After a positive review, your international placement agency will forward your adoption application to the adoption specialty agency in the state you have chosen.
• It usually takes some time before a child who needs you as parents is proposed to you. During this waiting period, your international placement agency will continue to counsel you and prepare you for adoption.
• When a child is suggested to you, you will usually already find out some things about the child, such as his or her age, health condition or past history. Your placement agency will discuss the proposal with you and help you decide whether you want to continue the adoption process with the proposed child. You will travel to the child's country of origin to meet the child and, depending on the regulations in the country of origin, spend the adoption foster care period with the child.
• In most cases, the adoption procedure is carried out in the child's country of origin. For this purpose, your placement agency will advise you, prepare you for the procedure and support you during the procedure.
• After the adoption procedure abroad, the adoption must be recognized in Germany. If the child's country of origin has joined the "Hague Adoption Convention", it will issue you a certificate (according to Article 23 HAÜ), with which the adoption is automatically recognized in Germany; otherwise, you must apply for recognition at the family court in Germany. Only with the recognition is the foreign adoption also effective in Germany. You can find more information under How is a foreign adoption recognized in Germany?
• You can already apply for recognition from the child's country of origin. This is usually necessary so that you can enter Germany with the child: After you have submitted the application, your placement agency will issue you a certificate that it has carried out your adoption procedure. With this certificate, you can apply for a visa or other entry papers for the child, at the German embassy or another foreign mission in the child's country of origin.
• As soon as you have received the entry papers, you can enter Germany with the child.