By: Adoption.com Staff | Date: 5/14/2026

Thailand has one of the most carefully managed and ethically grounded intercountry adoption programs in Southeast Asia. As a Hague Convention country, Thailand processes every international adoption through its central authority, the Child Adoption Center (CAC), a division of the Department of Children and Youth under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. That oversight is not a formality, it is the reason Thailand’s program has maintained its integrity and reputation over decades.
Thailand places a relatively small number of children internationally each year, typically between 30 and 50 with U.S. families. What the program lacks in volume, it makes up for in thoroughness. Families receive detailed information on their child before travel, children in many cases have been cared for in foster families rather than institutions, and Thailand’s child welfare community approaches international adoption as a genuine last resort after domestic options have been considered. For families prepared to embrace that process, adopting from Thailand can be one of the most meaningful paths in international adoption.
This guide covers everything you need to know: who can adopt, how the process works, what it costs, and how to raise a child with a deep and living connection to Thailand.

Why Families Choose Thailand

Thailand’s Adoption History

Thailand ratified the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption in 2004, making it one of the earlier Southeast Asian nations to align its intercountry adoption framework with international standards. All adoptions from Thailand to the United States must follow the Hague Convention process, governed jointly by Thailand’s CAC and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Thailand’s central adoption authority has administered intercountry adoption through a combination of government channels and four licensed non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that are authorized to work with the CAC. Well-established U.S. agencies, including Holt International through its long-running partnership with the Holt Sahathai Foundation, have facilitated more than 1,000 placements from Thailand since 1975.
Thailand’s program has remained consistently open and active. In fiscal year 2024, 31 children were placed with U.S. families, consistent with the program’s historically modest but stable volume. The government’s philosophy prioritizes family reunification and domestic adoption before international placement, meaning every child referred for international adoption has been through a thorough eligibility review.

Is Adopting From Thailand Right for Your Family?

Who Can Adopt From Thailand?

Thailand’s eligibility requirements reflect the CAC’s priority on placing children with families who are financially stable, healthy, and specifically prepared for the child’s needs. The requirements below reflect Gladney’s current program criteria; always confirm current eligibility with your accredited adoption service provider before beginning the process.

• Age: Applicants must be at least 25 years old. For Gladney’s Thailand program, mothers must be under 40 and fathers under 45 at the time the dossier is under review by the Thai adoption board. Older parents may be considered for older children on a case-by-case basis.
• Marital status: Married couples are eligible. Thailand’s standard program through Gladney requires a legally married couple. Single parents are not considered through Gladney’s Thailand program, except for certain waiting children.
• Length of marriage: Couples must have been married for at least two years, with no more than one prior divorce per applicant.
• Same-sex couples: Thailand legalized same-sex marriage effective January 23, 2025. As of this writing, the CAC has not yet published implementing guidelines clarifying how the law applies to prospective adoptive parents. Confirm current same-sex eligibility with your accredited adoption service provider before applying.
• Children already in the home: Families with documented infertility are given priority. No more than one child may currently be in the home for standard program applicants. Families with more than two children in the household must seek additional approval from the CAC. Eligibility is more flexible for families pursuing waiting children.
• Health: Families must be physically and mentally fit to parent. A BMI under 35 is required, with some flexibility for families adopting waiting children. A psychological evaluation is required as part of the dossier. No major current or past serious health concerns.
• Income: Applicants must meet at least 125% of the U.S. poverty guidelines, a USCIS requirement for all intercountry adoptions. Financial stability and proof of income are required.
• Education: A high school diploma or GED is required; a college degree is preferred.
• Criminal history: Applicants must have a clean criminal record. No history of child abuse, sexual abuse, domestic violence, or alcohol or drug abuse.
• Citizenship: At least one applicant must be a U.S. citizen.

Requirements are subject to change. Always confirm current eligibility criteria with your accredited adoption service provider before beginning the process.on service provider before beginning the process.

Cultural Considerations

Adopting from Thailand means welcoming a child whose identity is rooted in one of the world’s most distinctive and spiritually rich cultures.

Theravada Buddhism shapes nearly every dimension of Thai life. Approximately 95% of Thailand’s population practices Theravada Buddhism, and its influence is woven into daily routines, social values, festivals, and art. Concepts like karma, merit-making, and the principle of sanuk, are not just philosophical abstractions. They are lived values that your child may carry into your home, consciously or not. Learning about and honoring Buddhist traditions is part of honoring your child’s heritage.

Thai is the official language of Thailand, and children coming home from Thailand will speak Thai as their primary language. Providing Thai language support after homecoming is one of the most direct ways to honor your child’s birth identity. The Thai language is tonal and distinct, and for children who grew up immersed in it, maintaining access to their mother tongue matters deeply.

Thailand’s cultural calendar is rich with celebrations that adoptive families can participate in meaningfully. Songkran, the Thai New Year celebrated each April with a nationwide water festival, is one of the most joyful and accessible entry points for families anywhere in the U.S. Loy Krathong, held in November, involves releasing floating lanterns on rivers as an expression of gratitude and hope. The Yi Peng lantern festival in northern Thailand is one of the most visually stunning celebrations in the world. Thai cultural organizations and Thai American communities in cities including Los Angeles, Houston, New York, and Chicago offer living community connection for families and children.

Thai cuisine is globally beloved and accessible. Thai restaurants, cooking classes, and cultural grocery stores can be found across the U.S. and offer an approachable, joyful entry point into your child’s food heritage. Sharing Thai food together is not a performance of cultural preservation. It is simply family life.

For families adopting transracially, the commitment to cultural connection is not optional. It is foundational to your child’s sense of who they are.

Travel Requirements

Thailand requires both parents in a married couple to travel to Thailand to complete the adoption. The required stay is typically 14 to 21 days, though individual cases may vary.

During the trip, families attend a formal interview with the Child Adoption Board (CAB), part of the CAC. This interview is a required step in the Hague process; both parents must be present. There is no Thai court involved in intercountry adoption. Finalization occurs through the administrative process with the CAC and Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, rather than through a judicial proceeding. After the CAC issues the necessary authorizations, the DCY issues the child’s travel documents, and families complete the immigrant visa process at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok.

Families should plan carefully for the extended stay in Thailand. Your adoption service provider will arrange in-country support and guidance for all appointments.

Travel requirements may change. Your adoption service provider will give you the most current guidance when you begin your process.

Start Your Thailand Adoption Journey

Thailand is a program for families who are ready to be patient, thorough, and fully present — and who are open to a child who may have been waiting, who comes with a rich cultural heritage, and who will bring something irreplaceable into your home.

Gladney’s international adoption team works with families pursuing adoption from Thailand and can walk you through current program requirements, eligibility, and next steps. Whether you are just beginning to explore or ready to move forward, we are here to help.

This page was last reviewed in April 2026. Program and immigration information is verified against the U.S. Department of State and current accredited agency program materials. For the most current official information, visit travel.state.gov and search “Thailand intercountry adoption.” Requirements are subject to change — always confirm current eligibility criteria with your adoption service provider before beginning the process.