Prospective adoptive parents that want to adopt a child from Tonga must reside with that child for at least six months before the adoption application can even be submitted. Other than the residency requirement, which can be waived under extenuating circumstances, there are not any marriage or age requirements to adopt a Tongan child. However, only illegitimate children under the age of 21 can be adopted. Two Tongan children were adopted in 2011.
