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Who Can Be Adopted from Tonga
Source: Wikipedia.org.
Tonga has specific requirements that a child must meet in order to be eligible for adoption. You cannot adopt a child in Tonga unless he or she meets the requirements outlined below.
In addition to these requirements, a child must meet the definition of an orphan under U.S. law for you to bring him or her back to the United States. Learn more about these U.S. requirements.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Relinquishment Requirements: Almost all Tongan adoptions involve direct relinquishments of children by their birth mothers to the adoptive parents, and almost all are arranged either between relatives, by close friends, or through religious institutions. Please note that in some instances, such direct relinquishments, while appropriate under Tongan law, may complicate the U.S. immigration process. American prospective adoptive parents considering a Tongan adoption in which the child will be directly relinquished should contact the U.S. Embassy in Suva (Fiji) early in the process to confirm whether the circumstances of their specific case will or will not preclude the child's immigration to the United States.
Age Requirements: Ilegitimate children under the age of 21 years of age.
Sibling Requirements: None
Waiting Period: Prospective adoptive parents must reside with and provide for the needs of the prospective adoptive child before letters of adoption can be approved by the chief justice of the supreme court
Other: Under Tongan law, only illegitimate children may be adopted.
The Tongan Legal Guardianship Act of 2004 makes it possible for Tongan authorities to grant legal guardianship of legitimate children under age 18. However, Tongan law is silent about (neither prohibits nor approves) whether such children may be removed from Tonga to be adopted in another country. American citizens interested in pursuing legal guardianship of a Tongan child should consult a Tongan attorney for the latest information.
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