Adopting from Greece

Hague Convention Information

Greece Adoption Notice: On September 2, 2009, Greece signed and ratified the Hague Adoption Convention; it will enter into force for Greece on January 1, 2010. Greece is party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention). Therefore all adoptions between Greece and the United States must meet the requirements of the Convention and U.S. law implementing the Convention.

Greece is not a major Country of Origin for children adopted through intercountry adoption. There are many more prospective adoptive parents in Greece than there are children eligible for adoption. Over the recent 5 years, only 3 Greek children have received orphan immigrant visas to the U.S. following their adoptions by U.S. citizen parents.

Although there are no private adoption agencies in Greece, children may be adopted with the involvement of an attorney or gynecologist who will act as a facilitator. Whether a child is adopted through one of the government-run institutions and orphanages, or privately, a lawyer is required.

NOTE: Special transition provisions apply to adoptions initiated before April 1, 2008. Learn more.

Who Can Adopt

Adoption between the United States and Greece is governed by the Hague Adoption Convention. Therefore to adopt from Greece, you must first be found eligible to adopt by the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government agency responsible for making this determination is the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Learn more.

In addition to these U.S. requirements for adoptive parents, Greece also has the following requirements for adoptive parents:

Residency

You must be a resident of Greece to adopt a child from any of the governmental institutions and orphanages in Greece which care for orphaned or abandoned infants. Exceptions for prospective adoptive parents who do not reside in Greece will be made only for children with health problems who live in Greek institutions. In the case of a private adoption, no restriction applies as to the place of residence of the prospective parents.

Age of Adopting Parents

You must be between the ages of 30 and 60 in order to adopt a child. At least one of the adoptive parents must be at least 18 years older but not more than 50 years older than the adopted child. Only minors can be adopted, except in the case of step-parent adoption. Although the legal process of adoption cannot be started before the child reaches 3 months of age, in almost all cases of private adoption biological parents give the child to prospective adoptive parents immediately after birth.

Marriage

Prospective adoptive parents may be married or single.

Income

You must provide evidence of financial status.

Other

There is no religious requirement to adopt a child in Greece.

After Adoption

SOURCE

Intercountry Adoption, Bureau of Consular Affairs. U.S. Department of State Country Information