Who Can Adopt from Colombia

Street scene in the northern city of Cartagena.
Source: cia.org.

Adoption between the United States and Colombia is governed by the Hague Adoption Convention. Therefore to adopt from Colombia, 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 prospective adoptive parents, Colombia also has the following eligibility requirements for prospective adoptive parents:

Residency

There are no residency requirements for intercountry adoptions from Columbia.

Age of Adopting Parents

Both parents are required to be 25 years old. In practice, newborns are assigned to younger couples and older children to older couples.

Marriage

Colombian law allows adoptions by a married man and woman and common law spouses of more than three years. Single men and women are only allowed to adopt children over the age of seven on a case-by-case basis.

Income

Prospective adoptive parents are required to submit documentation confirming their ability to provide for the adopted child. This requirement may be met by only one parent.

Other

Gay or Lesbian individual or couple prospective adoptive parents are advised that they should consult with the ICBF regarding Colombia’s legal requirements prior to pursuing an adoption there. In addition, according to Colombian law, both parents must be found "physically and emotionally capable" to adopt.

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