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A new life in Spain can be accompanied by a decision as important as an adoption, so to create the home you have always dreamed of. In this sense, Spain is a flexible country regarding the requirements for adoption.
Because the good life is better when shared. 😊
What is adoption? A legal procedure to start a new family
Adoption is a process through which a family welcomes a homeless child, to offer all the vital, emotional and physical needs that a structured family offers.
Children looking for an adoptive family come from unstructured families, orphanages or unwanted pregnancies Thus, the host family commits to offer an environment of affectio and protection necessary for the development of the infant.
In this sense, the adoption process in Spain allows the adoption of a child to both Spaniards and foreigners. And although the process is strict to guarantee the protection of minors, it is true that the system is one of the most accessible in Europe. Because nothing should stand in the way of creating a family and a home. 👨👧👦👨👨👧👧👩👧👦
Even more, there are many things to do with your family. Here you can see the best plans in Alicante with kids!
Who can adopt? Requirements and legal framework in Spain
- One of the parents must be at least 25 years old.
- Both must be more than 15 years older than the adopted child.
- The social services of the respective Autonomous Community (region) will determine through a rigorous evaluation process if the family is suitable to adopt the minor. The evaluation includes a psychological and economic certificate. The evaluation includes emotional state, maturity, nationality, or economic status of the couple, among others.
- Depending on the Autonomous Community, the mother should not be over 40 in the case of babies. Each community sets the details of the criteria, for example, in Andalusia, the difference between mother and child cannot exceed 42 years.
- Both parents must have lived together for at least two years.
These are the general lines, however, as mentioned before, each Autonomous Community has its own legislation.
FAQs about the adoption process in Spain
- Can I adopt if I am a foreigner? The answer is positive, anyone who is a resident in Spain, whether Spanish or foreign, can request an adoption.
- Can we adopt if we are an unmarried couple? A priori, it is easier for marriages. However, unmarried couples can also adopt, although the process involves more paperwork.
- What does the law say about gay couples? Gay couples have full rights to adopt. However, they must be married.
- Hown long is the waiting time? Although the wait is worth it, you should know beforehand that the time is long. It can vary between 8 and 20 months, depending on the context, the child’s nationality or the couple’s suitability for adoption.
Discovering Spain’s most magical corners with your family will make all of this worth it, for sure!
Procedures and adoption process in Spain
Although the adoption process in Spain is more flexible compared to other countries, it is true that from an administrative point of view it is a tough process that tests both future parents.
- If the administration and supervision of social workers is harsh in national territory, this is complicated if the child is of foreign origin, since it may entail regulatory trips and periods of stay in his / her country of origin.
- As for the paperwork, it may vary from one region to another, but the base is usually the same; a birth certificate, the marriage certificate (for a married couple), medical certificates, a certificate attesting to the absence of a criminal record, and a certificate certifying your income level. If you are from another country with a different language, it is necessary to officially translate the documents.
- Regarding the stages of the process, once the analysis by social workers and the submission of the documents is done, relevant authorities finally accept or deny the granting of the adoption.
- If the answer is positive, the minor spends a period of coexistence with the new adoptive parents, if everything goes well, finally the adoption is officially approved, and the minor is entered in the registry with the new parents’ surnames.
We wish you can create a family and enjoy your home in Spain as soon as possible. At Sonneil, we really want to help you, and that is why we offer you wonderful homes in Spain so that you can design a new life with your family.
Our homes are designed for you to find the house of your dreams!
