Adopting a child

When you adopt a child, you take over Health and Education from the biological parents. You and the child then become legally related to each other.

To request an adoption, you file a petition with the court. You are required to hire an attorney.

Here's how it works

If you want to adopt a child, there are many arrangements you’ll need to make. You can read more about this on the website of the Dutch Central Authority for Adoption ( Rijksoverheid ) at. On the Rechtspraak website at, you’ll find information about the procedure, the costs, and how long it typically takes.

Every adoption is different. What you need to arrange with the court, the municipality, and other organizations depends on your situation.