Step six. Legal procedure for adoption

* If You consent to the adoption of the proposed child, You must apply to the district court of the child’s or Your place of residence with an application for adoption.
* The hearing is held in private. The hearing will examine and assess whether the pre-trial adoption procedure has been properly carried out, whether the adoptive parents meet the requirements of the law and are properly prepared to adopt, and whether the adoption is in the best interests of the adopted child. The court’s decision on the adoption becomes final 30 days after it has been pronounced, unless an appeal is lodged against the decision. Only the persons involved in the case, i.e. the applicants, the guardian of the adopted child and other interested persons, if any, who were involved in the case, have the right to lodge an appeal. The child’s biological parents are not notified of the adoption hearing.
* Once the court’s decision on the adoption has entered into force, or if the decision is granted urgent execution, you must apply for a birth certificate from the civil registry office that registered the child’s birth.

As a general rule, the adoption proceedings are concluded before the court and a decision on the adoption is taken no later than 2 months from the date of the application. In exceptional cases, where the best interests of the child so require, this period may be extended.