Inter-Country Adoption Association (Ireland)

Thailand has ratified the Hague Convention and it has been entered into force since 1/08/2004.

On 4 April 2011 a delegation from the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AA) met with the Thai Central Authority, the Child Adoption Centre. Primarily the Thai authorities promote domestic adoption. When children in orphanages cannot be adopted by Thai families these children are placed on the ICA register. These children are at least 1 year old and mostly over 2 years. Children are matched with families using the child’s availability and the needs for adoption as the primary criteria.

Thailand places children with married couples and single women living alone. Single women are permitted to adopt children aged 4+ or special needs children. Applicants over 40 years of age will usually be referred an older child i.e. over 2 years of age.

Applicants over 50 years must have parented before.

Thailand allocates a quota of children for adoption per country. In 2009 the quota was 20 for Ireland, in 2010 the quota was 10. There is a “nil” quota for Ireland for 2011 so no applications will be accepted for Irish families.

The Thai Adoption Group is a support group for families and children adopted from Thailand.

Website: www.tagireland.org

Email: thaiadoptiongroup@gmail.com

Applicant Type:

Married Couples and Single Women living alone.

Co-habiting couples are not eligible to adopt.

Age Limit

for

Applicants:

Minimum 25 years.

Applicants over 50 must have parented before.

Likely age of

Child on Referral:

1 year plus

Average time

to Referral

30 - 36 months

Additional Needs Programme?

Yes if requested

Number of Trips Required

1 trip.

Length of stay is up to 4 weeks.