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DEPENDSOffence All of Belgium

Can I bring a relative's child from my home country to Belgium and adopt them?

In short

Only through the legal procedure. You must first complete the preparation and obtain a court ruling that you are 'suitable' to adopt. Obtaining an unlawful adoption by fraud, acting as an intermediary for others without recognition, and giving or receiving a child for money can all be crimes.

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This rule in 72 seconds
Video transcript

You'd like to take in the child of a relative in your home country. I'll adopt them there and bring them over, you think. It depends: First the preparation and a court ruling that you're suitable. A Hague-certified foreign adoption is recognised automatically; others under legal conditions. The right way: For the first step, contact your community's central adoption authority. Never pay for a child, and don't use an unrecognised intermediary. Consequences (Level 2 – 3 offence): Unlawful adoption by fraud: 6 months – 3 years; Unrecognised intermediary: 3 – 5 years in prison; Paying for a child: 3 – 5 years in prison.

What is not allowed, what is required?

  • Anyone living in Belgium who wants to adopt a child living abroad must first complete the preparation organised by their Community and obtain a court ruling that they are suitable to adopt (former Civil Code art. 361-1). For the first step, contact your Community's central adoption authority.
  • An adoption decision made abroad is automatically recognised in Belgium if there is a certificate of conformity with the Hague Convention (former Civil Code art. 364-1). Decisions from countries that are not party to the Convention are recognised under the conditions set by law (art. 365-1). The Federal Central Authority at the FPS Justice (Federale Centrale Autoriteit / Autorité centrale fédérale) takes the recognition decision and sends it to the registrar for registration (art. 367-1, 367-2). For someone living in Belgium, the procedure of art. 361-1 must in all cases have been followed beforehand.
  • If you skip these steps and adopt the child abroad first, recognition is only possible in exceptional cases (art. 365-6): there must be no intention to commit fraud, the child must be related to you up to the fourth degree or have lived with you for a long time as your child, and other conditions also apply.
  • Obtaining an unlawful adoption by fraud is a crime (Criminal Code art. 364, level 2). Acting as an intermediary for someone else without belonging to a recognised adoption body is level 3 (art. 365).
  • Giving, accepting or offering a child in exchange for money or another benefit is the sale of a child (art. 273, level 3). This does not include costs and reasonable fees of the people involved in the adoption.

Penalty and indirect consequences

PENALTY NOTICEOffence · Criminal Code, level 3
Fine / payment
For the sale of children, the judge can impose the additional fine once for each victim (art. 273).

Legal basis:Code pénal livre II (Loi 29.2.2024), art. 273

Court / prison
Obtaining an unlawful adoption by fraud: level 2, 6 months – 3 years in prison or an alternative to prison. Unrecognised intermediaries and the sale of children: level 3, 3 – 5 years in prison.

Legal basis:Strafwetboek (W 29.2.2024) Boek I, art. 36

What does this level mean? Criminal Code, level 3: 3 – 5 years in prison. All penalty levels →

What really matters: the indirect consequences

  • An adoption that is not recognised has no legal effect in Belgium
  • It may appear on your criminal record extract (uittreksel uit het strafregister / extrait de casier judiciaire); this can cause problems when you apply for jobs

    Legal basis:FOD Justitie – Uittreksel strafregister + Sv. art. 595-596

What do these terms mean?

Criminal record
The state register of convictions handed down by a court. The extract asked for a job, residence or nationality application comes from it. Municipal GAS fines are not entered in it.

All terms: glossary →

Why does this rule exist?

The rule makes sure that an independent authority checks whether the child really needs a new family and whether the family is suitable. This helps prevent child trafficking.

Where can you go?

  • Violence helplineFlanders 1712 (weekdays 09–18) · Wallonia and Brussels 0800 30 030 (partner violence), 103 (child abuse) · Emergency 112
  • Child and family servicesFlanders: Kind en Gezin / Opgroeien · Wallonia and Brussels: ONE
  • School guidance centreThe school's CLB / centre PMS
  • Social interpreterAt the municipality, the OCMW/CPAS, school and hospital, you can ask for an interpreter in your language; it is often free.

This site does not handle individual cases; it points you to the right service. All help addresses

Source and reliability

Official source
Source check
14 / 16 statements in an official source
Checked: 02.11.2026
Last checked
02.11.2026
Rules can change
Show the 16 checked statementsopen

The checked statements are in Turkish, as in the source text. This check does not replace legal advice.

General information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ask a lawyer or free legal aid. How was this information prepared?

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