The Legal Framework of International Adoption
Adoption abroad is regulated by Georgian legislation and international obligations; the foundation of this page consists of Articles 15, 19, 20, 21 and 26. Article 19 sets the condition for international placement: adoption of a child to a foreign country is possible where return of the child to the biological family or adoption by a citizen of Georgia or a stateless person holding status in Georgia is impossible. A citizen of a foreign state may adopt from Georgia a person having the status of an adoptable child registered in the registry who, within 8 months from registration, was not adopted by a citizen of Georgia — in that case the agency conducts a study and prepares a conclusion stating the reasons why a prospective parent was not found for the child in Georgia.
Registration of Prospective Parents and Required Documents
Article 15 establishes the registration procedure: a citizen of Georgia and a stateless person holding status in Georgia who wish to adopt a child submit an application in a form approved by the minister to the local guardianship and care body, which begins the assessment of the prospective family or person. Upon consent to a proposed child, the prospective parent submits the spouse's consent where one spouse adopts; a copy of an identification document; a copy of a marriage certificate where it exists; a certificate on the state of health; a certificate of medical-narcological examination; and a certificate of criminal record. A foreign citizen submits the application, the documents and the study of the family conducted by the competent body of the receiving country to the agency.
From the proposal of the child, no later than 7 working days, the prospective family or person takes the decision on adopting the child — exceeding that term is deemed a refusal to adopt the proposed child, so managing time here directly affects the outcome.