Adoption

Adoption is the legal process during which the parental rights to a child are transferred from the child's birth parents to the child's adoptive parents. Once the adoption is finalized, the adopted child becomes a permanent member of the adoptive family.

The majority of adoptive families in Cyprus adopt children from overseas since there are not many children in Cyprus who are looking for an adoptive family.

The Convention for the Protection of Children and for Cooperation regarding Intercountry Adoption Law 1994, regulates for intercountry adoptions between Cyprus and the countries which have ratify it.

According to the Cyprus Legislation the adoption process that takes place in child’s country of origin, must also take place in Cyprus. However, this does not apply for adoptions that take place in countries which governments have signed bilateral Conventions with the government of Cyprus.