International adoption or Intercountry adoption is a formal process that occurs when an Australian citizen or permanent resident, who is residing in Australia, adopts a child from another country through the authorities in their Australian state or territory.
The Australian Government does not process adoption applications. This is the role of the state and territory central authorities. State and territory central authorities assess the eligibility and suitability of people wanting to adopt a child from overseas against criteria outlined in their own legislation. They also manage the adoption application process.
Each year, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare produces a report on finalised adoptions in Australia using information obtained from each state and territory department responsible for adoption. The Adoption Australia reports and dynamic data displays are available on the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare website.
