This page about adoptions from Latvia in 2019 provides updated information about adoption opportunities from Latvia for the year 2019.
Who may adopt?
There are no formal legal age requirements under Latvian law, however in practice prospective adoptive parents have to be at least 25 years old or 18 years older than the child. One needs to keep in mind that under Maltese law, for a person to be able to adopt, they need to be at least 28 years old as per. Article 115.
Both single candidates and married prospective adoptive parents may apply to adopt from Latvia. There are no rules relating to the sexual orientation of the candidate-prospective parents. However, in case of married couples, only heterosexual couples can apply.
Who may be adopted?
- Sibling groups consisting of three or more children,
- Children who are 9 years or older,
- Children who have severe health problems,
- Children released for inter-country adoption by the Ministry of Welfare because they have not been adopted by Latvians,
- Any adoptable child, regardless of age or health condition if at least one of the candidates is Latvian or holds Latvian non-citizen resident status.
Adoption Opportunities has access to a list of waiting children available for adoption from Latvia which is updated regularly by the Latvian Authorities.
Children may have mild to moderate, correctable or non-correctable special needs including medical, developmental, behavioral and emotional needs. Occasionally children can have what is considered to be typical developmental delays due to being institutionalized. Children with more permanent conditions include down syndrome, blind, deaf, cerebral palsy, limb differences, severe medical or psychological needs that require ongoing rehabilitation or treatment. On the other hand, medical information provided about children in Latvia is more accurate, mainly due to the facts that there are good administrative requirements in Latvia and since children are usually older, medical and emotional conditions would have already been identified in most cases.
There is no fixed waiting period, the waiting period varies depending on the candidate/s preferences, the country’s process and the time families take to complete the required dossier paperwork.
According to the changed rules for adoptions from Latvia in 2019, the adoptive parents need to make three trips to Latvia to be able to adopt from Latvia. The first trip lasts around four weeks. Prospective-adoptive parents would get to meet their child/children during this trip and get to spend time with their child/children to form a bond with them. Both parents must be present for the whole duration of the first trip. The second trip would only last a few days and it is enough if one parent and the child are present. The last and third trip lasts approximately one week and at least one parent and the child must travel.
A very interesting part of the adoption process from Latvia is that from the time the prospective adopter/s meet their prospective adopted child, till the time they return to Latvia for the final immigration process, the child or children will be in the prospective adopter/s care both in Latvia as well as when travelling back to Malta after the first visit, provided that the Orphan Court approved the adoption to go forward.