Domestic intrafamily adoption and adult adoption

You do not need an adoption permit to adopt a child under the age of 18 in your home country when you are adopting a child of your spouse or a child who has been in your regular care or under your upbringing. Adoption of an adult also does not require an adoption permit.

Domestic intrafamily adoption does not require a permit 

Domestic intrafamily adoption does not require an adoption permit, and the Adoption Board does not process domestic intrafamily adoptions. Domestic adoption means that the child to be adopted and the prospective adopter reside in Finland. The citizenship of the child or the prospective adopter does not affect the matter. Intrafamily adoption means that 

  • the spouse intends to adopt the other spouse’s child alone during the marriage or after the dissolution of the marriage due to death; or 
  • the child has come to the prospective adopter for a purpose other than adoption and has been regularly cared for and raised by the applicant. 

First, apply for adoption counselling from your wellbeing services county or adoption agency. You can find the contact information for adoption counselling on our Adoption process page. After this, apply for the confirmation of the adoption from the District Court with a written application. Ask the District Court for advice on completing the application. 

Please note that if the child or you reside outside Finland, it is an intercountry adoption. You always need an adoption permit for intercountry adoption, even if it is an intrafamily adoption.

Adoption of an adult does not require a permit

Adoption of a person over the age of 18, in other words an adult, does not require adoption counselling or applying for an adoption permit. The Adoption Board does not process adult adoptions. 

Apply for confirmation of adoption directly from the District Court with a written application. Ask the District Court of your area for advice on completing the application.   

According to the Adoption Act, the District Court may confirm the adoption of an adult if the adoptee consents to the adoption and it has been established that:  

  • the adoptee has been cared for and brought up by the prospective adopter while the adoptee was still a minor, or  
  • a relationship comparable with that between a child and parent was otherwise established between the child and the prospective adopter while the adoptee was still a minor. 

According to the Supreme Court’s precedent, the District Court must give the child’s biological parent the opportunity to be heard and the opportunity to present clarification of the matter concerning the adoption of their adult child. However, the consent of the biological parent is not required for adult adoption.  

Please contact the District Court for all adult adoption-related issues. 

Contact information

By email: [email protected]

Submit the data for your adoption permit application to the Finnish Adoption Board using the secure forms. The use of the secure form is the fastest way to submit data related to adoption applications to the Finnish Adoption Board.

By mail:
Finnish Adoption Board
P.O. Box 40
13035 LVV

Please note that when using a post office box address, there will be a delay as the post office box is located in the registry of the Finnish Supervisory Agency in Hämeenlinna, from where the mail is delivered by post to the Finnish Adoption Board in Helsinki.

The Finnish Adoption Board’s visiting address (visits must be agreed on separately):
Ratapihantie 9
00520 Helsinki

Irene Pärssinen-Hentula  
Manager, Chair of the Adoption Board 
[email protected] 
+358 295 255 136 

Taija Jokimaa-Frusti  
Senior Officer, Deputy Chair of the Adoption Board  
[email protected]  
+358 295 254 791

Päivi Pietarila  
Senior Officer, Secretary of the Adoption Board
[email protected]  
+358 295 255 503

Louna Dunkel 
Senior Officer, Secretary of the Adoption Board
[email protected]
+358 295 254 035