Adoption Fraud in Canada Immigration

Intercountry adoptions are very complex because they must follow laws set out by:

• provincial and territorial governments
• the Government of Canada and
• the country of adoption

We make sure immigration or citizenship requirements have been met before granting permanent status to an adoptive child. For more information on the process, read about our role and other information on adopting a child from abroad.

Be cautious – adopting a child from overseas can be complicated

Sometimes, prospective parents try to speed up the process by taking matters into their own hands. Although the vast majority of adoptions progress smoothly, adoptive parents should use caution throughout the process.

You should contact the government of the province or territory you live in to obtain the most up-to-date information about the adoption process, and to ensure the adoption meets all their requirements.

To avoid unnecessary expense and disappointment, adoptive parents shouldn’t plan to return to Canada with the adopted child until they know for certain all immigration or citizenship requirements have been met.

Don’t let this happen to you

The following stories are based on real experiences of intercountry adoptions. They’re meant to demonstrate some of the problems that can arise in the process. These types of situations may be avoided by contacting your province or territory of residence to obtain the most up-to-date information about the adoption process.

Disclaimer

The families described are not real. The names are fictitious and the stories may combine details from several adoption cases.

Content Source: Canada.ca