Adoption

Adoption is when one or more biological parents give up there parental rights for a child under the age of 18 and someone else becomes their legal parent.

This may be an extended family member, step parent, family friend or stranger.

Adults wishing to adopt in New Zealand must be approved as adoptive parents by Oranga Tamariki, the Ministry for Children. For international adoptions, where the child is born overseas but will be resident in New Zealand, adoptive parents must be approved by the New Zealand Central Authority for Adoption which is a department of Oranga Tamariki.

The Wakefields Lawyers family team can assist you with all aspects of adoption law in New Zealand providing sound and pragmatic advice at competitive pricing.