Adoption Process in Ghana: A Comprehensive Guide

Dec 04, 2025 0

Adopting a child from Ghana offers a unique opportunity to deepen your family’s life. New Hope for Children has created a partnership in Ghana, Africa to provide loving homes for deserving infants and children through inter-country adoption. By understanding and meticulously following the steps, families can successfully navigate this process. Here's what you need to know about the adoption process in Ghana.

Ghana is located in West Africa

Legal Framework

The adoption process in Ghana is regulated by several laws and conventions, ensuring ethical and legal practices. These include:

The Children’s Act 1998 (Act 560), amended by the Children’s (Amendment) Act 2016 (Act 937)
The Adoption Regulations 2018 (L.I.C.I.42), 2360)
The Adoption Rules, 2003 (C.I. 42)
Foster Care Regulations, 2018 (LI 2361)
The Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption
The High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2004 (C.I. 47)

Hopscotch Adoptions is a Hague Accredited adoption agency and will help make sure all processes comply with the Hague Adoption Convention, which governs international adoption and promotes ethical adoption practices, whereby the best interest of the child is paramount to the entire process.

Types of Adoption in Ghana

There are two primary types of adoption in Ghana:

Read also: Understanding Adoption Types

In-country adoption: This involves adopting a child within Ghana, with the adoptive parents intending to reside permanently with the child in the country.
Inter-country adoption: Here the adoption of a child is by an individual who is not a citizen of Ghana and resides outside the country. Upon adoption, the adopted child moves to the adoptive parents’ country and live with them permanently. There are two forms of intercountry adoption: Relative and non-relative adoption.

In intercountry adoption, the countries/states involved must agree to the adoption.

Eligibility Requirements for Adoptive Parents

Before prospective adoptive parents can adopt a child from Ghana, located in West Africa, and bring them to the United States, they must initially meet specific legal criteria set by their state of residence’s law and the regulations for the US Federal laws. In addition to the USCIS eligibility requirements for prospective adoptive parent(s), Ghana has the following adoption eligibility requirements. Ghana adoption eligibility requirements are subject to change per Ghana’s adoption laws. New Hope for Children updates these guidelines as necessary.

Generally, to be eligible to adopt from Ghana, prospective parents must meet several requirements:

Citizenship: One adoptive parent must be a US citizen.
Age: Adoptive parents must be at least 25 years of age. The parent must be at least 21 years older than the adoptive child. Parents over 50 years old are considered on a case-by-case basis if one parent meets the requirements. Applicants should be more than 25 years old and a maximum age of 50. Couples where one parent is over 50 may adopt on a case by case basis. Both applicants much be 21 years older than the child. In kinship cases only, the prospective adoptive parents may be between 25 and 65 years of age.
Marriage Status: Married couples and single Ghanaian woman are eligible to adopt. Couples must be married at least 2 years. There are no prior divorce restrictions.
Previous Children: Smaller families with less than 5 children living in the home are preferred. Families with up to 5 children may adopt, but smaller families are preferred by Ghana Social Welfare.
Income: There is no minimum income required. There is no minimum income required. However, you must meet the income requirements provided by USCIS for the child to immigrate. citizen, exceeding the Internal Revenue’s minimum of 125% poverty level of gross income.
Criminal History: Applicants with a criminal history of child abuse, violence or domestic violence are not eligible to adopt. Adoptive parents with any criminal history Considered on a case by case basis. (Applicants with a criminal history of child abuse, violence or domestic violence are not eligible to adopt.) Some mental health conditions and criminal experiences may disqualify applicants on a case by case basis.

Married couples must adopt jointly, and both partners must meet all legal requirements. If unmarried, being at least 25 years old.

Key Steps in the Intercountry Adoption Process

Adopting a child from Ghana involves several steps. Here’s an overview:

Home Study: Participate in a comprehensive home study to evaluate your readiness and suitability to adopt a child. A home study would be conducted by the Central Authority or an accredited adoption agency and a home study report prepared on the applicant. This report is based on background study and the circumstances of the applicant. This home study and the report are done in the country of residence of the applicant. This report is compiled to enable the Technical Committee of the CAA determine the eligibility of the applicant. An approval and the home study report is then sent to the CAA here in Ghana. The CAA will then evaluate the home study report and if approved, the applicant become eligible to adopt. The home study can take from three to six months depending on how quickly the adoption agency and the applicant work. This involves a licensed agency assessment of your family background, health, and personal relationships, in addition to the other criteria mentioned previously.
Petition USCIS: Submission of the USCIS petition to be approved to adopt a child within specific parameters from a specific country. File Paperwork with Ghanaian Authorities: Hopscotch Adoptions will assist you to begin the adoption process by filing the necessary application and dossier with the Central Authority in Ghana. This dossier is a critical resource for the legal proceedings in Ghana, whereby the foreign authorities will make a determination of the family’s suitability to adopt a child from their country. Once USCIS has approved your application, you will receive your I-797C pre-approval notice. When your dossier is complete, it is shipped to Ghana and you will be registered to adopt. The referral wait time is unpredictable and varies depending on a family’s specific child request.
Education: Each family is required to complete the education and training necessary to prepare the adoptive family to ensure the most likely success of your child’s adoption. Hopscotch provides a sum of 47 hours of education and training which also includes education and counseling specific to the child you intend to adopt. Hopscotch offers free education to families indefinitely.
Travel to Ghana: When the time comes, Hopscotch will assist you in planning travel to Ghana, where upon arrival you will meet the child and begin the bonding process. Adoptions from Ghana require 1-3 trips and depend on a family’s ability to stay in country either for a single extended period of time (roughly 4-5 months) or to travel multiple times for the bonding period (30+ days and at least one prospective parent must be continuously present), then for the court hearing (7-10 days) and finally for the US visa process (about two weeks). Families adopting a relative usually make a single trip for the court hearing and US visa process.
Bonding Period: While in Ghana, you’ll spend time bonding with your child under the supervision of the Ministry of Social Welfare. A one month “bonding period” is required. This crucial period helps form a familial bond and allows parents to understand their child’s cultural background. Department of Social Welfare (DSW) Social Worker will visit you a minimum of two times during the one-month in-country fostering period for the purposes of assisting the child with the transition to his/her adoptive family as well as offering support and guidance as your family attaches to the child.
Finalizing the Adoption and Visa Application: After the US Embassy receives the Article 23 from the Central Authority of Ghana, the US Embassy will conduct an I-604 Orphan Investigation to ensure the child’s eligibility is accurate and only then will the US Embassy issue an Article 5. The Article 5 permits the application to the court for the child’s adoption hearing. After the hearing, Hopscotch’s foreign supervised provider partners will apply for your child’s new birth certificate, Ghanaian passport, make an appointment with the embassy to complete a visa medical examination. When this has occurred, Hopscotch will file the DS-260 online application for the visa appointment. You’ll appear before the embassy with documentation and the child to be interviewed. After the issuance of the adoption order, the applicant applies for post adoptive birth certificate for the child and submits a copy to the CAA.

After the US Embassy receives the Article 23 from the Central Authority of Ghana, the US Embassy will conduct an I-604 Orphan Investigation to ensure the child’s eligibility is accurate and only then will the US Embassy issue an Article 5. The Article 5 permits the application to the court for the child’s adoption hearing.

Hopscotch Adoptions provides a structured pathway for families interested in international adoption from Ghana.

Accra, Ghana

Directors, Alisa and Tim Karwowski, have traveled to Accra and surrounding regions and have created a team of adoption professionals in-country. New Hope has attorneys, facilitators, drivers and translators for adoptive parents to work directly with while traveling.

Post-Adoption Requirements and Support

Post adoption supervision will include a minimum of five visits by your social worker (listed above) and seven post placement reports according to the above listed schedule. New Hope for Children reserves the right to require additional visits. New Hope for Children will provide support and resources to include but not limited to counseling, gatherings with NHFC team and other adoptive families, professional trainings, seminars and readings.Under an IH3 visa, your child is immediately declared a US Citizen and will receive a Certificate of Citizenship. These reports track the child’s integration and development and are essential for monitoring the child’s well-being.

Read also: Adoption Process: Uganda

All foreign families who have adopted children in Ghana must agree to submit five post placement reports to the Government of Ghana for the first three years of placement. Compliance with post adoption reports is also required by The Hague Convention.

Hopscotch Adoptions provides resources and local referrals to appropriate professional services to support your adoptive family in integrating your adoptive child into their new home environment.

Citizenship for the Adopted Child

Upon arrival to the US, under an IH3 visa, your child is immediately declared a US Citizen and will receive a Certificate of Citizenship by regular post in about 6 months. If your child is 14 years of age or older, an appointment will be given to your family to attend an interview at the nearest USCIS field office. After this brief interview, your child will be presented the Certificate of Citizenship. citizen.Since your child/ren will be adopted in-country, he/she will gain citizenship on point of entry into the United States per the Child Citizen Act of 2000. It may take anywhere up to 8 weeks for this certificate to be delivered to you.

Financial Aspects

Fees for adoption in Ghana vary depending on the circumstances. Attorney fees usually range from GHC 2,000 to GHC 3,000 and they generally include court costs. Passport fees range from GHC 50 to GHC 200, depending on the age and background of the applicant.

For 2023 the maximum dollar limit for the Adoption Tax Credit is $15,950 per child. For 2024, the adoption tax credit is fully available in the amount of $16,810 if your modified adjusted gross income is equal to or less than $252,150. Contact your tax advisor for more information

Adopting from Ghana is a complex but deeply rewarding journey. By understanding and meticulously following these general steps, families can expect to successfully navigate this process with the support and experience from adoption agencies such as Hopscotch Adoptions and New Hope for Children. Be sure to reflect on your adoption journey and the transformative impact it has had on your family.