Adoption in Poland — Legal Assistance in Poznań
Adoption is one of the most significant legal acts in a person’s life — for the child and for the adoptive parents alike. In Polish law it creates a legal relationship identical to that between a biological parent and child, with all the rights and obligations that flow from it. It is also a process that requires patience, preparation and a clear understanding of procedure — because it is lengthy, multi-stage and involves a number of different institutions.
We help prospective adoptive parents navigate the entire process — from the first contact with an adoption centre through to the final court order.
Tel.: +48 531 335 713 | kancelaria@prawnikodrozwodu.pl
What Is Adoption Under Polish Law?
The formal Polish legal term for adoption is przysposobienie. It consists in the creation of a legal relationship between the adopting parent (przysposabiający) and the adopted child (przysposobiany) — identical to the relationship between a biological parent and child (Art. 121 of the Family and Guardianship Code, Kodeks rodzinny i opiekuńczy, hereinafter “FGC”). The adopted child acquires inheritance rights, takes the adopting parent’s surname and is treated in law as if born into the adoptive family.
Polish law recognises three forms of adoption, differing in their legal effects and the possibility of dissolution.
Three Forms of Adoption
Full Adoption (przysposobienie pełne)
The most common form. The child becomes fully integrated into the adoptive family — acquiring rights and obligations arising from kinship towards the adopting parent and their relatives, while legal ties with the biological family cease. Full adoption may be dissolved by the court for serious reasons, but only before the child reaches the age of majority (Art. 125 FGC).
Complete Adoption (przysposobienie całkowite) — Anonymous Adoption
The strongest form of adoption — irrevocable and incapable of dissolution (Art. 124 FGC). It is ordered only where the biological parents have given their consent before a court without being told the identity of the adopting parents — the biological parents agree to the adoption without knowing who will adopt their child. The adopting parents are recorded in the civil registry as the child’s legal parents. The identity of the adoptive family is protected.
This form is used where the biological parents wish to make a permanent and irrevocable renunciation of parental rights, ensuring the child’s complete integration into the new family.
Partial Adoption (przysposobienie niepełne)
Less commonly used. The child acquires rights and obligations arising from kinship only towards the adopting parent — but ties with the biological family do not cease. In practice, this form is used mainly in specific circumstances, for example where the adopting parent is a stepparent and the other biological parent is living and maintains contact with the child.
Who Can Adopt?
The FGC sets out the conditions that a prospective adoptive parent must meet.
Age: The adopting parent must be an adult (Art. 114¹ FGC). Polish law sets no upper age limit, but adoption centres and courts take into account the age difference between the adopting parent and the child — it should be appropriate to a typical parent-child relationship in the given circumstances (Art. 115 FGC).
Full legal capacity: The adopting parent must have full legal capacity to perform legal acts.
Personal suitability: The court assesses whether the prospective adopter gives adequate guarantee of properly exercising parental authority — examining their life circumstances, health, housing situation, motivation and existing relationship with the child.
Married applicants: Where the adopting parent is married, the consent of their spouse is required (Art. 116 FGC) — unless the spouse lacks full legal capacity or obtaining their cooperation is subject to insurmountable obstacles. Spouses may also adopt jointly.
Adoption training: Prospective adoptive parents are required by law to complete a preparatory training programme at an adoption centre and to obtain a qualification certificate. This is a statutory requirement — without it, an application to the court cannot be made.
Who Can Be Adopted?
Only a minor — a person who has not yet turned 18 — may be adopted in Poland (Art. 114 FGC). Adoption of an adult is not permitted under Polish law.
In addition, the adoption must be in the child’s best interests — this is the overriding principle of the entire proceedings, which the court examines at every stage.
Consents Required in Adoption Proceedings
Consent of the Biological Parents
As a general rule, the consent of the child’s biological parents is required for an adoption to be granted (Art. 117 FGC). Consent is given before the family court (sąd opiekuńczy) and may not be given until six weeks after the child’s birth — a safeguard to protect mothers from making a hasty decision immediately after childbirth.
The court may grant adoption without the biological parents’ consent where they have been deprived of parental authority, their identity is unknown, or cooperation with them is subject to insurmountable obstacles (Art. 119 FGC).
Consent of the Child
Where the child has turned 13, their consent to the adoption is required (Art. 118 FGC). The court may dispense with this requirement in exceptional circumstances — where obtaining consent is impossible or where the absence of consent is justified by the child’s best interests. Children under 13 are heard by the court where their level of maturity permits.
Step by Step: The Adoption Process in Poland
Adoption proceedings in Poland are multi-stage and involve both adoption centres and the court. The key steps are as follows.
Step 1 — Contact With an Adoption Centre
The first step is to approach an adoption centre (ośrodek adopcyjny) — either a public one (operated by regional government) or a private one (operated by non-governmental organisations). The centre carries out an assessment of the candidates, including interviews, home visits and an evaluation of living conditions and personal circumstances.
Step 2 — Adoption Training
Prospective adoptive parents are required to complete a preparatory training programme organised by the adoption centre. The training covers legal, psychological and parenting matters. On completion, the centre issues a qualification certificate (świadectwo kwalifikacyjne).
Step 3 — Matching
The adoption centre matches a child with prospective parents. The candidates meet the child and begin building a relationship. When both the child and the candidates are considered ready, the centre refers the case to the court.
Step 4 — Court Proceedings
The adoption petition is filed with the district court (sąd rejonowy) — family and juvenile division — with jurisdiction over the place of residence or habitual residence of the candidates or the child. In Poznań, the relevant courts are the District Courts of Poznań-Stare Miasto, Poznań-Nowe Miasto and Wilda, and Poznań-Grunwald and Jeżyce.
During proceedings the court conducts a home environment assessment, examines the situations of both the child and the candidates, and may order a psychological expert opinion. The court hears the candidates and, where the child has turned 13, the child as well.
Before issuing the adoption order, the court may establish a trial period — during which the candidates care for the child before the adoption is formally granted. This allows the court to assess whether the relationship between the child and the candidates is developing appropriately.
Step 5 — Adoption Order
Once proceedings are complete, the court issues the adoption order. From the moment the order becomes final, a legal relationship identical to that between a biological parent and child is created between the adopting parent and the child.
Step 6 — Amendment of Civil Registry Records
Following the final order, a new birth certificate is issued for the child. In the case of full adoption, the adopting parents are registered as the child’s legal parents. The child takes the adoptive family’s surname.
International Adoption
Poland is a party to the Hague Convention of 29 May 1993 on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. International adoption — whether a Polish resident adopting a child from abroad, or a foreign national adopting a Polish child — is subject to specific procedures and requires cooperation with the designated central authorities in both countries.
As a general rule, a Polish child may be adopted by a person residing abroad only where it has not been possible to place the child with an adoptive or foster family in Poland. Polish families always have priority.
Cases with an international element are significantly more complex and require experience in private international law and familiarity with the procedures required under the Hague Convention. If you are a foreign national living in Poland and considering adoption, we strongly recommend taking legal advice at the outset.
Why Have a Lawyer in Adoption Proceedings?
Adoption proceedings are multi-stage by nature and involve several institutions — the adoption centre, the court and the civil registry office. Legal questions can arise at any point.
A lawyer helps ensure that the petition filed with the court is properly prepared — containing all required elements and the evidence needed to demonstrate that the conditions for adoption are met. Legal assistance is also invaluable where proceedings encounter obstacles — where the biological parents refuse consent, where questions arise about the child’s legal status, or where the case has an international dimension.
In the case of step-parent adoption (adoption of a spouse’s child), the procedure is simplified — but it still requires a properly drafted petition, the gathering of documents and representation before the court.
What to Bring to Your First Consultation
The first consultation costs 400 PLN and lasts 60–90 minutes. It helps to come with basic information about your situation: whether the prospective adopters are married or single, whether you have already been in contact with an adoption centre, whether you have a specific child in mind (for example, a partner’s child or a relative’s child), and whether the case has any international element.
If proceedings are already under way, bring any documents you have from the adoption centre and any correspondence from the court.
At the meeting we will assess where things stand, identify what still needs to be done and advise on how to move the process forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the adoption process take? It is difficult to give a single answer — adoption is a process, not a single act. The stage at the adoption centre alone can take many months. Court proceedings typically take from a few months to a year, depending on the complexity of the case and the court’s caseload. Step-parent or relative adoption tends to be quicker than adoption of a child previously unknown to the applicants.
Can a single person adopt a child in Poland? Yes — Polish law does not require the adopting parent to be married. A single person may adopt provided they meet the other requirements. In practice, adoption centres and courts more often place children with married couples, but single-applicant adoption is legally possible and does occur.
Can an adoption be reversed? Full adoption may be dissolved by the court for serious reasons, but only before the child reaches the age of majority (Art. 125 FGC). Complete adoption is irrevocable — it cannot be dissolved under any circumstances.
What if the biological parents refuse to consent? The court may grant adoption without the biological parents’ consent where they have been deprived of parental authority, their identity is unknown, or cooperation with them is subject to insurmountable obstacles. Each such situation requires individual legal assessment.
Can an adopted child find out who their biological parents are? In the case of full adoption — in principle yes, once the child reaches adulthood. In the case of complete adoption, the identity of the biological parents is protected, and the child has no right of access to that information through the courts. This is an important consideration for prospective adopters when choosing which form of adoption to pursue.
Contact Us
Adoption is a lifelong decision — and it deserves thorough legal preparation. We assist prospective adoptive parents in Poznań and across Greater Poland, in person and remotely.
Kancelaria Prawa Rodzinnego Adwokat Michalina Koligot, Adwokat Marta Krzyżanowicz, Adwokat Anna Konrady, Radca Prawny Joanna Jędrzejewska
ul. Mickiewicza 18a/3, 60-834 Poznań Tel.: +48 531 335 713 kancelaria@prawnikodrozwodu.pl | prawnikodrozwodu.pl
Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00–16:00 Consultations in person and online. First consultation: 400 PLN.
This page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal information current as of January 2026.