Intercountry Adoptions from Uganda are overseen by the the Department of Youth and Child Affairs in the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development. Uganda’s Children Act Amendments, which went into effect in 2016, state that intercountry adoption “shall be considered as the last option” available to children in need of permanency. The law also requires non-Ugandan prospective adoptive parents to spend one year living in Uganda fostering the child(ren) they intend to adopt.
For more up-to-date information on how to adopt from Uganda, visit the Uganda Adoption page on the U.S. State Department’s website. Get parent-to-parent advice and support in the International Adoptive Families group in our online community, Adoptive Families Circle.
Uganda Adoption Fast Facts
- 2016 Adoptions: 187 children
- Hague Country: No
- Estimated Total Cost: $20,000 to $30,000
- Profile of Children: 51% of children are between 1 and 4 years old. 56% are boys (2014). Children over age 14 must consent to their adoption.
- Parent Ages: Adoptive parents must be at least 25 years old and 21 years older than the child. If married, only one spouse needs to fulfill these requirements.
- Family Status: Both married couples and singles may adopt. Unless an exception is made, singles must adopt a child of the same sex. Same-sex couples may not be approved for adoption.
- Travel: Parents need to be physically present for a court appearance and their child’s visa appointment. This can be done in either one or two trips. Parents taking one trip should plan to stay in Uganda for four to eight weeks.
- Timeline: One to three years.
Related Articles About Uganda Adoption from Building Your Family and Adoptive Families
- “On the Outside, Looking In”: Phil Bertelson, an award-winning filmmaker and transracial adoptee, explores issues of racism and transracial adoption in an interview.
- “Personal Story: ‘Learning to Care for My African-American Daughter’s Hair’”: As a white mom learns about her black child’s hair, both come of age.
Helpful Books for Uganda Adopters
- There Is No Me Without You: One Woman’s Odyssey to Rescue Africa’s Children, by Melissa Fay Greene
- I’m Chocolate, You’re Vanilla: Raising Healthy Black and Biracial Children in a Race-Conscious World, by Marguerite A. Wright
