Please see our section on Adoptions from the United States for more information on the process for adopting a child from the United States. We urge prospective adoptive parents residing abroad who are considering adoption of a child from the United States to consult with Finland’s Central Authority, the Finnish Adoption Board within Valvira, the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health, for its determination as to whether it considers your adoption to be subject to the Convention.
Finland is a party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Convention). Intercountry adoption processing in Convention countries must be done in accordance with the Convention; the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (IAA); the IAA’s implementing regulations; and all applicable legislation and regulations of Finland.
Finland is not considered a country of origin for intercountry adoption at this time. While adoption is legally possible, children from Finland are not generally placed for intercountry adoption. No children from Finland have received a U.S. immigrant visa based on an intercountry adoption in the past five fiscal years. The information provided is intended primarily to assist in extremely rare adoption cases from Finland, including adoptions of children from Finland by relatives in the United States, as well as adoptions from third countries by U.S. citizens living in Finland.
Prospective adoptive parents who are stationed overseas on U.S. military orders, posted overseas on U.S. government orders, or are private citizens living abroad are cautioned that the Convention may apply to an adoption completed in the United States, in the host country, and/or involving a child from a third country. We also strongly encourage such prospective adoptive parents to consult with the Central Authority of the country where they are physically residing, and/or where the child is residing, to determine whether the Convention applies to a proposed adoption.
Below is the limited adoption information the Department has obtained from the adoption authority of Finland. U.S. citizens interested in adopting children from Finland should contact the Central Authority of Finland to inquire about applicable laws and procedures. U.S. citizen prospective adoptive parents living in Finland who would like to adopt a child from the United States or from a third country should also contact Finland’s Central Authority. See contact information below.
Please visit the Department of State’s country pages for more information on traveling to Finland and the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki’s website for information on consular services.
The consular officer will send a letter (referred to as an “Article 5/17 Letter”) to Finland’s Central Authority in any intercountry adoption involving U.S. citizen adoptive parents and a child from Finland if all Convention requirements are met and the child appears eligible to immigrate to the United States. This letter will inform Finland’s Central Authority that the parents are suitable and eligible to adopt, that the child appears eligible to enter and reside permanently in the United States, and that the U.S. Central Authority agrees that the adoption may proceed.
Warning: Do not attempt to adopt a child in Finland before USCIS has provisionally approved your Form I-800 petition AND a U.S. consular officer issues the “Article 5/17 Letter” for your adoption case.
Remember: The consular officer will make a final decision about a child’s eligibility for an immigrant visa later in the adoption process.
