Adoption of a minor by a single person

Verified 01 March 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

You want adopt a child alone? You can adopt it if you're single, married or as a coupleunder certain conditions. Children over 13 years of age must consent to its adoption. The proceedings take place before the judicial tribunal. It is the adopter who must apply for adoption. We present you the information to know.

Adoption creates a bond of parentage between the adopter and the adopted person. Adoption can be simple or plenary.

In the case of simple adoption, the links with the family of origin are maintained.

In the case of plenary adoption, there is a total rupture the adoptee's relationship with his family oforigin.

Please note

In the case of adoption of the child of the Civil partnership, partner or common-law partner, other rules apply.

Simple adoption

The adopter must have over 26 years of age.

The adopter must have 15 more years than the adopted.

The court can still order the adoption if the age difference is less than 15 years for good reason, for example, if the adoptive parent adopts a sibling.

The adopter can be single or live as a couple. But if he is married and not legally separated or united by a Civil partnership, his husband or Civil partnership partner must consent to this adoption.

A minor is adoptable is in one of the following situations:

  • Minor whose full adoption is not possible (for example, in case of adoption of a minor foreigner when full adoption does not exist in the country of origin)
  • Pupil of the State.

Adoption between grandparents and grandchildren and between siblings is in principle forbidden, unless there are serious grounds.

Minors over 13 years of age must give his consent before a notary.

Who shall I contact

If it is unable to consent, the court must seek the opinion of a ad hoc administrator.

He can withdraw consent until adoption is pronounced.

The adopter must obtain prior approval if it wishes to adopt a ward of the State or a child foreigner.

Once accredited, the adopter is automatically entered on a departmental list which allows him to be chosen as adopter by the guardian (prefect) with the agreement of the family council of the wards of the State.

Please note

In case adoption of a child abroad, the adopter must address to Agence française de l'adoption or a body authorized for international adoption.

The minor is entrusted to the adopter by the authority responsible for it (Child Welfare - ESA...).

The minor must be entrusted at least 6 months before bringing the application for adoption before the court.

During the period of the placement, the adopter may perform the usual acts of parental authority.

The adopter sends his request on free paper or using form cerfa n°15737 to public prosecutor.

Application for simple adoption of a minor by an individual

The application must be filed or sent by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt to the court of the adoptive parent's domicile, accompanied by supporting documents.

The use of a lawyer is not required if the adoptive parent has taken the minor into his home before he turned 15.

The use of a lawyer is, however mandatory if the adopted child has been taken in after he turned 15.

If the adoptive parent's resources are insufficient, he or she may apply for legal aid.

Warning  

You must attach to your request a tax stamp of 50 €, unless you are a beneficiary of legal aid.

Once the decision has been made, the Registrar shall notified to the adopter.

The adopter may challenge the decision before the court of appeal in a 15 days.

Who shall I contact

Vital status

The decision on simple adoption shall be mentioned in the margins of the adopted person's birth certificate. This registration shall be made at the request of the public prosecutor within 15 days of the date on which it passed in force of res judicata

When the adopted child was born abroad, the decision was entered in the registers of the central civil registry office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Adoption is also mentioned on the family record book.

Relationship with the family of origin

The adopted canned all his ties to his family of origin.

Parental authority

The adopter exercises alone parental authority.

Maintenance obligation

The adoption created between the adopted and the adopter maintenance obligation reciprocal. If the adoptee is in need, the adoptive parent must, depending on his or her resources, provide him or her with financial assistance. Similarly, the adoptee must provide financial assistance to the adoptive parent if the latter is in need.

In principle, the adoptee's parents of origin should not provide financial assistance. They must only help the adoptee financially if the adoptee proves that he cannot get help from his adoptive parent.

First and last name of the adopted person

The name of the adopter shall be added to the name of the adopted person or replaces it. In the latter case, the adopted, if he is over 13 years of age, must give its consent.

The adopter may apply to the court for a name change of the adopted. If the minor is over 13 years of age, it must give its consent.

Prohibition of marriage

Marriage is prohibited between the adoptive parent, the adopted child and his/her children.

It is also forbidden to marry with other members of the adoptive family and the biological family (in particular between the adoptee and the adoptive child).

Nationality

A child who has been the subject of a simple adoption does not obtain automatically the french nationality if adopted by a Frenchman.

He can become French by declaration to his majority.

À its majority, he can ask for his naturalization.

Succession

The adopted inherits from the 2 families (family of origin and adoptive parents).

However, he's not reserving heir in respect of his or her adoptive grandparents. They can disinherit it it.

Revocation of the adoption (i.e. its annulment) may be requested only if there are serious grounds (violence, crime).

Only the public prosecutor may request revocation adoption, when the adopted person is a minor.

When it becomes major, the adoption may be revoked, at his request or at the request of the adopter.

Plenary adoption

The adopter must have more than 26 years.

The adopter must have 15 more years that the adopted. However, the court may grant a waiver for just reasons (e.g. adoption of siblings).

The adoptive parent may adopt if he or she is single or living as a couple. But if he is married and not legally separated or united by a Civil partnership, his husband or Civil partnership partner must consent to this adoption.

Adoption between grandparents and grandchildren and between siblings is in principle prohibited unless there are serious grounds.

The rules differ depending on whether the minor is over or under 15.

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Children under 15 years of age

A minor may be adopted if he or she is in one of the following situations:

Children over 15 years old

A minor may be adopted if he or she is in one of the following situations:

Full adoption of a minor over 15 years of age is also possible until he was 21 in the following 2 cases:

  • The adoptive parent had taken the minor into his home before he was 15 years old, but he did not meet the conditions for adoption
  • The adoptive parent adopted the minor before the age of 15 in a simple form.

The child of over 13 years of age must give his agreement before a notary.

Who shall I contact

If it is unable to consent, the court must seek the opinion of a ad hoc administrator. He may withdraw his consent until the adoption is pronounced.

He can withdraw consent until adoption is pronounced.

The adopter must obtain prior approval if it wishes to adopt a State ward or a child foreigner.

Once accredited, the adopter is automatically entered on a departmental list which allows him to be chosen as adopter by the guardian (prefect) with the agreement of the family council of the wards of the State.

Please note

in case adoption of a child abroad, the adopter must address to Agence française de l'adoption or a body authorized for international adoption.

The minor is entrusted to the adoptive parent by the authority in charge of the child (Child Social Assistance - ASE...).

The minor must be entrusted at least 6 months before bringing the application for adoption before the court.

During the period of the placement, the adopter may perform the usual acts of parental authority.

Warning  

Placement for full adoption prevents the child from being returned to his family of origin. The biological parent who has not recognized the child can no longer recognize the child.

The adopter sends his request on free paper or using form cerfa n°15742 to public prosecutor.

Application for full adoption of a child by an individual

The application must be filed or sent by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt to the court of the adoptive parent's domicile, accompanied by supporting documents.

The use of a lawyeris not required if the adoptive parent has taken the minor into his home before he turned 15.

The use of a lawyer is, however mandatory if the adopted child has been taken in after he turned 15.

If the adoptive parent's resources are insufficient, he or she may apply for legal aid.

Warning  

You must attach to your request a tax stamp of 50 €, unless you are a beneficiary of legal aid.

Once the decision has been made, the Registrar shall notified to the adopter.

The adopter may challenge the decision before the court of appeal in a 15 days.

Who shall I contact

Vital status

The decision to adopt the plenary is entered in the civil registry of the adopted person's place of birth. This transcript shall be made at the request of public prosecutor, within 15 days of the date on which the decision is taken in force of res judicata

When the adopted child was born abroad, the decision was entered in the registers of the central civil registry office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

One new birth certificate is drawn up.

The original birth certificate is canceled and can no longer be communicated.

Adoption is also mentioned on the family record book.

Relationship with the family of origin

The adoptee acquires a new parentage which replaces the original. The ties with the family of origin are broken.

Parental authority

The adopter alone exercises parental authority.

Maintenance obligation

The adoption created between the adopted and the adopter maintenance obligation reciprocal. If the adoptee is in need, the adoptive parent must, depending on his or her resources, provide him or her with financial assistance. Similarly, the adoptee must provide financial assistance to the adoptive parent if the latter is in need.

First and last name of the adopted person

The adopted takes the name of the adopter which replaces its original name.

The adopter may apply to the judge for a name change of the adopted. If the adopted has over 13 years of age, it must give its consent.

Nationality

A child adopted in plenary form by a French person is French by descent.

He is considered French from birth.

Prohibition of marriage

The marriage is prohibited between the adoptee and his family of origin, as well as in the adoptive family.

Right to inheritance

The adopted minor has right to the succession of the adoptive parent.

The ties with his family of origin having been severed, he does not inherit this family and this one does not inherit from him.

The plenary adoption is irrevocable.

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