Adoption leave in the public service
Verified 01 June 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Are you a public official and adopting one or more children? You are entitled to adoption leave. We present you the rules concerning this leave, depending on whether you are a civil servant or a contractor.
Public servant
You are entitled to adoption leave if one or more children are entrusted to you for adoption by one of the following authorities:
- Departmental Child Welfare Service (Ase)
- Agence française de l'adoption (Afa)
- French Authorized Adoption Agency (OAA)
- Competent foreign authority (provided that the child has been authorized to enter France).
Adoption leave may be granted to either of the adoptive parents.
If the other adoptive parent is also a public servant or a contract worker, the leave can be divided between you.
You can benefit from adoption leave whether you are a probationary official or a full-time civil servant.
You can benefit from adoption leave if you are in position of activity or secondment.
The length of the adoption leave varies according to the number of adopted children and the number of children already dependent and whether or not the leave is divided between the two parents.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
Adoption of a child
The length of the adoption leave varies depending on the number of children you already have and whether the leave is divided between the two parents.
Number of children already charged | Length of leave if taken by only 1 parent | Length of leave if it is divided between the two parents |
|---|---|---|
0 or 1 | 16 weeks | 16 weeks + 25 days |
2 or more | 18 weeks | 18 weeks + 25 days |
In the case of a split between the two parents, the duration of the leave may not exceed 16 or 18 weeks for each parent.
Both parents can take their adoption leave at the same time.
Adoption leave starts no earlier than 7 days before the child arrives at your home and ends no later than 8 months after that date.
Adoption leave may be divided into two periods of at least 25 days each.
You can ask for adoption leave to succeed the 3 days leave for the arrival of a child placed for adoption.
Adoption of 2 or more children
The length of the adoption leave varies depending on whether the leave is divided between the two parents:
- 22 weeks if leave is taken by 1 parent only
- 22 weeks + 32 days if divided between the 2 parents.
In the case of a split between the two parents, the duration of the leave may not exceed 22 weeks for each parent.
Both parents can take their adoption leave at the same time.
Adoption leave starts no earlier than 7 days before the child arrives at your home and ends no later than 8 months after that date.
Adoption leave may be divided into two periods of at least 25 days each.
You can ask for adoption leave to succeed the 3 days leave for the arrival of a child placed for adoption.
You must submit your request for adoption leave by mail to your head of department.
You must indicate the child's arrival date and your projected leave dates.
This leave cannot be denied.
You must attach the following documents to your application:
- Any document certifying that a child is entrusted to you for adoption by a departmental child welfare service (Ase), the French Adoption Agency or any other body authorized for adoption and specifying the date of his arrival
- Declaration of your spouse an adopter who certifies that he or she is not receiving adoption leave for that child or that the adoption leave is divided between you.
There is no text setting the time limit within which you must first submit your application.
Reminder
If you have to travel overseas or abroad for the adoption of your child, you can benefit from a availability up to 6 weeks per approval.
During your adoption leave, you continue to receive your full index treatment.
You continue to collect in full the residence allowance and the new index increase (NBI) if you receive these top-ups.
If you already touch the family treatment supplement (FTS), it also continues to be paid to you in full during your leave.
The SFT for the new child is paid to you from 1er day of the month following the month of arrival.
You continue to perceive your bonuses and allowances.
Adoption leave is considered as a period of activity for advancement of step and grade and retirement.
Adoption leave does not affect your entitlement to other leave (annual leave, sick leave, etc.).
If you work part-time, you are automatically reinstated full-time for the duration of your adoption leave.
At the end of your adoption leave, you can apply for additional birth leave.
If you do not wish to take this additional leave or if you do not wish to take it immediately after your adoption leave, you are reassigned to your position.
If this is not possible, you are assigned to an equivalent job, the closest to your last place of work.
You can apply to be assigned to a job closer to your home, if the priorities for change granted to certain public servants so permit.
FYI
If you are a probationary public servant, adoption leave extends, under certain conditions, your internship duration without changing the date of your tenure.
Contractual
You are entitled to adoption leave if one or more children are entrusted to you for adoption by one of the following authorities:
- Departmental Child Welfare Service (Ase)
- Agence française de l'adoption (Afa)
- French Authorized Adoption Agency (OAA)
- Competent foreign authority (provided that the child has been authorized to enter France)
Adoption leave may be granted to either of the adoptive parents.
If the other adoptive parent is also a contract or public servant, the leave can be divided between you.
You can benefit from adoption leave whether you are in FIXED-TERM: titleContent or in DTA: titleContent.
You can benefit from adoption leave if you are active (i.e. if you are not on unpaid leave: parental leave, mobility leave, etc.)
The length of the adoption leave varies according to the number of adopted children and the number of children already dependent and whether or not the leave is divided between the two parents.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
Adoption of a child
The length of the adoption leave varies depending on the number of children you already have and whether the leave is divided between the two parents.
Number of children already charged | Length of leave if taken by only 1 parent | Length of leave if it is divided between the two parents |
|---|---|---|
0 or 1 | 16 weeks | 16 weeks + 25 days |
2 or more | 18 weeks | 18 weeks + 25 days |
In the case of a split between the two parents, the duration of the leave may not exceed 16 or 18 weeks for each parent.
Both parents can take their adoption leave at the same time.
Adoption leave starts no earlier than 7 days before the child arrives at your home and ends no later than 8 months after that date.
Adoption leave may be divided into two periods of at least 25 days each.
You can ask for adoption leave to succeed the 3 days leave for the arrival of a child placed for adoption.
Adoption of 2 or more children
The length of the adoption leave varies depending on whether the leave is divided between the two parents:
- 22 weeks if leave is taken by 1 parent only
- 22 weeks + 32 days if divided between the 2 parents.
In the case of a split between the two parents, the duration of the leave may not exceed 22 weeks for each parent.
Both parents can take their adoption leave at the same time.
Adoption leave starts no earlier than 7 days before the child arrives at your home and ends no later than 8 months after that date.
Adoption leave may be divided into two periods of at least 25 days each.
You can ask for adoption leave to succeed the 3 days leave for the arrival of a child placed for adoption.
You must submit your request for adoption leave by mail to your head of department.
You must indicate the child's arrival date and your projected leave dates.
This leave cannot be denied.
You must attach the following documents to your application:
- Any document certifying that a child is entrusted to you for adoption by a departmental child welfare service (Ase), the French Adoption Agency or any other body authorized for adoption and specifying the date of his arrival
- Declaration of your spouse an adopter who certifies that he or she is not receiving adoption leave for that child or that the adoption leave is divided between you.
There is no text setting the time limit within which you must first submit your application.
Reminder
If you have to travel overseas or abroad for the adoption of your child, you can take unpaid leave of up to 6 weeks per approval.
During your adoption leave, you continue to receive your full salary.
Adoption leave is considered to be a period of actual service.
It is taken into account in the calculation of your length of service when a length of service condition is required to benefit from a right (for example, to request part-time work).
It does not reduce your entitlement to other leave (annual leave, sick leave, etc.).
If you work part-time, you are automatically reinstated full-time for the duration of your adoption leave.
At the end of your adoption leave, you can apply for additional birth leave.
If you do not wish to benefit from this additional leave or if you do not wish to benefit from it immediately after your adoption leave, you are re-employed on your previous position to the extent permitted by the service.
If this is not possible, you have priority to be re-employed on a similar job with equivalent pay.
Leave related to the arrival of a child at home: common rules
Adoption Leave
Leave and leave of absence of the probationary official
Articles 15, 16, 19a, 28, 32
Articles 10, 11, 14-1, 28, 33
Articles 13, 14, 18-1, 28, 30
Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
Ministry in charge of the Civil Service