Guidance

Intercountry adoption: exception requests

Guidance on how to make an exception request to adopt a child from a country with a special restriction.

• From: Department for Education
• Published: 12 March 2021
• Last updated: 16 July 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 16 July 2026

     Updated the 'Exception requests: adoptions from countries with special restrictions' guidance to clarify the requirement to demonstrate a high threshold of exceptional circumstances where adoption from a restricted country is considered necessary.

  2. 3 April 2023

     'Exception requests: adoptions from countries with special restrictions' has been updated to reflect policy changes on how exception requests are processed.

  3. 12 March 2021

     First published.

Applies to England, Northern Ireland and Wales

• Publication for Scotland

Documents

Exception requests: adoptions from countries with special restrictions

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Details

Guidance on exception requests to adopt children from countries with special restrictions.

Exception requests are only for cases that both: 

• meet the high threshold of exceptionality  
• have a level of necessity to adopt a child from a country which is subject to restrictions, beyond a general wish to adopt a child from another country

This guidance explains:

• the criteria needed for making an exception request
• how to make an exception request
• how DfE makes a decision

It explains the process set out in the Adoptions with a Foreign Element (Special Restrictions on Adoptions from Abroad) Regulations 2008.