Korea Adoption Factsheet, Page 3

AGE AND CIVIL STATUS REQUIREMENTS: South Korean authorities have advised the American Embassy in Seoul of the following criteria for selecting adoptive parents that have been established by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. These are administrative policy guidelines and not legal requirements, but local adoption agencies can be expected to follow them:

U.S. FAMILIES

The adoptive parents must be eligible to adopt under the laws of their country or state of residence
The couple should be married for at least three years and be between the ages of 25 and 44. Korean authorities usually require that both adoptive parents in overseas adoptions be younger than 45 years old; however, they may make exceptions in some cases. The following factors may be considered when making exceptions to the age limit:
1. At least one parent is under 45
2. The adoptive parents have previously adopted a Korean orphan
3. The parents are willing to adopt an orphan with serious medical problems

*These factors are not official and may be applied differently depending on the circumstances of a particular case*

The adoptive couple should have no more than five children. This number includes the child or children to be adopted
The couple should not have an age difference of more than 15 years
The income of the adoptive couple should be higher than the national average of their country and sufficient to raise the child.
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Credits: U.S. Department of State