Same-sex adoption

It's legal for same-sex couples to adopt children in 40 countries.

DATE

Same-sex adoption

The ability for same-sex couples to legally adopt a child.

Summary

40
Legal
40 regions (20%)
Legal
101
Somewhere in between
101 regions (51%)
Somewhere in between
44
Illegal
44 regions (22%)
Illegal
12
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
12 regions (6%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
46%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
23 regions (46%)
Somewhere in between
19 regions (38%)
Illegal
7 regions (14%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (2%)
Oceania
14%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
2 regions (14%)
Somewhere in between
9 regions (64%)
Illegal
2 regions (14%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (7%)
South America
50%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
6 regions (50%)
Somewhere in between
5 regions (42%)
Illegal
1 regions (8%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
North America
17%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
4 regions (17%)
Somewhere in between
16 regions (70%)
Illegal
1 regions (4%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
2 regions (9%)
Africa
6%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
3 regions (6%)
Somewhere in between
35 regions (66%)
Illegal
14 regions (26%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (2%)
Asia
5%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
2 regions (5%)
Somewhere in between
17 regions (39%)
Illegal
19 regions (43%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
6 regions (14%)

Timeline of same-sex adoption

Number of countries to legalize same-sex adoption over the past 61 years.

Recent & Upcoming Changes

Upcoming Changes

2024

2023

2022

Same-sex adoption by Country

Legal

Same-sex adoption is legal in 40 regions.

  1. Asia (2)
  2. Israel 2023
  3. Taiwan 2023
  4. Europe (23)
  5. Andorra 2014
  6. Austria 2015
  7. Belgium 2006
  8. Croatia 2022
  9. Denmark 2009
  10. Estonia 2024
  11. Finland 2017
  12. France 2013
  13. Germany 2017
  14. Greece 2024
  15. Iceland 2006
  16. Ireland 2015
  17. Liechtenstein 2023
  18. Luxembourg 2015
  19. Malta 2014
  20. Netherlands 2000
  21. Norway 2009
  22. Portugal 2016
  23. Slovenia 2022
  24. Spain 2005
  25. Sweden 2002
  26. Switzerland 2022
  27. United Kingdom 2002
  28. North America (4)
  29. Canada 1995
  30. Costa Rica 2020
  31. Cuba 2022
  32. United States 2017
  33. Africa (3)
  34. Angola
  35. Namibia 2023
  36. South Africa 2010
  37. Oceania (2)
  38. Australia 2018
  39. New Zealand 2013
  40. South America (6)
  41. Argentina 2010
  42. Bolivia 2002
  43. Brazil 2015
  44. Chile 2022
  45. Colombia 2015
  46. Uruguay 2009

Second parent adoption only

Same-sex adoption is second parent adoption only in 2 regions.

  1. Europe (2)
  2. Italy 2016
  3. San Marino 2018

Single only

Same-sex adoption is single only in 99 regions.

  1. Asia (17)
  2. Bhutan
  3. China 2018
  4. India
  5. Kyrgyzstan 2005
  6. Lebanon
  7. Malaysia 1826
  8. Maldives
  9. Mongolia 2017
  10. Myanmar 2016
  11. Nepal 2017
  12. Palestine
  13. Philippines
  14. Singapore
  15. Syria
  16. Timor-Leste
  17. Turkmenistan 2020
  18. Vietnam 2000
  19. Europe (17)
  20. Albania 2003
  21. Armenia
  22. Bulgaria
  23. Cyprus
  24. Czech Republic 2014
  25. Georgia
  26. Kosovo 2006
  27. Latvia
  28. Lithuania
  29. Moldova 2012
  30. North Macedonia
  31. Poland 1964
  32. Romania 2023
  33. Russia 2023
  34. Slovakia 2017
  35. Turkey
  36. Ukraine 2016
  37. North America (16)
  38. Bahamas 2017
  39. Barbados
  40. Belize
  41. Dominica
  42. Dominican Republic
  43. El Salvador
  44. Grenada
  45. Guatemala 2007
  46. Haiti
  47. Honduras 2017
  48. Jamaica 2017
  49. Nicaragua 2017
  50. Saint Kitts and Nevis
  51. Saint Lucia
  52. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  53. Trinidad and Tobago 1947
  54. Africa (35)
  55. Algeria 1966
  56. Benin
  57. Botswana
  58. Burkina Faso
  59. Burundi
  60. Cape Verde
  61. Central African Republic 2017
  62. Chad
  63. Comoros
  64. Côte d’Ivoire
  65. Democratic Republic of the Congo 2017
  66. Equatorial Guinea
  67. Eritrea 2010
  68. Eswatini 1968
  69. Gabon
  70. Gambia
  71. Ghana
  72. Guinea-Bissau
  73. Liberia
  74. Madagascar
  75. Malawi
  76. Mauritius
  77. Mozambique
  78. Nigeria
  79. Republic of the Congo
  80. Sao Tome and Principe
  81. Senegal 2017
  82. Seychelles
  83. Sierra Leone
  84. Somalia
  85. South Sudan
  86. Sudan
  87. Togo
  88. Tunisia 1957
  89. Zimbabwe
  90. Oceania (9)
  91. Kiribati
  92. Marshall Islands
  93. Nauru
  94. Palau
  95. Papua New Guinea
  96. Samoa 2017
  97. Solomon Islands
  98. Tuvalu
  99. Vanuatu
  100. South America (5)
  101. Ecuador 2008
  102. Guyana 2017
  103. Peru
  104. Suriname
  105. Venezuela 2006

Illegal

Same-sex adoption is illegal in 44 regions.

  1. Asia (19)
  2. Afghanistan
  3. Bahrain
  4. Bangladesh
  5. Brunei 1951
  6. Iran
  7. Iraq
  8. Jordan
  9. Kazakhstan 2024
  10. North Korea
  11. Oman 1979
  12. Pakistan
  13. Qatar 1915
  14. South Korea
  15. Sri Lanka
  16. Tajikistan
  17. Thailand
  18. United Arab Emirates
  19. Uzbekistan
  20. Yemen
  21. Europe (7)
  22. Azerbaijan 1999
  23. Belarus
  24. Bosnia and Herzegovina
  25. Hungary 2020
  26. Monaco
  27. Montenegro 2007
  28. Serbia 2005
  29. North America (1)
  30. Panama 2021
  31. Africa (14)
  32. Cameroon
  33. Djibouti 2017
  34. Egypt
  35. Ethiopia
  36. Kenya 2002
  37. Lesotho 1966
  38. Libya
  39. Mauritania 1983
  40. Morocco
  41. Niger
  42. Rwanda
  43. Tanzania
  44. Uganda
  45. Zambia
  46. Oceania (2)
  47. Fiji
  48. Tonga 2013
  49. South America (1)
  50. Paraguay 2020

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

Data on same-sex adoption is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 12 regions.

  1. Asia (6)
  2. Cambodia Ambiguous
  3. Indonesia Ambiguous
  4. Japan Ambiguous
  5. Kuwait N/A
  6. Laos Ambiguous
  7. Saudi Arabia N/A
  8. Europe (1)
  9. Vatican City N/A
  10. North America (2)
  11. Antigua and Barbuda
  12. Mexico Varies by Region
  13. Africa (1)
  14. Guinea
  15. Oceania (1)
  16. Federated States of Micronesia
  17. Antarctica (1)
  18. Antarctica N/A

Spot an error? Visit the region and select "Accurate?: No" so Equaldex's editors can review it.