Case by case. Most families must complete both the legal adoption and either the immigration or the citizenship process before the child can travel to Canada. IRCC does not arrange adoptions and does not replace provincial or foreign adoption authorities.
Two coordinated processes
Start with the adoption authority, not with a private match, an orphanage, a friend or a travel booking.
| Process | Authority | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Adoption | The central adoption authority of the province or territory where the parents live, and the authority in the child's country | Creates a legal, permanent parent–child relationship and confirms the safeguards for the child |
| Immigration or citizenship | IRCC (and, for Quebec residents, Quebec's own adoption and immigration requirements) | Gives the child permanent residence or Canadian citizenship, and the document needed to travel |
First steps
- Contact the adoption authorityContact the central adoption authority in your province or territory before committing to a child or a foreign process. Canadians living abroad should ask IRCC and the relevant authority which rules apply to them.
- Confirm the country and province combinationCheck whether the child's country currently allows adoptions with your province, whether a licensed agency is required, and whether the Hague Adoption Convention applies.
- Complete the adoption stepsHome study, approvals, matching, confirmation that the child is legally available, and consents, all through authorized channels.
- Choose the immigration or citizenship routeDecide which IRCC process fits your family before filing (see below).
- Do not book travel too earlyDo not arrange the child's travel to Canada until the adoption authorities and IRCC confirm that the child can travel.
- After arrivalComplete any post-adoption reports the child's country requires.
Choosing immigration or citizenship
Some Canadian parents can choose either route. The two have different consequences for medical exams, the child's other nationality and the citizenship of the child's own future children, so the choice should be made deliberately.
| Route | Generally used when | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Direct grant of citizenship (Citizenship Act s. 5.1) | At least one adoptive parent was a Canadian citizen at the time of the adoption and the adoption meets the citizenship requirements | The child becomes a Canadian citizen and receives a citizenship certificate, then applies for a Canadian passport. |
| Sponsorship for permanent residence | The parent is a permanent resident, the citizenship route is not available, or the adoption will be completed in Canada | The child becomes a permanent resident after medical and admissibility checks, and can later apply for citizenship. |
Other points to weigh: with a direct grant, the child becomes a citizen but, depending on the child's country, may lose their other nationality; with permanent residence, the child keeps it. IRCC says the immigration process is the one to use when neither parent was a citizen at the time of the adoption, when the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent applies, or when the child's country requires a probationary period (in that case the application can start before the adoption is complete).
The 2025 citizenship rule. Since December 15, 2025 (Bill C-3), a direct grant for a child adopted on or after that date is available through a Canadian adoptive parent who was themselves born or adopted abroad only if that parent was physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days before the adoption, with exceptions for parents serving abroad with the Canadian Armed Forces or a federal or provincial public service.
Sponsoring an adopted child
- Provincial letterOnce the adoption is under way, the province or territory issues a letter (for example a letter of no objection) that is needed for the sponsorship. Follow guide IMM 5196.
- One application per childSubmit a separate application for each child, including siblings.
- Legal requirementsThe adoption must be legal where it took place and in Canada, be in the child's best interests, create a genuine parent–child relationship, and not be mainly for gaining status. Where the Hague Convention does not apply, the child must be legally available for adoption, there must be no sign of child trafficking or undue gain, and the province must not object in writing (IRPR 117).
- Child to be adopted in CanadaA child under 18 whom the sponsor intends to adopt in Canada can also be sponsored, subject to the same safeguards.
- Medical and admissibilityThe child completes an immigration medical exam and admissibility checks.
- UndertakingFor a child under 22, the sponsor's undertaking lasts 10 years or until the child turns 25, whichever comes first.
- Fee$180 per child (the sponsorship and processing fees together), plus biometrics where required. The $600 right of permanent residence fee does not apply to the sponsorship of adopted children. Quebec residents also pay a processing fee to the Quebec government when they submit their undertaking.
Documents for the sponsorship application
- How to applySign in to the Permanent Residence Portal and submit the sponsorship application and the child's permanent residence application together. Upload PDF scans, not originals, and mail documents only if an officer asks. Pay the fees online and attach the receipt. Type your full name exactly as it appears on your passport when you sign.
- Sponsor formsDocument Checklist: Sponsor (IMM 5287), Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking (IMM 1344), Financial Evaluation (IMM 1283) and Medical Condition Statement (IMM 0133). Add the Separation Declaration for Minors Travelling to Canada (IMM 5604) if a parent or guardian is not accompanying the child, and the Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union (IMM 5409) if it applies.
- Child's formsCompleted in the portal: Generic Application Form for Canada (IMM 0008), Schedule A, Background/Declaration (IMM 5669) and Additional Family Information (IMM 5406). Add the Use of a Representative form (IMM 5476) if someone represents you.
- Identity and relationshipFor a child under 18, a birth certificate showing the child's name, date and place of birth and the parents or adoptive parents, or proof of legal guardianship; a photo of the child and of each accompanying family member (scans of both sides); and a police certificate for a child aged 18 or older for each country where they lived 6 months or more in a row since turning 18. Follow any extra instructions from the visa office that serves the child's country.
- Translations and copiesDocuments not in English or French need a certified translation plus a scan of the original or a certified copy. The person who certifies a copy or witnesses an affidavit cannot be you, the child or a family member of either.
- Custody arrangementsIf a child's custody is shared with a former spouse or partner, include that child in your application, or you may not be able to sponsor them later. If you have not been matched with a child yet, you can leave the name blank and tell the visa office and the provincial authority once you know it.
The direct citizenship route
- Parent eligibilityAt least one adoptive parent must have been a Canadian citizen when the child was adopted, and the 1,095-day rule above may apply.
- What IRCC verifiesThat the adoption is legal and permanent, that consents were informed and freely given, that it is in the child's best interests, that a genuine parent–child relationship exists, and that it was not mainly for status.
- Fee and medical examThe citizenship grant fee for an adopted person under 18 is $100, which includes processing. No immigration medical exam is required for this route, though IRCC recommends that a reliable doctor examine the child and give you a report.
- Certificate, then passportAfter approval the child receives a citizenship certificate. The certificate is not a travel document; apply for the child's Canadian passport next.
Country restrictions
- Some countries do not allow adoptionIRCC publishes a list of countries whose laws do not provide for adoption, and of countries where adoptions are suspended Canada-wide or by certain provinces. Guardianship or kafala is not the same as adoption, because it may not create a permanent legal parent–child relationship.
- Other limitsSome countries restrict adoption by the adoptive parents' nationality, religion, relationship, marital status or other characteristics.
- War and disastersDuring conflict or disaster, family tracing and reunification come first, and it may be impossible to show that a child is legally adoptable.
- Confirm before payingRules change. Confirm the current country and province position with the central authority before any commitment or payment.
Consent and anti-trafficking safeguards
Child availability
Authorities must confirm that the child is legally available for adoption and that family-based options were considered.
Consent
Birth parents' or guardians' consent must be free, informed and legally valid, not bought, pressured or given before it is legally allowed.
Identity records
Birth, parentage, abandonment, guardianship and court records must be genuine and accurately translated.
Hague Convention cases
Convention cases must follow the central authorities' sequence. Skipping steps can lead to refusal and trafficking concerns.
Avoiding refusals and delays
- Use authorized channelsDo not use an unlicensed intermediary or accept a private hospital or orphanage match outside the authority process.
- Guardianship is not adoptionAsk the responsible authority which immigration category, if any, applies to a guardianship or kafala arrangement.
- Consistent documentsAvoid poor translations, contradictory identity records and unexplained gaps in how the child became available.
- Realistic timelinesDo not expect a visa within days of travelling. Some cases take a long time even after the adoption itself is complete.
- Keep recordsKeep receipts, correspondence and the full chain of official approvals, and report any suspected fraud or trafficking.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a separate application for each child?
Yes. Submit a separate sponsorship application for each child, including siblings.
Is the citizenship certificate enough for the child to travel?
No. The certificate proves citizenship but is not a travel document. Apply for the child's Canadian passport next.
Can I bring the child to Canada while the adoption is still being finalized?
Not unless the adoption authorities and IRCC confirm that the child can travel. Only when the child's country requires a probationary period can the immigration application start before the adoption is complete.
Is the process different if I live in Quebec?
Yes. Quebec has its own adoption and immigration requirements, and you also pay a processing fee to the Quebec government. Follow Quebec's process as well as IRCC's.
Official sources
- IRCC: Adopt a child from abroad
- IRCC: Choose the citizenship or immigration process
- IRCC: Sponsor an adopted child
- IRCC: Contact an adoption authority
- IRCC: Apply for citizenship for your adopted child
- IRCC: Adoption restrictions and suspensions
- IRCC: Avoid adoption issues and delays
- IRCC: Guide 5196, sponsorship of adopted children and other relatives
- IRCC: New citizenship rules for Canadians born or adopted abroad (December 2025)
- Justice Laws: Citizenship Act, s. 5.1
- Justice Laws: IRPR s. 117
- IRCC: Fee list
This page is general information about Canadian immigration law and policy as of the date above. It is not legal advice for your situation. Programs, forms and fees change often; check the official sources before you apply.