Adoption in Brazil is a legally regulated and socially transformative process, primarily governed by the Child and Adolescent Statute (Law No. 8,069/1990 – ECA) and the Brazilian Civil Code. The primary objective is to ensure the permanent integration of children and adolescents into safe, nurturing, and stable family environments. Brazilian law upholds the best interests of the child as its guiding principle, safeguarding their dignity, emotional development, and fundamental right to family life. Adoption may be granted to Brazilian or foreign individuals and couples, provided they fulfill statutory requirements, including minimum age differences, psychological assessments, and comprehensive background checks.

 

The adoption process is judicial in nature and must be conducted under the authority of the Juvenile Court (Vara da Infância e da Juventude). Prospective adoptive parents are required to register with the National Adoption Registry (Cadastro Nacional de Adoção – CNA) and complete a preparatory program coordinated by the judiciary. Once a child is matched with a qualified family, a provisional period of supervised custody may be authorized, culminating in a final court ruling that establishes the legal adoption. The resulting adoption decree legally replaces the child’s original birth record, recognizing the adoptive parents and severing all legal ties with the biological family, except in cases of stepchild or kinship adoption.

 

Brazilian law also provides for international adoption, subject to the terms of the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, which Brazil has ratified. This process is allowed only after all domestic placement options have been exhausted and is subject to additional scrutiny by the Central Adoption Authority (Autoridade Central Administrativa Federal – ACAF). Whether domestic or international, all adoption proceedings must uphold the child’s legal rights, cultural identity, and psychological well-being. At Deakins Law Firm, we guide clients through every stage of the adoption journey, offering legal precision, procedural transparency, and unwavering commitment to ethical, child-focused advocacy.