Factsheet, Page 2

ADOPTION AUTHORITY IN NEPAL: The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare is the Nepalese Government office responsible for adoptions in Nepal. Officially, the Ministry has recognized the Nepal Children's Organization (NCO), also known as Bal Mandir, to process adoptions, although adoptions through orphanages other than NCO/ Bal Mandir are possible.

Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare,
Singha Durbar, Kathmandu
Telephone No. 4241465, 4240408,4241728
Fax. No. 977-1-4241516
Email: mwcsw@ntc.net.np.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ADOPTIVE PARENTS: Nepalese law sets out the following age and civil status requirements:

  • The age difference between prospective parents and the adoptive child must be at least 30 years;
  • The couple must have been married for at least 4 years prior to filing an application and be "infertile;"
  • Single women between the age of 35 and 55 may also adopt.

Children (either male or female) under the age of 16 may be adopted. If the prospective adoptive parents already have a child of their own, GON regulations state they can adopt a Nepali child of the opposite sex of their first child. Siblings of the opposite sex can be adopted together if other qualifications are met. Families that already have two children may not adopt in Nepal, as the total number of children in a family after the adoption cannot exceed two.

RESIDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS: There are no residency requirements for adopting an orphan from Nepal.

TIME FRAME: Most orphanages in Nepal will not assign a child to adoptive parents until there is evidence that the I-600A has been approved by USCIS. The process from the approval of the I-600A by USCIS to the approval of the adoption by the GON varies in length from 6 months to 2 years. Adoptive parents adopting children over the age of 3 years often find their cases are completed in 6 to 9 months.


Adoptions in Nepal may be completed with one trip to Nepal; however, some adoptive parents elect to travel to Nepal twice. On the first visit, they meet the child and complete initial paperwork. They then return to Nepal when the adoption is approved by the GON to file the immigrant visa petition.

ADOPTION AGENCIES AND ATTORNEYS : Most adopting families work with an adoption agency in the US to adopt from an orphanage in Nepal. Some orphanages have established relationships with specific adoption agencies in the US and only work with those US international adoption agencies. There are orphanages that will process an adoption directly with the adopting parent, without the assistance or work of a US adoption agency. The Government of Nepal does not require adopting parents to work with specific agencies in the US or in Nepal.

Prospective adoptive parents are advised to fully research any adoption agency or facilitator they plan to use for adoption services. For U.S.-based agencies, it is suggested that prospective adoptive parents contact the Better Business Bureau and licensing office of the Department of Health and Family Services in the state where the agency is located. The U.S. Embassy in Nepal is currently compiling a list of agencies known to work in Nepal and a list of English-speaking Nepali attorneys that are available upon request. The Department of State does not assume any responsibility for the quality of services provided by these private adoption agencies, attorneys or their employees

Please see Important Notice Regarding Adoption Agents and Facilitators at our Web site travel.state.gov.

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Credits: U.S. Department of State