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Adoption grant for international adoptions

If you adopt a child from abroad, you can claim an adoption grant from Kela to meet some of the cost of the adoption. The costs include translation of official documents, travel and accommodation expenses, the service provider's fees, payment to the local agent and various country-specific administration costs.

The purpose of the adoption grant is to recompense the parents for some of these costs. In order to be eligible for an adoption grant, you must be covered by the Finnish national health insurance.

You can file an application if

  • the international adoption agency has identified a child under 18 years of age for placement in your care
  • the Adoption Board has granted permission for the adoption.

In order to be eligible for an adoption grant, you must receive adoption services provided by Interpedia, Save the Children or the city of Helsinki.

An adoption grant is not available if you adopt a child from Finland.

The amount of the adoption grant

The amount of the adoption grant depends on the child's country of origin as follows:

  • Taiwan €9,000
  • Thailand €5,000
  • Other countries €7,000

The adoption grant is a lump-sum payment. It is non-taxable.

If more than one child is adopted at the same time, the amount of adoption grant paid for the second and each additional child adopted is equal to 30% of the full grant.

How to claim adoption grant

  1. You can claim adoption grant online. Please note that the e-service is available in Finnish and Swedish only.
  2. Scan or take a photo of any supporting documents and send them in the OmaKela e-service. Enclose a certificate showing that the child has been placed in your care (form SV94) (pdf, in Finnish), filled in and signed by the international adoption agency.

  3. Visit the OmaKela e-service to see if your application has been decided, how much you will get and when you will be paid. You can also see possible reminders concerning, for instance, any documents missing from your claim. A written decision on your claim will be sent to you by post.

Alternatively, you can fill in and print out the application form Parental benefits (SV 15e) (PDF). Mail your application along with the supporting documents to Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.

If you live in the Åland Islands you must claim adoption grant from your municipalities's social services (KTS). In the Åland Islands, the amount of the adoption grant may differ from that on the mainland.

When to apply

You can claim the adoption grant as soon as the child has been identified for placement with you. You must, however, claim the adoption grant, at the latest, within 2 months from the date on which the child was placed in your care.

Family benefits for adoptive parents

Once the child has been placed with the adoptive parents, they may receive a maternity grant, daily allowance for parents, child benefit, child maintenance allowance, and child care allowances. If you are adopting several children, please read more detailed information on family benefits for multiple-birth families, available on the website mentioned above.

Read more

Last modified 16/2/2024