Taiwan
EUR 9,000
Adoption from abroad
If you adopt a child from another country, you can apply to Kela for an adoption grant to meet some of the costs of the adoption. Such costs can include document translation costs, travel expenses, or the fees charged by the adoption service provider.
Can I get an adoption grant?
You can get an adoption grant if
- you are adopting a child from abroad
- the adoption service provider has identified a child under 18 years of age for placement in your care
- you have permission to adopt from the Finnish Adoption Board
- you are a permanent resident of Finland.
The following three adoption service providers have operations in Finland: Interpedia ry, Pelastakaa Lapset ry and the City of Helsinki. Learn more about intercountry adoptions on the website of the Finnish Supervisory Agency (in Finnish).
An adoption grant is not available if you adopt a child from Finland.
How much is the adoption grant?
The amount of the adoption grant depends on the child's country of origin as follows:
The adoption grant is only paid once per child. It is free from tax.
If you adopt more than one child at the same time, the adoption grant for each child after the first one is equal to 30% of the full grant.
How to apply for an adoption grant
Apply for an adoption grant on the form Parental benefits SV 15e (PDF).
To make sure that the form functions properly, you need to use the latest version of Adobe Reader. It is available as a free download on the Adobe website (get.adobe.com).
- Save the blank form to your device. Do not fill in the form directly in the browser because some of the information may not be saved that way.
- Open the form with Adobe Reader and fill it in.
- After you have filled in the form, save it in PDF format. You do not have to sign the form.
- Send your application in the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish) under Tee hakemus (Submit an application).
- Send supporting documents in OmaKela by selecting Lähetä liite (Send a supporting document). Take photographs of the documents you are sending if they are not in a digital format.
- An SV 94 certificate (PDF, in Finnish) completed and signed by the adoption service provider.
Go to OmaKela to see if Kela has made a decision on your application. You will also see how much you will get and when it will be paid. If supporting documents are missing from your application, you will get a reminder about that in OmaKela.
In OmaKela, you can also give consent for Kela to send you messages. This will help make your application process and other contacts with Kela quicker.
If you cannot use OmaKela, mail your application to Kela. Fill in the form and print it out. Remember to sign the form. Send the form together with any supporting documents to Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.
The decision notice is only in Finnish or Swedish. If you need help with something, you can call one of our English language customer service numbers.
Apply for an adoption grant
Submit your application and supporting documents online.
If you live in the Åland Islands you must claim adoption grant from your municipality of residence. The adoption grant available in the Åland Islands may differ from the grant available elsewhere in Finland.
Things to remember when applying for adoption grant
You can apply for the adoption grant as soon as the child has been identified for placement with you. You must, however, apply at the latest within 2 months from the date on which the child was placed in your care.
Once the child has been placed with the adoptive parents, they may receive a
- maternity grant
- parental allowance
- child benefit
- child maintenance allowance
- other benefits for families with children.
If you are adopting more than one child, please see the links above for information on benefits available in the case of multiple birth or adoption.