Same-sex adoption

It's legal for same-sex couples to adopt children in 37 countries.

DATE

Same-sex adoption

The ability for same-sex couples to legally adopt a child.

Summary

37
Legal
37 regions (19%)
Legal
87
Somewhere in between
87 regions (44%)
Somewhere in between
56
Illegal
56 regions (28%)
Illegal
18
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
18 regions (9%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
46%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
23 regions (46%)
Somewhere in between
19 regions (38%)
Illegal
7 regions (14%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (2%)
Oceania
14%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
2 regions (14%)
Somewhere in between
7 regions (50%)
Illegal
5 regions (36%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
South America
42%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
5 regions (42%)
Somewhere in between
4 regions (33%)
Illegal
2 regions (17%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (8%)
North America
13%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
3 regions (13%)
Somewhere in between
16 regions (70%)
Illegal
2 regions (9%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
2 regions (9%)
Africa
2%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
1 regions (2%)
Somewhere in between
23 regions (43%)
Illegal
26 regions (48%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
4 regions (7%)
Asia
7%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
3 regions (7%)
Somewhere in between
18 regions (41%)
Illegal
14 regions (32%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
9 regions (21%)

Timeline of same-sex adoption

Number of countries to legalize same-sex adoption over the past 61 years.

Recent Changes

2026

2025

2024

2023

Same-sex adoption by Country

Legal

Same-sex adoption is legal in 37 regions.

  1. Asia (3)
  2. Israel 2023
  3. Taiwan 2023
  4. Thailand 2025
  5. Europe (23)
  6. Andorra 2014
  7. Austria 2015
  8. Belgium 2006
  9. Croatia 2022
  10. Denmark 2009
  11. Estonia 2024
  12. Finland 2017
  13. France 2013
  14. Germany 2017
  15. Greece 2024
  16. Iceland 2006
  17. Ireland 2015
  18. Liechtenstein 2023
  19. Luxembourg 2015
  20. Malta 2014
  21. Netherlands 2000
  22. Norway 2009
  23. Portugal 2016
  24. Slovenia 2022
  25. Spain 2005
  26. Sweden 2002
  27. Switzerland 2022
  28. United Kingdom 2003
  29. North America (3)
  30. Canada 2011
  31. Costa Rica 2020
  32. Cuba 2022
  33. Africa (1)
  34. South Africa 2010
  35. Oceania (2)
  36. Australia 2018
  37. New Zealand 2013
  38. South America (5)
  39. Argentina 2010
  40. Brazil
  41. Chile 2022
  42. Colombia 2015
  43. Uruguay 2004

Second parent adoption only

Same-sex adoption is second parent adoption only in 3 regions.

  1. Europe (3)
  2. Czechia 2025
  3. Italy 2016
  4. San Marino 2018

Single only

Same-sex adoption is single only in 84 regions.

  1. Asia (18)
  2. Bhutan
  3. China
  4. India
  5. Indonesia
  6. Kyrgyzstan
  7. Lebanon
  8. Malaysia 1826
  9. Mongolia
  10. Myanmar
  11. Nepal
  12. North Korea
  13. Palestine
  14. Philippines
  15. Singapore
  16. Syria
  17. Timor-Leste
  18. Turkmenistan 2020
  19. Vietnam 2000
  20. Europe (16)
  21. Albania 2003
  22. Armenia
  23. Azerbaijan 1999
  24. Bosnia and Herzegovina
  25. Bulgaria
  26. Cyprus
  27. Kosovo 2006
  28. Latvia
  29. Lithuania
  30. Moldova
  31. North Macedonia
  32. Poland 2021
  33. Romania 2023
  34. Russia 2023
  35. Turkey
  36. Ukraine 2016
  37. North America (16)
  38. Antigua and Barbuda
  39. Bahamas
  40. Barbados
  41. Belize
  42. Dominica
  43. El Salvador
  44. Grenada
  45. Guatemala 2007
  46. Haiti 2013
  47. Honduras
  48. Jamaica
  49. Panama
  50. Saint Kitts and Nevis
  51. Saint Lucia
  52. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  53. Trinidad and Tobago 1947
  54. Africa (23)
  55. Algeria
  56. Angola
  57. Botswana
  58. Cape Verde
  59. Côte d’Ivoire
  60. Equatorial Guinea
  61. Eswatini 1952
  62. Gabon
  63. Ghana
  64. Guinea-Bissau
  65. Lesotho
  66. Malawi
  67. Mauritius
  68. Mozambique
  69. Namibia
  70. Nigeria
  71. Republic of the Congo
  72. Sao Tome and Principe
  73. Senegal
  74. Sierra Leone
  75. Togo
  76. Zambia
  77. Zimbabwe
  78. Oceania (7)
  79. Federated States of Micronesia
  80. Nauru
  81. Palau
  82. Samoa
  83. Solomon Islands
  84. Tuvalu
  85. Vanuatu
  86. South America (4)
  87. Guyana
  88. Peru
  89. Suriname
  90. Venezuela

Illegal

Same-sex adoption is illegal in 56 regions.

  1. Asia (14)
  2. Bahrain
  3. Bangladesh
  4. Brunei 1906
  5. Iran
  6. Jordan
  7. Kazakhstan
  8. Oman 1979
  9. Qatar 1915
  10. South Korea
  11. Sri Lanka
  12. Tajikistan
  13. United Arab Emirates
  14. Uzbekistan
  15. Yemen
  16. Europe (7)
  17. Belarus
  18. Georgia 2024
  19. Hungary 2020
  20. Monaco
  21. Montenegro 2007
  22. Serbia 2005
  23. Slovakia 2025
  24. North America (2)
  25. Dominican Republic
  26. Nicaragua
  27. Africa (26)
  28. Benin 2015
  29. Burkina Faso
  30. Burundi
  31. Cameroon
  32. Central African Republic
  33. Comoros
  34. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  35. Djibouti
  36. Egypt
  37. Eritrea
  38. Ethiopia 2018
  39. Gambia
  40. Guinea
  41. Kenya 2002
  42. Liberia
  43. Madagascar
  44. Mali 2011
  45. Mauritania 1983
  46. Morocco
  47. Niger
  48. Rwanda
  49. Seychelles
  50. South Sudan
  51. Tanzania
  52. Tunisia
  53. Uganda
  54. Oceania (5)
  55. Fiji
  56. Kiribati
  57. Marshall Islands 2004
  58. Papua New Guinea
  59. Tonga 2013
  60. South America (2)
  61. Ecuador 2026
  62. Paraguay 2020

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

Data on same-sex adoption is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 18 regions.

  1. Asia (9)
  2. Afghanistan N/A
  3. Cambodia Ambiguous
  4. Iraq N/A
  5. Japan Ambiguous
  6. Kuwait N/A
  7. Laos Ambiguous
  8. Maldives N/A
  9. Pakistan Ambiguous
  10. Saudi Arabia N/A
  11. Europe (1)
  12. Vatican City N/A
  13. North America (2)
  14. Mexico Varies by Region
  15. United States Varies by Region
  16. Africa (4)
  17. Chad Ambiguous
  18. Libya N/A
  19. Somalia Ambiguous
  20. Sudan N/A
  21. South America (1)
  22. Bolivia Ambiguous
  23. Antarctica (1)
  24. Antarctica N/A

Spot an error? Visit the region and select "Accurate?: No" so Equaldex's editors can review it.