What is the legal process for adopting a child in India?

The process depends somewhat on your religion and preference — Hindus can adopt under the specific Hindu adoption law, while a religion-neutral route is also available to all prospective parents (including for inter-country adoption) through the specialised child adoption framework under child welfare legislation, administered through a central regulatory authority.

Under the religion-neutral route, prospective parents typically need to register on the official adoption portal, undergo a home study to assess their suitability, and then go through a matching process with a child registered as legally free for adoption, followed by a specified pre-adoption foster period before the adoption is legally finalised through a court order.

The process involves multiple stages and can take a meaningful amount of time, partly due to the careful vetting involved and partly due to the number of children registered as available versus the number of prospective parents. An adoption is generally handled through a recognised adoption agency, and consulting a family lawyer alongside that process can help you understand your specific rights and obligations, particularly around matters like the child's inheritance rights once the adoption is finalised.