Complete and submit an adoption application at your local Social Development office.

If you live in Harare, submitting your application at the Makombe building is best.

For those interested in adoption from Kuda Vana Children’s Home, an adoption application must be submitted at the Mutare Social Development office in Mutare. Arrangements can also be made for the two offices to work together.

There will be a waiting period of approximately 2 weeks while a file is opened and an officer is assigned to your adoption case.

A home visit will be done by Social Development.

The Adoption Application and completed report will be submitted to the Provincial Social Development office.

The adoption request is registered in the Adoption Waiting List Register following assessment and interviews.

The adoption process takes time. Be patient, and use the time to prepare yourself and your family!

Pray, engage in adoption education, take a workshop on trauma-informed parenting, and be patient.

Social Development will match family and child. The child will be placed first with a place of safety order.

Adoption is processed in family courts in Harare, or if working through Mutare Social Development, adoption would be processed in Mutare courts.

A new birth certificate obtained (Social Development will process both).

Adoption is legal and binding.

The prospective adoptive family is required to complete and submit an adoption application at the relevant Social Development office in person! Don’t miss this. We mean in person!

The application must be completed at the Mutare District Social Development office for those interested in adoption from Kuda Vana Children's Home.

The application is then entered into the adoption register. The adoption application goes to the provincial Social Development office and is then submitted to the head office in Harare.

At this point, International Social Services will be assigned to do a local home visit in the country of the prospective adoptive family. This will be the most time-consuming step. This will be attached to the report for the court application.

Ministerial consent must be granted at this point. The adoption request is registered in the Adoption Waiting List Register.

The adoption process takes time. Be patient and use the time to prepare yourself and your family! Pray, engage in adoption education, take a workshop on trauma-informed parenting, and try to be patient.

If you are not a Zimbabwean citizen, take the time to learn more about the country, culture and its people.

A court application will be made, and a court date given shortly thereafter.

Adoption granted and child in family!

Personal Documents Needed for Adoption:

• National ID

• Birth Certificates

• Passports

• Marriage Certificate

• Police Clearance

Required Government forms:

• Adoption and foster care application form

• Three personal reference forms

1. Family member

2. Friend

3. Pastor

• Doctor referral

Court Application:

• Personal Affidavit

• Draft order

• Court application for adoption

• Fee payment to Clerk of Court

There is effectively no cost for adoption in Zimbabwe.

Once the court application is made, there will be a small charge to submit it to the courts. This is the only cost involved in local adoption.

Things look different if you are interested in international adoption (i.e., you live in another country and want to adopt a child from Zimbabwe). You will typically need a home study conducted in your country of origin, which can be expensive. You will also need to plan for airfare costs to come and submit the adoption application in person and airfare for the final court date of the legal adoption process.

Yes, it is possible for a Zimbabwean national living outside of Zimbabwe to adopt from Zimbabwe.

The processes for adoption will be the same as for any international living outside the country. The length of time is more significant. International Social Services and Ministerial consent are a part of the process, which adds to the length of time it takes until finality.

Yes, however, the adoption process will take more time. Adoption is becoming known as a wonderful way to build a family, so more adoptions are now being processed in Zimbabwe, and the government is in favor of adoption.

However, many families still face obstacles to the International Adoption process. There are still many Social Workers who may not know that international adoption is now possible, or they may not know the specific steps involved. This may delay the process. In addition to these challenges, international adoptions include the involvement of International Social Services, making the process a bit longer.