Public notification on Rule 30 of the Child Adoption R&R 2015

This is in accordance with the public notification No. 2(3) NCWC/2013-2014/1330 dated March 3, 2015, with regard to the enforcement of the Child Adoption Rules and Regulations, the Child Care and Protection Rules and Regulations and the Domestic Violence Prevention Rules and Regulations of Bhutan, 2015. In this regard, the section on qualifying criteria for the inter country adoption on Rule 30 of the Child Adoption Rules and Regulations of Bhutan, 2015, has been amended in the best interests of the child and to monitor the continued well being of the adopted child.

The existing Rule 30 of the Child Adoption Rules and Regulations of Bhutan, 2015 states:

"In accordance with Section 30 of the Act, foreign nationals of a country where a Bhutanese Embassy/Consulate/Mission/Designated Representative is located may apply for adoption."


The above Rule is amended as follows:

"In accordance with Section 30 of the Act, in the best interest of the child and to monitor the continued wellbeing of the child, only applications for adoption of a Bhutanese child by foreign nationals from countries where an Embassy or Mission of the Royal Government of Bhutan is located, shall be received. If one of the adopting parent is not from a country where there is an Embassy or Mission of the Royal Government of Bhutan, the application shall be put up to the highest authority of the Competent Authority."

The above amendment was endorsed and approved by the National Commission for Women and Children (NCWC) during its 9th Commission Meeting held on 9th February, 2017. Therefore, the NCWC would like to notify the general public that henceforth any inter-country adoption shall be governed by the above amended section.