Summary of Laws By Jurisdiction
| Country | LGBT individual may petition to adopt | Same-sex couple may jointly petition | Same-sex partner may petition to adopt partner's child | Same-sex couples are allowed to foster or stepchild foster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | No | No | No | No |
| Belgium | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Denmark | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Estonia | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Finland | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| France | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Germany | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Iceland | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ireland | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Italy | No | No | No | No (but singles can exceptionally foster) |
| Latvia | Yes | No | No | No? |
| Lithuania | No (only in exceptional circumstances) | No | No | No |
| Netherlands | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Norway | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Poland | Yes | No | No | No |
| Portugal | Yes | No | No | No (but singles can foster) |
| Slovenia | Yes | No | No | No (but singles can foster) |
| Spain | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sweden | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| United Kingdom | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Same-sex couple joint petition | LGBT individual adoption | Same-sex stepparent adoption | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Brazil | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Chile | No | No | No |
| Colombia | No | Yes | No |
| Paraguay | No | No | No |
| Surinam | No | No | No |
| French Guyana | No | Yes | Yes |
| Guyana | No (Gay sex illegal) | No (Gay sex illegal) | No (Gay sex illegal) |
| Belize | No (Gay sex illegal) | No (Gay sex illegal) | No (Gay sex illegal) |
| Peru | No | No | No |
| Cuba | No | No | No |
| Puerto Rico | No | Yes | No |
| Bolivia | No | No | No |
| Ecuador | No (constitutional ban) | No (constitutional ban) | No (constitutional ban) |
| Honduras | No (constitutional ban) | No (constitutional ban) | No (constitutional ban) |
| El Salvador | No | No | No |
| Guatemala | No | No | No |
| Venezuela | No | No | No |
| Dominican Republic | No | No | No |
| Nicaragua | No | No | No |
| Costa Rica | No | Yes | No |
| Mexico | Yes (only Mexico City and Coahuila) | Yes | Yes (only Mexico City and Coahuila) |
| Uruguay | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Same-sex couple joint petition | LGBT individual adoption | Same-sex stepparent adoption | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| New South Wales | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Northern Territory | No | Only in exceptional circumstances | No |
| Queensland | No | Yes | No |
| South Australia | No | No | No |
| Tasmania | No (under review since 2003) | Yes | Yes |
| Victoria | No (under review since 2007) | Yes | Yes |
| Western Australia | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Notes:
- Even a de facto opposite sex couple can not jointly adopt a child under the law of the Northern Territory.
- No individual or single people are allowed to adopt a child, only a married or de facto opposite sex couples under the law of South Australia.
Read more about this topic: LGBT Adoption
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