The UK will normally recognise an adoption order made under the law in any of the countries named on the ‘Designated List’. The countries on the Designated List is give below. The adopted child does not, however, gain British citizenship automatically and this must be applied for separately whilst the child is still a minor.
Although you may have gone through the formalities of adoption overseas, your case must still be assessed by a UK adoption agency to establish that you are a suitable person to adopt a child by their criteria. This however does not apply if the adoption is a recognised Hague Convention Adoption which was effected within the 12 month period leading up to the adopted-child being brought to the UK.
The rules and process governing recognition of British citizenship status of the adopted child are complex. You should book a consultation for legal advice to verify whether adoption in question is recognised and whether the child really does qualify.
The Adoption (Designation of Overseas Adoptions) Order 1973 – Schedule
PART I – COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES AND UNITED KINGDOM DEPENDENT TERRITORIES
Australia
Bahamas
Barbados
Bermuda
Botswana
British Honduras
British Virgin Islands
Canada
Cayman Islands
The Republic of Cyprus
Dominica
Fiji
Ghana
Gibraltar
Guyana
Hong Kong
Jamaica
Kenya
Lesotho
Malawi
Malaysia
Malta
Mauritius
Montserrat
New Zealand
Nigeria
Pitcairn
St. Christopher, Nevis and Anguilla
St. Vincent
Seychelles
Singapore
Southern Rhodesia
Sri Lanka
Swaziland
Tanzania
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Uganda
Zambia
PART II – OTHER COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES
Austria
Belgium
Denmark (including Greenland and the Faroes)
Finland
France (including Réunion, Martinique, Guadeloupe and French Guyana)
The Federal Republic of Germany and Land Berlin (West Berlin)
Greece
Iceland
The Republic of Ireland
Israel
Italy
Luxembourg
The Netherlands (including Surinam and the Antilles)
Norway
Portugal (including the Azores and Madeira)
South Africa and South West Africa
Spain (including the Balcarics and the Canary Islands)
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
The United States of America
Yugoslavia