Adoption is subject to age limits. Single applicants must be at least 25 years old. In the case of couples, one of the partners must be at least 21 years old and the other at least 25 years old. However, there is no maximum age limit. However, the rule is that the age difference between the applicant adoptive parents and the adoptive child should correspond to a natural age difference.

Whoever wants to take responsibility for an adopted child should have a stable personality. It is important for adoptive children that their caregivers can offer them a reliable and resilient relationship in the long term. The placement agency checks the suitability of applicants on the basis of their previous biography or personal attitudes, including how they deal with involuntary childlessness or the loss of a child. Skills such as the potential adoptive parents' resilience in difficult situations or their ability to empathize with the needs of the child to be adopted also play a role. Questions from the adopting parents about the parents of origin and their willingness to inform the child about their parentage and to be open about their past history are also considered in this context.

The adoptive parents should be able to care for the child over a long period of time without serious health restrictions. For this reason, medical certificates and/or psychological reports as well as a health certificate from the public health department may be required.

The placement office will conduct several interviews to find out about the applicant's life goals and motivation for adopting a child.

Potential adoptive parents should be able to offer the child an intact and secure home. For this reason, the couple's relationship is also scrutinized in the suitability procedure. The parenting goals and future aspirations of both parents must match. In addition, the relationship should be resilient enough to be able to deal with any difficult situations and overcome crises.

Questions about personal experiences of parenting and ideas about parenting styles and methods are aimed at clarifying the applicant's own childhood. The advisory discussion between the professionals and the applicants is intended to help them avoid transferring their own parenting experiences to the adopted child without reflection.

The children already living in the family are also included in the assessment of suitability. The influence that the future constellation of siblings may have on the family system is scrutinized. Another criterion is the question of whether the caregivers can devote enough time to the adopted child in addition to their existing responsibilities.

The specialist at the placement office checks whether the living space is suitable and whether there is enough room for a child and a separate children's room.

An adopted child needs particularly loving and unrestricted attention, especially during the settling-in period. In order to build a good bond, the adoptive parents should be able to devote sufficient time to this at work. One parent must be prepared to take a career break, at least temporarily. Or both partners can organize their careers flexibly so that care can be provided alternately. Incidentally, the entitlements to parental leave and parental allowance also apply to adoptive parents from the first day the child is born.

Another prerequisite for adoption is proof of financial circumstances. The future parents should be able to give the child a secure and stable future. To this end, those wishing to adopt must provide the placement agency with proof of income as well as proof of assets and debts. The adoptive parents must not receive any social benefits from the state during the application phase. The placement agency assesses whether the parents can reliably support the child based on their professional situation and financial circumstances.

Applicants must submit an extended certificate of good conduct to the placement agency. If they have a criminal record or a potential risk to the welfare of children, they are not suitable.