WHAT IS FORM ACR 52 USED FOR?

Form ACR 52 is used to register an overseas adoption or a convention adoption. The adoptive parents, a person with parental responsibility for the child (evidence of parental responsibility must be attached to form ACR 52) or the adopted child themselves if they are over 18 years of age (evidence such as passport or driving licence will need to be attached) can register the adoption. 

The general register office is part of her majesty’s passport office.

If the general register office has any queries once they receive your application they will contact you. Once the general register office has registered the entry they will write to you and confirm this. You will also be advised how to order copies of the registration certificate which will be required if the adopted child needs a passport.  

ARE THERE ANY GOVERNMENT OR OUR OWN L.I.P HELP GUIDES OR WRITE UPS TO HELP YOU COMPLETE FORM ACR 52?

The government has issued a guide called ACR 53 which will help you complete form ACR 52. Please click the link below.

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE FOR GUIDANCE NOTES FOR REGISTERING  A CONVENTION OR OVERSEAS ADOPTION IN THE ADOPTED CHILDREN REGISTER 

Please read our webpage for domestic and intercountry child adoption for complete background information regarding adoption

LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR DOMESTIC CHILD ADOPTION 

LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR INTERCOUNTRY CHILD ADOPTION

You can contact the general register office for advice and guidance. Their details are:

Address – Adoption Section Room C202, General Register Office, Trafalgar Road, Southport, Merseyside, PR8 2HH

Telephone number – 0300 123 1837

Email – adoptions@gro.gov.uk

Website – www.gov.uk/adoption-records

WHAT IS THE FEE TO SEND FORM ACR 52 TO THE COURT AND HOW TO PAY FOR IT?

There is a fee to submit form CR Part 1 to the general register office is £15.00.

1. You can send a postal order or cheque made payable to Her Majesty’s Passport Office and attach it to your form CR Part 1.
2. If you would like to pay by credit card or debit card you can input your card details on page 3

HOW TO COMPLETE FORM ACR 52 AND WHERE TO SEND IT

• NOTE 1 – You can download form ACR 52, print it and complete it by black pen. Please use block capitals
• NOTE 2 – If you find there is not enough space to complete your answers on your form ACR 52 then please use additional sheets of paper to continue and attach them to your form. Please write your name, address, and question number on the top of your additional sheets of paper. 
• NOTE 3 – If you do not know an answer to a question please write ‘NOT KNOWN’.
• NOTE 4 – Please keep a copy of your form ACR 52 and any attachments for yourself outside of the ones you send to the family court.
• NOTE 5 – If you are posting your form then please post by signed for recorded delivery so you have proof of postage in case the general register office loses your application.
• NOTE 6 – The address to send your form is Adoption Section Room C202, General Register Office, Trafalgar Road, Southport, Merseyside, PR8 2HH 
• Form ACR 52 is 3 pages long.
• The top part of page 1 will give you the contact details for the adopted children’s register. The bottom half of page 1 will ask you for your (the applicant) contact details. You will need to write your title, surname, forename, address, daytime telephone number, email address, and the capacity in which you are making the application (capacity means your relationship to the child). You will be asked to sign and date this section.
• The next section on page 2 will ask you for the adopted child’s birth details. Their surname at birth, forename at birth, other names known prior to adoption, name of birth mother, any previous names of the birth mother, full name of the birth father and any previous names of the birth father. Please note if you do not know the child’s date of birth try and at least provide the year of birth if you can. If the children are twins then try and find out the time of birth and provide that.
• The next section will ask you for the adopted child’s details for the adopted children register. You will be asked for the adopted surname, forename, date of birth, the child’s gender, place and country of birth, in which court did the adopted take  place, and the date of the adopted court order. You must attach the adoption court order and if it is not in English, an official translation must be attached as well. Please read page 5 of ACR 53 guide for the exact documentation that is required.
• The next section will ask you for the first adoptive parents details. The surname, forenames, any other names they have been known prior to the adoption and their occupation at the time of adoption.
• You will now be asked for the second adoptive parent details. The surname, forenames, any other names they have known as prior to the adoption, and their occupation at the time of the adoption. 
• You must write down the adoptive parents address at the time of the adoption.  
• You will next be asked if the adoptive parents are habitually resident in England or Wales. Please tick the relevant box. Please note that habitually resident in the UK means that yours and/or your ex-partners life is based, you work and your children go to school in the UK. You are settled and your main family life is in the UK. Proof of habitual residence (council tax or utility bill) must be attached.
• You must next tick the box of the evidence you are attaching to your form. Any evidence that is not in English or Welsh must be translated into English and attached. Please note all supporting evidence will be returned to you by secure post. 

WHERE CAN YOU FIND FORM ACR 52/DOWNLOAD THIS FORM?

Please click on the link below to access form CR Part 1 from the government website. 

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE FOR FORM ACR 52

WAS FORM ACR 52 FIRST PUBLISHED AND LAST UPDATED?

Form CR Part 1 was first published by the government (HM Passport Office) on 23-04-2013 and it was last updated on 19-09-2019