British couple leave Hungary after authorities blocked adoption of newborn baby

A British couple living in Budapest have abandoned a three-year legal battle to adopt a Roma baby girl after Hungarian authorities repeatedly blocked the process, despite court rulings that found the state had acted unlawfully and in a discriminatory manner.

Authorities blocked adoption of baby because foster parents weren’t Hungarian

The couple had waited five years to adopt when, in October 2022, Budapest’s Child Protection Services informed them they had been selected to adopt a premature Roma baby girl. The child’s biological mother had left a written statement expressing her wish for the baby to be adopted. The couple were already familiar with the Hungarian adoption system, having previously adopted a Roma boy in the country.

Professionals at the Budapest child protection service assessed the bonding period between the baby and the prospective parents as successful and formally supported placing the child with them. Only one administrative step remained: the issuance of an official record by the Budapest Government Office’s Guardianship Department. However, the appointment was abruptly cancelled at the last moment.

Senior officials influenced the procedure

According to investigative outlet Válasz Online, the decision was influenced by senior officials who objected to the adoption on the grounds that the prospective mother had a migrant background, despite being a British citizen. Authorities reportedly attempted to reclassify the case as an international adoption, a claim rejected by child protection professionals, who confirmed that all legal requirements had been met.

When it became clear that the adoption did not qualify as international, officials shifted blame to the child’s legal guardian, accusing them of acting prematurely in the child’s placement. The guardian was subsequently removed from the case, the file was transferred out of Budapest, and jurisdiction was reassigned to a different county. The Cultural and Innovation Ministry, responsible for oversight, declined to provide clarification.

They took the child from them

Authorities then carried out unannounced inspections at the family’s home before revoking the child’s adoptable status, arguing that the biological mother was known and should be traced. In January 2023, after three months with the couple, the child was taken away and returned to foster care.

With support from the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, the couple challenged the decision in court and won multiple cases. The Budapest Metropolitan Court ruled that the authorities had unlawfully obstructed the adoption and violated the principle of equal treatment. During proceedings, statements by Budapest’s chief government official were cited, including a remark that the office would do everything possible to prevent Hungarian children from being placed with foreign citizens.

They won, but eventually had to give up

Despite the rulings, authorities continued to delay the process. Over three years passed, during which the child aged out of the most favourable adoption period, significantly reducing her chances of being adopted.

In October 2025, the adoption procedure was formally suspended. The couple subsequently left Hungary, ending their efforts. The Budapest Government Office later stated that the case had been closed following the couple’s “voluntary withdrawal”, while maintaining that child protection remains a top priority.