At present, adoption processes are experiencing significant delays.

Since 1995, Polish adoption law has been based on the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption. As of January 2017, there is only one authorised body to receive international applications: the Catholic Placement Office in Warsaw.

In Poland, the Hague Convention prioritises domestic adoption over foreign adoption. This means that foreign adoption applicants are only considered as potential parents if no suitable Polish adoptive parents are available.

Generally, children available for intercountry adoption are older children from around the age of 4, or children with health conditions that can only be treated successfully abroad. Sibling groups who are to be adopted together also fall into this category.The Polish authorities prefer families who are willing to maintain mutual contact, which has so far rarely been the case in Poland. Adoptive parents who are willing to adopt school-aged children are particularly sought after. Another key aspect of the placement process is that adoptive parents should have Polish roots, which is regarded as a requirement by the Polish authorities.