{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/adoption-northern-ireland-order-1987/article-14",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/adoption-northern-ireland-order-1987/article-14.json",
  "legislation": "nisi/1987/2203",
  "legislation_title": "The Adoption (Northern Ireland) Order 1987",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/adoption-northern-ireland-order-1987",
  "path": "article/14",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "14",
  "heading": "Adoption by ... couple",
  "text": "(1) An adoption order shall not be made on the application of more than one person except in the circumstances specified in paragraphs (2) and (3).\n(2) An adoption order may be made on the application of a couple where both of them have attained the age of 21 years.\n(3) An adoption order may be made on the application of a ... couple where—\n(a) one of the couple —\n(i) is the father or mother of the child; and\n(ii) has attained the age of 18 years;\nand\n(b) the other has attained the age of 21 years.\n(4) An adoption order shall not be made on the application of a ... couple unless at least one of them is domiciled in a part of the United Kingdom, or in any of the Channel Islands or in the Isle of Man.",
  "extent": "N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "1995 NI 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in art. 14(2) substituted (13.1.2020) by The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1514), regs. 1(2), 30(4)(b) (with regs. 6-9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Word in art. 14(3) omitted (13.1.2020) by virtue of The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1514), regs. 1(2), 30(4)(c)(i) (with regs. 6-9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in art. 14(3)(a) substituted (13.1.2020) by The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1514), regs. 1(2), 30(4)(c)(ii) (with regs. 6-9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in art. 14(3)(b) substituted (13.1.2020) by The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1514), regs. 1(2), 30(4)(c)(iii) (with regs. 6-9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Word in art. 14(4) omitted (13.1.2020) by virtue of The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1514), regs. 1(2), 30(4)(d) (with regs. 6-9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Word in art. 14 heading omitted (13.1.2020) by virtue of The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1514), regs. 1(2), 30(4)(a) (with regs. 6-9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "Art. 14(2) amendment earlier affecting provision 1969 c. 22 (NI) s. 2(a) (13.1.2020) by The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1514), regs. 1(2), 29(3) (with regs. 6-9)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1987/2203/article/14",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T04:47:49.310353+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}