# Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-106: Readoption > Tennessee · Statutes · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T36_C1_S36-1-106 ## Section - **Citation:** Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-106 - **Heading:** Readoption - **Jurisdiction:** Tennessee - **Kind:** Statutes - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** TN Code / Title 36 / Chapter 1 / Section 36-1-106 ## Text (a) Any minor child who was previously adopted under the laws of any jurisdiction may be subsequently readopted in accordance with this part. (b) With respect to a child sought to be adopted a second time or subsequent time by new adoptive parents, all provisions in this part relating to the biological parents or legal parents or guardians shall apply to the prior adoptive parents, except that in no case of readoption shall a biological or legal parent or guardian whose rights were previously terminated before the child was initially adopted and whose rights were not subsequently restored be made a party to the new adoption proceeding, nor shall such person's surrender, parental consent, or waiver of interest be necessary. The prior adoptive parents whose rights have not been previously terminated and any other persons who otherwise would be entitled to notice pursuant to this part subsequent to the previous adoption of the child shall be the only necessary parties to the new termination or adoption proceedings and only their surrenders or parental consent, or the termination of their rights, shall be necessary. (c) (1) With respect to a child sought to be readopted under the laws of this state who has been previously adopted pursuant to the laws of a foreign country, the circuit and chancery courts are specifically authorized to enter new orders of adoption as they may be required for purposes of compliance with any requirements of the government of the United States for children who were adopted in foreign countries. In such instances, if an adoption was conducted in accordance with the laws of the foreign jurisdiction, no further termination of parental rights of the child's parents or guardians need be made, no home study need be conducted, no court report need be made and no time period for which an adoption petition must be on file before a final adoption order is entered shall be required. Further, no consultation of the putative father registry maintained by the department shall be required, and the affidavits otherwise required by § 36-1-120(b)(1) and (2) need not be filed, if the attorney, social worker, or child-placing agency, as the case may be, that provided professional services in the underlying foreign adoption, does not maintain an office in the United States. (2) (A) When a Tennessee resident adopts a child in a foreign country in accordance with the laws of the foreign country and such adoption is recognized as full and final by the United States government, such resident may file, with a petition, a copy of the decree, order or certificate of adoption that evidences finalization of the adoption in the foreign country, together with a certified translation of the decree, order or certificate of adoption, if it is not in English, and proof of full and final adoption from the United States government, with the clerk of the chancery or circuit court of any county in this state having jurisdiction over the person or persons filing such documents. (B) The court shall assign a docket number and file and enter the documents referenced in subdivision (c)(2)(A) with an order recognizing such foreign adoption without the necessity of a hearing. Such order, along with the final decree, order or certificate from the foreign country, shall have the same force and effect as if a final order of readoption were granted in accordance with this part. (C) When the order referenced in subdivision (c)(2)(B) is filed and entered, the adoptive parents may request a report of foreign birth pursuant to § 68-3-310 by submitting an application for report of foreign birth. (D) Individuals obtaining a report of foreign birth under subdivision (c)(2)(C) are exempt from the disclosure of fees requirements of § 36-1-116(b)(16) . Acts 1951, ch. 202, § 31 (Williams, § 9572.45); T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 36-137; Acts 1978, ch. 704, § 2; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 36-138; § 36-1-137 ; Acts 1995, ch. 532, § 1; 1996, ch. 1054, § 17; 2003, ch an application for report of foreign birth. (D) Individuals obtaining a report of foreign birth under subdivision (c)(2)(C) are exempt from the disclosure of fees requirements of § 36-1-116(b)(16) . Acts 1951, ch. 202, § 31 (Williams, § 9572.45); T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 36-137; Acts 1978, ch. 704, § 2; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 36-138; § 36-1-137 ; Acts 1995, ch. 532, § 1; 1996, ch. 1054, § 17; 2003, ch. 231, § 5; 2005, ch. 137, § 1. (a) Any minor child who was previously adopted under the laws of any jurisdiction may be subsequently readopted in accordance with this part. (b) With respect to a child sought to be adopted a second time or subsequent time by new adoptive parents, all provisions in this part relating to the biological parents or legal parents or guardians shall apply to the prior adoptive parents, except that in no case of readoption shall a biological or legal parent or guardian whose rights were previously terminated before the child was initially adopted and whose rights were not subsequently restored be made a party to the new adoption proceeding, nor shall such person's surrender, parental consent, or waiver of interest be necessary. The prior adoptive parents whose rights have not been previously terminated and any other persons who otherwise would be entitled to notice pursuant to this part subsequent to the previous adoption of the child shall be the only necessary parties to the new termination or adoption proceedings and only their surrenders or parental consent, or the termination of their rights, shall be necessary. (c) (1) With respect to a child sought to be readopted under the laws of this state who has been previously adopted pursuant to the laws of a foreign country, the circuit and chancery courts are specifically authorized to enter new orders of adoption as they may be required for purposes of compliance with any requirements of the government of the United States for children who were adopted in foreign countries. In such instances, if an adoption was conducted in accordance with the laws of the foreign jurisdiction, no further termination of parental rights of the child's parents or guardians need be made, no home study need be conducted, no court report need be made and no time period for which an adoption petition must be on file before a final adoption order is entered shall be required. Further, no consultation of the putative father registry maintained by the department shall be required, and the affidavits otherwise required by § 36-1-120(b)(1) and (2) need not be filed, if the attorney, social worker, or child-placing agency, as the case may be, that provided professional services in the underlying foreign adoption, does not maintain an office in the United States. (2) (A) When a Tennessee resident adopts a child in a foreign country in accordance with the laws of the foreign country and such adoption is recognized as full and final by the United States government, such resident may file, with a petition, a copy of the decree, order or certificate of adoption that evidences finalization of the adoption in the foreign country, together with a certified translation of the decree, order or certificate of adoption, if it is not in English, and proof of full and final adoption from the United States government, with the clerk of the chancery or circuit court of any county in this state having jurisdiction over the person or persons filing such documents. (B) The court shall assign a docket number and file and enter the documents referenced in subdivision (c)(2)(A) with an order recognizing such foreign adoption without the necessity of a hearing. Such order, along with the final decree, order or certificate from the foreign country, shall have the same force and effect as if a final order of readoption were granted in accordance with this part ts. (B) The court shall assign a docket number and file and enter the documents referenced in subdivision (c)(2)(A) with an order recognizing such foreign adoption without the necessity of a hearing. Such order, along with the final decree, order or certificate from the foreign country, shall have the same force and effect as if a final order of readoption were granted in accordance with this part. (C) When the order referenced in subdivision (c)(2)(B) is filed and entered, the adoptive parents may request a report of foreign birth pursuant to § 68-3-310 by submitting an application for report of foreign birth. (D) Individuals obtaining a report of foreign birth under subdivision (c)(2)(C) are exempt from the disclosure of fees requirements of § 36-1-116(b)(16) . (1) With respect to a child sought to be readopted under the laws of this state who has been previously adopted pursuant to the laws of a foreign country, the circuit and chancery courts are specifically authorized to enter new orders of adoption as they may be required for purposes of compliance with any requirements of the government of the United States for children who were adopted in foreign countries. In such instances, if an adoption was conducted in accordance with the laws of the foreign jurisdiction, no further termination of parental rights of the child's parents or guardians need be made, no home study need be conducted, no court report need be made and no time period for which an adoption petition must be on file before a final adoption order is entered shall be required. Further, no consultation of the putative father registry maintained by the department shall be required, and the affidavits otherwise required by § 36-1-120(b)(1) and (2) need not be filed, if the attorney, social worker, or child-placing agency, as the case may be, that provided professional services in the underlying foreign adoption, does not maintain an office in the United States. (2) (A) When a Tennessee resident adopts a child in a foreign country in accordance with the laws of the foreign country and such adoption is recognized as full and final by the United States government, such resident may file, with a petition, a copy of the decree, order or certificate of adoption that evidences finalization of the adoption in the foreign country, together with a certified translation of the decree, order or certificate of adoption, if it is not in English, and proof of full and final adoption from the United States government, with the clerk of the chancery or circuit court of any county in this state having jurisdiction over the person or persons filing such documents. (B) The court shall assign a docket number and file and enter the documents referenced in subdivision (c)(2)(A) with an order recognizing such foreign adoption without the necessity of a hearing. Such order, along with the final decree, order or certificate from the foreign country, shall have the same force and effect as if a final order of readoption were granted in accordance with this part. (C) When the order referenced in subdivision (c)(2)(B) is filed and entered, the adoptive parents may request a report of foreign birth pursuant to § 68-3-310 by submitting an application for report of foreign birth. (D) Individuals obtaining a report of foreign birth under subdivision (c)(2)(C) are exempt from the disclosure of fees requirements of § 36-1-116(b)(16) in accordance with this part. (C) When the order referenced in subdivision (c)(2)(B) is filed and entered, the adoptive parents may request a report of foreign birth pursuant to § 68-3-310 by submitting an application for report of foreign birth. (D) Individuals obtaining a report of foreign birth under subdivision (c)(2)(C) are exempt from the disclosure of fees requirements of § 36-1-116(b)(16) . (A) When a Tennessee resident adopts a child in a foreign country in accordance with the laws of the foreign country and such adoption is recognized as full and final by the United States government, such resident may file, with a petition, a copy of the decree, order or certificate of adoption that evidences finalization of the adoption in the foreign country, together with a certified translation of the decree, order or certificate of adoption, if it is not in English, and proof of full and final adoption from the United States government, with the clerk of the chancery or circuit court of any county in this state having jurisdiction over the person or persons filing such documents. (B) The court shall assign a docket number and file and enter the documents referenced in subdivision (c)(2)(A) with an order recognizing such foreign adoption without the necessity of a hearing. Such order, along with the final decree, order or certificate from the foreign country, shall have the same force and effect as if a final order of readoption were granted in accordance with this part. (C) When the order referenced in subdivision (c)(2)(B) is filed and entered, the adoptive parents may request a report of foreign birth pursuant to § 68-3-310 by submitting an application for report of foreign birth. (D) Individuals obtaining a report of foreign birth under subdivision (c)(2)(C) are exempt from the disclosure of fees requirements of § 36-1-116(b)(16) . Acts 1951, ch. 202, § 31 (Williams, § 9572.45); T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 36-137; Acts 1978, ch. 704, § 2; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 36-138; § 36-1-137 ; Acts 1995, ch. 532, § 1; 1996, ch. 1054, § 17; 2003, ch. 231, § 5; 2005, ch. 137, § 1. ## Nearby sections - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-101 Purpose of part - Construction](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T36_C1_S36-1-101.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-102 Part definitions](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T36_C1_S36-1-102.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-103 Prior adoptions and terminations of parental rights involving minors and prior adoptions of adults ratified](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T36_C1_S36-1-103.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-104 Withholding of material information concerning the status of the parents or guardian of a child subject to surrender, termination of parental rights or adoption - Misdemeanor](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T36_C1_S36-1-104.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-105 Violation of criminal provisions of part by state employee - Dismissal](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T36_C1_S36-1-105.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-106 Readoption](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T36_C1_S36-1-106.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-107 Persons to whom this part is applicable](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T36_C1_S36-1-107.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-108 Entities authorized to place children for adoption - Advisory and agency capacity authorized - Injunction to stop illegal payments](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T36_C1_S36-1-108.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-109 Illegal payments in connection with placement of child - Penalty](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T36_C1_S36-1-109.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-110 Parent under eighteen years of age - Surrender](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T36_C1_S36-1-110.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-111 Presurrender request for home study or preliminary home study - Surrender of child - Consent for adoption by parent - Effect of Surrender - Form of surrender - Waiver of interest - Interpreter for non-English speaking parents](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T36_C1_S36-1-111.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-112 Revocation of surrender or parental consent - Form](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T36_C1_S36-1-112.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-113 Termination of parental or guardianship rights](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T36_C1_S36-1-113.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-114 Venue](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T36_C1_S36-1-114.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T36_C1_S36-1-106. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.