The amendment changes who may apply together
The Ministry of Justice’s published text covers one spouse adopting the other’s child and the couple adopting jointly. It makes the Civil Code’s adoption provisions applicable. Applications remain subject to the Civil Code’s adoption requirements. [1]
The ministry explains the legislative steps
A ministry statement of 23 May 2023 explicitly linked the Article 20 amendment to adoption of children without a biological relationship to either spouse. It also described accompanying changes concerning the age of majority and commencement provisions. [2]
Rights organisations record the broader change
Amnesty International’s review of Taiwan in 2023 recorded the extension of joint adoption alongside changes affecting cross-border same-sex marriages. These were distinct reforms with different conditions. For families, the adoption amendment addressed a specific gap left after the recognition of same-sex marriage in 2019. [2]