An adult can be adopted if this is not in conflict with good morals.
A court will decide on the adoption of an adult upon petition by the person who wants to adopt the adult, to which the adult to be adopted indicates their consent.
The adoption of an adult does not affect their surname. If the adoptive parent agrees, the adopted person may add the adoptive parent's surname to their surname.
Adoption has legal consequences for the adopted person and their descendants if born later. For any previously born offspring of an adopted person, adoption has legal consequences only if they gave their consent to the adoption.
An adopted person inherits after the adoptive parent according to the legal sequence in the first class of heirs, but does not enter into the right to inherit of the adoptive parent against other persons. The maintenance and support obligation of the adopted person towards their ancestors or descendants continues only if and only to the extent that there are no other persons with a maintenance and support obligation, or if such persons are not able to meet their maintenance and support obligations. An adopted person has the right to maintenance and support from their ancestors or descendants only if and only to the extent that the adoptive parent is unable to meet their maintenance and support obligations.
For the adoption of a minor who has full legal capacity, the provisions on the adoption of an adult shall apply in a similar manner.
A distinction is made between the adoption of an adult which is similar to the adoption of a minor, and the adoption of an adult which is dissimilar to the adoption of a minor.
Adoption of an adult which is similar to the adoption of a minor
Adoption of an adult which is dissimilar to the adoption of a minor