How do you start the process to adopt a child from a foreign country?

Question

Specifically I'm thinking of a little girl from China because little girls are so unwanted there, but of course, would be open to other countries.

Thank you!

Answer 1

We plan to adopt one or two little girls from China in the relatively near future.  I wish you the best, whatever country you choose to adopt from.

Your first step would probably be to contact an adoption agency that has a China adoption program.  We personally plan to use http://www.CWA.org .  They (CWA or whichever agency you decide on) will make certain that you meet the requirements-and there are many requirements.  You must meet those for your state and the country you are adopting from, as well as additional requirements imposed by the US for bringing an Orphan child into the country on a Visa.

I can give more details about the process for adopting from China, since that is something we have planned to do for years and have researched extensively.  I am not as aware about the process in other countries, and it varies greatly from one country to another.

Some of the requirements for adopting from China are that a couple be married (single parents and homosexual parents are not allowed to adopt from China).  Both parents must be atleast 30 years of age.  There can be no more than two divorces between the two of them.  The marriage must be atleast two years old, and atleast five if there is a divorce in the history.

The adopting parents must be in good health (a doctor's assessment is part of the homestudy), have a clean criminal record (some minor offenses may be permitted, on a case by case basis) and they must have a stable income of atleast $10,000 per family member, including the child to be adopted.  Net worth needs to be atleast $80,000.

Once your application is accepted by the agency, you will begin the homestudy and the paperchase which can be done consecutively.  The homestudy is where a social worker will meet with both parents, on more than one occasion-together, individually, and in the home-just to get to know you better and make sure that your marriage and home are fit to raise a child in.  The paperchase is where you run around collecting all of the documents needed for your dossier (a fancy name for the paperwork submitted to the Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs).  This process takes approximately six months.

The agency then submits the paperwork to the CCAA, and you receive a Log In Date (indicating when your dossier was logged in by the CCAA).  Now begins the long wait-right now, it is currently about two years after your LID before you receive a referral.  When you do receive it, you will travel approximately two months after that to pick up your child and complete the adoption process in China.  Atleast one parent MUST travel, and the stay is approximately two weeks.  If both parents do not travel, there is additional steps to complete the adoption once you return to the US.  Once you return home, the child is immediately a US citizen upon entering the country legally on the VISA.

A couple of other requirements are that there be no more than four children (adopted or biological) in the home, and the most recent birth or adoption must have occured a year before your dossier was submitted.  Also, both parents must have atleast a high school diploma.

With the agent doing your homestudy, you can determine how many children you are open to adopting (only biological children may be adopted at the same time-i.e., twins, unless you go through the Special Needs program where sometimes you can adopt two unrelated children at the same time) and their genders and age.  I believe that more than 90% of referrals are of girls, and the age at referral is usually around one year as most people tend to request AYAP (As Young As Possible).

http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/... This site will tell you the requirements I have listed, and perhaps a few others that I may have forgotten.

Another thing to consider is China's special needs children.  These children can either be young or older, with a wide variety of issues that classify them as "special needs".  You can indicate what you are open to in your dossier, and wait for a referral OR "choose" a Waiting Child.  The adoption of waiting children tends to be quicker (once you have your homestudy completed).  Your agency can give you more information about this program.

I wish you the best!

Answer 2

First you'll want to contact several agencies that do international adoptions, and decide on which one you'll feel most comfortable working with. Be sure to find out about time frames, fees, requirements (some vary depending on the agency, not jut the country), also find out if they "hold your hand" during the process, letting you know what is going on and helping you during the wait, or are they more of a "hands off" agency.

If you're not completely decided on Chins, then you'll want to research other countries too (requirements, timeframs, ages of children, etc) We adopted both of our children from Korea, and have had a wonderful experience.

Good luck, here is a link to an great agency that works with several countries, and has a web forum where you can talk to parents who have or are in the process of adopting.

http://www.holtintl.com

Answer 3

You just go through the adoption process like any other adoption:

Select an agency (do your homework..go onto websites such as adoption.org, or .com and talk to others in the forums.)

Apply

Get an International Homestudy

Get approved

Fill out mounds and mounds of paperwork

Wait for a referral

Go to the country and meet your child!

Oh, and this is very important!  Start using POSITIVE adoption language!  Google Positive Adoption Language and read one of many tables.  What child (or parent) wants to read on a website "because the girls are so unwanted".  Sorry, but that sends chills down my spine.  (You are new to this, so just thought I would help you along.)

Good luck!

Answer 4

I am also thinking about adopting.  After a whole lot of advice from friends and researching the internet this is the best advice I can give you:

1.  Adopt someone who looks like yourself. I can't tell you how many people I've interviewed who were raised in a household where they didn't look like their family.  To say the very least, they are VERY BITTER about the situation.  There isn't any doubt they loved their family, but the ridicule from school mates was horrible.

2.  If you're going to adopt outside of the country, check out the link below.  Each country will vary on rules and how much it'll cost.  This site is WONDERFUL for filling you in on how the whole thing works, all of the way down to how much it'll cost you.

God bless and good luck!

Answer 5

just go to international adoption.com

Answer 6

Go to the State Department's website

http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/...

and research to find the country that you want to adopt from.  From there, do a Google search for agencies that deal with that country.  Research the agencies and then choose which one you'd like to work with and then begin their process.

SG

Answer 7

Adopting is a big long process and I know that there are tons of message boards devoted to adopting. My aunt and uncle have three adopted children from Guatemala.  You should do research of the adoption agencies that do international adoptions in your area.  Sometimes you can have your child by the time they are 3-4 months if you get a good adoption agency other times you may not have your child until they are almost a yea. Research, Research, Research, try and find a message board that is devoted to adopting from foreign countries. I highly reccommend Guatemala. Good luck on the adopting process, adopting is a great thing!

Answer 8

My knowledge of adopting from China in my area is that it usually takes about a year to a year and a half to get everything prepared.  Each country is different.  South American countries, for instance are usually a little faster than Russia and China.   Overall, most South American countries take on average about 6 months to a year or so.

Find a reputable agency and ask them all your questions.  They will have paperwork that explains everything and give you a breakdown of costs and requirements.  I have adopted a child internationally.  It isn't that difficult, but it is time-consuming and expensive depending on the agency and the country you choose.  

I know this is a broad range, but I'd say be prepared to wait on average at least a year (China probably a bit longer) and be prepared to spend a minimum of $16,000 or so.  My guess, depending on the country you adopt from and other factors (agency fees, translation costs, airline costs, etc.) is that you'll probably end up in the $18,000 to $24,000 range.  If that amount seems large, remember that many financial institutions will do loans for international adoption.  

Trust me, I'm looking at my adopted child right now, and it is worth every penny!

Best of luck!

Answer 9

You have to start by contacting an adoption agency in your area and then fill out the necessary paperwork.  Good Luck

Answer 10

The "how-to" process is a bit different with each agency and each country.  You really need to make contact with an international adpotion agency to find out all the details (beyond loads of paperwork and home visits).

Here is what I know about the new guidelines for adpoting children from China (and South Korea):

China

Age Requirements for Parents

Married couples 30 to 50 years old are eligible to adopt from China and must be at least 30 years old when the dossier is registered in China.

Married couples 30 to 55 years old are eligible to adopt a Waiting Child from China.

Age Guidelines for Adoptive Families

Couples 30 to 44 may apply to adopt a child 6 to 18 months old.

Couples 45 to 50 may apply to adopt a child 18 months to 3 years old.

Couples 51 to 55 may apply only to adopt through the

Waiting Child Program.

China bases eligibility on each person's age. If one spouse is under 30 or one spouse is over 55, the couple is not eligible to adopt.

Health History / Restrictions

Families are not eligible to adopt if any of the following apply:

Diagnosed with major depression or any other severe mental health concerns;

Current diagnosis of depression or anxiety or currently on medication for depression or anxiety.  Must be treatment and medication free for over 2 years.

History of alcoholism within the last 10 years;

Any major surgery or transplant within the last 10 years; contact our office with questions.

One or both parents use a wheelchair or mobility aid; or missing limbs.

No history of cancer

No disease in infectious stage.

If either parent has a severe disease which requires long-term treatment and which affects life expectancy, like malignant tumors, epilepsy. lupus, nephrosis, etc.  

No blindness.  No deafness unless adopting a deaf child.

BMI over 40. Use this calculator to determine your BMI

Finances

The family must show a positive net worth (assets vs. liabilities) of at least $80,000.00.

There must also be an income earning of over $10,000 per person in the household, including the adopted child.

Adoptive parents must demonstrate an annual minimum combined income of $30,000. This represents $10,000 per adult + $10,000 for the adopted child. An additional $10,000 income is required for each additional person in the household. For example, a married couple with two children living in the home must earn at least $50,000

Criminal History

Families are not eligible to adopt if any of the following apply:

Current warrants or currently on probation.

History of drug use or charges.

Any arrest for a violent crime (examples: assault)

History of domestic violence, s*x abuse, abandonment or abuse of children, even if they are not arrested or incriminated.

Any felonies.

Applications will be considered on a case by case basis if the parent has less than three criminal records of slight severity with no serious outcomes with ten years passed or less than 5 traffic law violations with no severe outcomes.

Marriage Requirements

If the first marriage, couples must be married over 2 years.

If either spouse has 1-2 divorces, the current marriage needs to be a minimum of 5 years.

Couples where one or both spouses have 3 or more divorces are not eligible.

Education Requirement:

Both parents must have received education at or above high school or vocational skill training.

How many children?

The CCAA limits the number of children in the household to a maximum of five.

Couples with less than 5 children under 18 years old living in the household may adopt from China.

Couples with adult children (not living in the home) may adopt from China.

Couples with more than 4 children in the family; but not all live at home, may adopt from China.

If there are more than 4 children living in the household; family may adopt only through the Waiting Children's program.  

Household Requirements

Adoptive children entering a family require time to adjust to their new environment and bond with their adoptive family.

If you have recently given birth to a child, you must wait until the child is 12 months old to submit your dossier to China.

If you have recently adopted a child from China, you must wait until after you have submitted the 12 month post-placement report to submit your dossier to complete another adoption from China.

Religious Requirements

Families with religious beliefs that prohibit any kind of medical treatment, including blood transfusions, for the child, will not be eligible to adopt. According to the CCAA this includes religions that use alternatives to blood transfusions, as this is not available in every country.

Citizenship Requirements

One adoptive parent must be a U.S. citizen.  If one parent is not a U.S. citizen; the other parent (who is a U.S. citizen) must travel to China to complete the adoption.

China Adoption Program Brief

Most Chinese babies and children available for adoption are girls—about 95%.

Boys are available. .

Referrals are taking approximately 2+ years.

South Korea

The South Korea adoption program is the oldest organized international adoption program operating in the U.S. In 2005, U.S. citizens adopted approximately 1,630 children from South Korea. Children available for adoption include boys and girls, ages 6 months and older, healthy and special needs. These children reside in foster care and group homes.

Travel required: No

Singles accepted: No

Other: No dossier required; adoption finalized in the parents' country of residence one year after placement, during which time post-placement reports are required.

Answer 11

The first start is a using a reputable agency.  There are several very good ones you can contact.  Look these ones up and give them a call.  Creative Adoptions (Maryland).  I know about  20 families who have used them including myself.  Also Spence Chapin, New Beginnings.  Ask around there are so many agencies. Russia is also a wonderful place to adopt from

Answer 12

The first step is to decide upon which country you want to adopt from and then choosing an accredited/licensed agency who is licensed by the US government (The Hague Agreement on Intercountry Adoption) and is authorized to do intercountry adoptions in the country where you want to adopt. Check the US State Department for information on adoption requirements for each country. Once you have decided upon an agency, then you need to do a home study evaluation by a licensed MSW or Ph.D. social worker. The home study needs to include all of the required items that your country where you want to adopt wants in the home study. In addition, the home study will specify the characteristics of the child or children you are allowed to adopt such as age, s*x, disabilities, and so on. Once the home study is completed, you apply to be allowed to adopt in your state, apply for a US visa to allow you to adopt internationally, and then complete your dossier for the country where you want to adopt. Your agency will guide you through the dossier process. Each country has their own requirements that you will need to follow. You will receive a referral; whereby you accept or reject. Once you accept, you complete any additional requirements in the country where you plan to adopt the child from, apply for a passport for the child from the country where the child resides, and complete the child's immigration visa. Whether you have to make one or two trips or whether the child can be escorted or you need to go in person, depends upon your agency and the laws of the country where you will be adopting the child. Once the child is in your custody and you return to the USA, you need to complete any adoption requirements for legal adoption, if relevant, and then apply for the naturalization certificate for US citizenship, apply for a social security card, and apply for a birth certificate in your state where you reside. In addition, you will need to complete post-adoption follow up evaluations by a licensed MSW or Ph.D. social worker on the specified timelines set by the country where you adopted the child.

Answer 13

Start by picking the country.

Each country of adoption has different rules. For China, the process is very well defined and takes about 12-18 months with extensive background checks on you and your spouse. Start with a local support group in your town -- you will find friendship and guidance from many other couples to set you on the right path. Plus, after your own adoption these folks will be your friends for life.

Also review the adoption requirements. For example, China accepts couples who have been married at least two years and who are both at least 30 and younger than 50.  There are also household income requirements.

Here is a starting link but be sure to work with an agency and parent support group in your local town.

Answer 14

I'm in the middle of an international adoption right now and we looked at adopting from China, good choice as the children for adoption are well taken care of.  The whole adoption process is very expensive and can be time consuming. I have friends who adopted from China and they used an agency called DILLON international, they are based out of AZ but you don't have to be a resident to use that agency.  They are very reputable, check them out. They are more than willing to talk to you and answer any questions you have,  thier website has lots of informaiton about what prospective birth parents need to to do to adopt. Hope this helped.

Answer 15

You need to find an agency first.  You also need to be aware that currently, the wait time for China is getting longer and longer.  Estimates are that it will eventually take three years from the time you send in your paperwork until the time you get to travel to pick up your child.    So be prepared to wait.

The requirements for adopting from China are: You need to be married for over two years (five years if this is a second marriage, no more then three divorces between you); be over 30, make at least ten thousand dollars a year per member of your family including the child you are going to adopt (so...30 thousand a year if this is your first child) have a net worth of 80,000.  There are some medical regulations too, one of which is that you cannot be on any medications for depression or anxiety for at least seven years before you adopt.  Also, I think your BMI needs to be under 40 or something.

Good luck!