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Adoption
Process |
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International Adoption is a very complicated and at
the same time is a very rewarding process. Thousands and thousands
families adopt every year from overseas. Orphans Adoption is proud
to be part of this exciting process and making some ground braking
changes in the way it’s done. Our agency solely focuses on the
family and its needs rather then simply on the paperwork alone like
many other agencies do. We stay close to our families through the
whole process of international adoption from start to very end.
From your fist phone call or email to Orphans Adoption you will be
working with a live person and will be able to talk on the phone
with a live person whenever you needed in order to resolve any
obstacles or confusions (we are not supporting automated phone
services, and if you call us during business hours there always be
a live person answering your phone on the other side with the
greeting from Orphans Adoption).
Learn more
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Adoption
Stories |
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International Adoption: Countries' Profiles
International Adoption: Benefits
International Adoption: Benefits Eligibility
International Adoption: Choosing Country
International Adoption: Dossier
International Adoption: Homestudy
International Adoption: I-600A
International Adoption: Finances
International Adoption: Getting Started with Adoption
International Adoption: Positive Adoption Language
International Adoption: Open Adoption
International adoption refers to adopting a child from a foreign country. American citizens represent the majority of international adoptive parents, followed by Europeans and those from other more developed nations. The laws of different countries vary in their willingness to allow international adoptions. Some countries, such as China and Vietnam, have relatively well-established rules and procedures for foreign adopters to follow, while others, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for example, expressly forbid it.
The most common countries for international adoption by parents in the United States for 2004 are China (7,033), Russia (5,878), Guatemala (3,252), South Korea (1,708), Kazakhstan (824) and Ukraine (772). Other less common countries include Belarus, Bulgaria, Colombia, Ethiopia, Haiti, India, Philippines, and Poland. These statistics can vary from year to year as each country alters its rules; Romania, Cambodia, and Vietnam were also important until government crackdowns on adoptions to weed out abuse in the system cut off the flow.
China is the one major country where girls adopted far outnumber boys, due to the Chinese culture's son preference; about 95% of Chinese children adopted are girls. Although India also has a noticeable excess of girls being adopted (68% girls), most other countries are about even. South Korea is the one country that has a relatively large excess of boys being adopted; about 60% are boys.
Adoptions from South Korea were far more prevalent in the 1980's than today, and most young adult foreign adoptees are Korean. About one-tenth of all Korean-Americans are adoptees.
State Laws and Fees
Since adoption is governed by state statute, each state makes its own laws, and each agency or other entity assisting in the adoption process sets its own fees for adoption services.
Unfortunately, at this time, there is no central rating service that checks on adoption agencies. You can call your local Better Business Bureau to see if any complaints have been filed against a particular agency or adoption intermediary. In addition, your state or county social services department should be able to provide you with the name of the government entity that oversees adoption to verify the reputation of an adoption agency or intermediary.
Be Advised:
Adoption Fees
Fees charged by private adoption agencies and intermediaries can run from $5,000 to as high as $25,000, and possibly more. BE SURE you understand which services in the adoption process are included and which may be separate or additional fees.
Miscellaneous Expenses
During the adoption process, activities will arise that will result in out-of-pocket expenses. Although these costs usually are minor, it's best to be prepared for them. For example:
- Traveling to and from the agency or lawyer's office
- Completing and photocopying records and other paperwork
- Taking time off work for interviews and so on
- Obtaining shots, passports, etc., if international travel is necessary
- Arranging for childcare for any children you already have
Home Study
Depending on the agency, if this is a separate expense for you, a fee of $300 to $3,000 is not unusual.
Parenting or Adoption Information Classes
These classes may be required as part of the adoption home study process. A registration fee to cover the costs of materials may be charged.
Updating Your Home Study
Home studies are considered current for a limited period of time, usually one or two years. Waiting for a child can take several years and thus the home study may need to be updated one or more times during the wait. There will be an additional fee to update your home study, even if the cost of doing the original study was included in the adoption fee.
Transfer Costs
Sometimes adoptive parents must move as a result of a job transfer or a military reassignment before completing the adoption process. In the best of situations, the adoption can be completed if your adoption agency is willing to collaborate with an adoption agency in your new location. Otherwise, you may have to start the adoption process all over again. In either case, new adoption expenses may be incurred. Adoption fees already paid to the original adoption agency often will not be refundable since that work has already been completed by the agency. If you're likely to have to move during the adoption process, you should clarify this in advance with the agency or adoption facilitator.
Planning for Your Child's Immediate Needs
Typical child-raising expenses generally include:
- food
- clothing
- furniture
- medical expenses
- health coverage, braces, and/or glasses
- childcare
- transportation
- "child proofing" your home
- books, games, and toys
- computer and computer games
- activities, clubs, sports, or camps
- bicycles or other sporting equipment
- music lessons
- movie and other entertainment
- vacations
- communion or bar and bat mitzvah parties
- allowances
- car/car insurance
- college or vocational school
Attorney and Court Costs
All domestic adoptions must be finalized in a state court or, for some Native American children, in an Indian Tribal court. For a child to be legally adopted, the biological parents must voluntarily and legally relinquish their parental rights, or the courts must involuntarily terminate their rights. The adoptive parents are not responsible for these court costs. However, in some international and independent adoptions, the adoptive parents may have to pay the legal costs of terminating the rights of the biological parent(s). It is very important to be sure that the parental rights of both biological parents have been relinquished or terminated before you adopt a child.
Legal Challenges to Adoptions
In those rare instances in which an adoptive placement is challenged, the legal expenses for the adoptive family can be extremely high. However, despite the impression given by the occasional sensational story in the media, few finalized adoptions — even independent adoptions of infants— are contested legally. Less than one percent are challenged, according to the North American Council on Adoptable Children.
Be Careful
The safest way to avoid expensive court battles is to be certain, in advance, that the child you adopt is legally free to be adopted — that the parental rights of both biological parents have been relinquished or terminated by the courts.
International Adopton China: Chinese authorities are extremely sensitive about the intrusion of foreign entities. Adoption is also a sensitive subject in China. It is therefore advisable for any person interested in adopting a child from China to act with discretion and decorum. High profile attention to adoption in China could curtail or eliminate altogether adoption of Chinese children by persons from countries that have caused adoption to become the subject of public attention.
International Adoption Russia: Children of all ages, including babies and sibling groups, are available through Russian Adoption program. All children must be on the Russian national database for four months prior to being approved for foreign adoption. Families will receive pictures and medical reports of available children, though sometimes this information is not provided before the first trip to Russia. Although it is not necessary that a child have medical or developmental disabilities to be eligible for international adoption from Russia, adopting parents should consider all children adopted internationally to be special needs. Adopting parents should expect developmental delays. In general, limited information is available regarding the child’s birth parents. Both boys and girls are available for adoption.
International Adoption Ukraine: According to Ukraine law a child must be at least fourteen months of age before they are eligible for adoption by foreigners. Occasionally, infants under one year of age are available. Although it is not necessary that a child have medical or developmental disabilities to be eligible for international adoption, adopting parents should consider all children adopted from Ukraine to be special needs. Adopting parents should expect developmental delays. In general, limited information is available regarding the child’s birth parents. Both boys and girls are available for adoption.
International Adoption Kazakhstan: Children up to 16 years of age are available for adoption in Kazakstan. As is often the case in international adoption, national residents are given priority regarding infant adoption. Consequently, babies will be approximately 4 to 6 months old before becoming available for foreign adoption.
Because of the country’s unique history and location within Central Asia, both Caucasian and Asian children are available for adoption. Additionally, both boys and girls are available for adoption.
Although it is not necessary that a child have medical or developmental disabilities to be eligible for international adoption, adopting parents should consider all children adopted internationally to be special needs. Due to the effects of institutionalization, adoptive parents should expect some developmental delays.
Vietnam International Adoption: Orphans Adoptions program in Vietnam places primarily infants born to single women and abandoned at birth. Although it is not necessary that a child have medical or developmental disabilities to be eligible for international adoption, adopting parents should consider all children adopted internationally to be special needs. Adopting parents should expect some developmental delays.
In general, we receive limited or no information regarding the child’s birth parents. Both boys and girls are available for adoption. The average age of a child at placement is 8 weeks. Currently the waiting time for a referral is approximately 4 to 6 months after a family completes their Orphan Adoption paperwork.
International Adoption Kenya: Kenyan courts are not institutionally biased against foreigners seeking to adopt children in Kenya. However, Kenyan law specifically states that that an adoption ORDER shall not be made in favor of a sole applicant who is male or an applicant who is of a different race than the child unless there are extenuating circumstances. Although it still remains an issue, the courts are beginning to take a more liberal view of racial differences between potential adopters and the child. Overall, when considering an adoption case, Kenyan courts view the welfare of the child as paramount. Foreigners interested in adopting a child in Kenya may wish to employ legal representation that is familiar with the practices of Kenya's legal system, as the court's interpretation of adoption laws can vary widely depending on the case.
Honduras International Adoption: The following is a guide for U.S. citizens who are interested in adopting a child in Honduras and applying for an immigrant visa for the child to come to the United States. This process involves complex Honduran and U.S. legal requirements. U.S. consular officers give each petition careful consideration on a case-by-case basis to ensure that the legal requirements of both countries have been met, for the protection of the prospective adoptive parent(s), the biological parents(s) and the child. Interested U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to contact U.S. consular officials in Honduras before formalizing an adoption agreement to ensure that appropriate procedures have been followed which will make it possible for the Embassy (Consulate) to issue a U.S. immigrant visa for the child.
International Adoption Process: Our Adoption Process starts with you, with a prospective Adoptive Parent. The very first step towards an International Adoption is to fill out our preliminary Application Form, carefully describing all your adoption needs for the future evaluating purposes. As soon as we receive and evaluate your information, we will be contacting you via email or phone with the suitable programs that we have or with the information on suitable children that potentially could be placed with your family. Upon choosing the right direction for your adoption process, we will send you an official application with the legal contractual agreement that will in all details describe our relations and obligations between each other. This step is necessary legal procedure that ensures clarity and legality of the process.
Guatemala International Adoption Program: Over the past year, Guatemalan court rulings on proposed changes to adoption procedures have resulted in program delays, and may do so again in the future; however, the program remains attractive to Americans because children may become available for adoption at very young ages and infants available for adoption are often cared for by foster families. In 2004, U.S. citizens adopted approximately 3,264 children from Guatemala. Older and special needs children are also available for adoption. Children may reside in orphanages or foster care
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