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Why should I choose to adopt internationally?
International and domestic adoption carry different risks, so it really depends on which risks you are most comfortable with. The benefits of international adoption include the relative speed to completion, finality and irrevocability. Many families complete their adoptions in less than 6 months, and when your adoption is finalized overseas, it cannot be overturned. International adoption also is generally less restrictive with respect to the age and marital status of adoptive parents.
The children we place are generally over 6 months old, so you cannot adopt a newborn child. Although the medical risks may seem greater than with domestic adoption, this is not always the case. We will guide you through the medical review process, including the review of all medical information with international adoption specialists.
Should I work with a local agency to complete my adoption?
Not necessarily. Although your homestudy will have to be prepared by an agency located in the state in which you reside, it is not necessary to work with a local agency to complete your international adoption. A proven agency in another state will be able to provide a better adoption experience than an in-state agency without the same expertise and overseas coordination. You should look for an agency that has proven itself both with what it does for you in the United States as well as what it can do for you overseas. We work with families across the country and, by phone, fax and e-mail, are able to provide the same level of personal attention to all families we work with. We are always accessible and respond quickly to any questions or concerns you may have, so you do not have to wait to get answers to your questions for very long. When you travel, our overseas coordinators are among the best in the countries in which they reside.
Can I specify the gender and age of the child I hope to adopt?
Yes. We understand that the gender and age may be important to some families and will look for referrals that meet your expectations.
Can we decline a referral, and if so, when can we expect to receive another referral?
Yes. If you are not satisfied with a referral for any reason and do not accept it, you will receive another referral fairly soon thereafter. We understand that there are many reasons why referrals may not be accepted and do not put you “at the back of the line” because you do not accept one. Rather, we will give you the next referral which falls within the parameters you have expressed to us.
Can I adopt unrelated children at the same time?
Yes. We have successfully placed many unrelated children with our families. We will discuss with you the issues involved, including the ages of the children you hope to adopt and the ages of children currently in the household, so that we can help you to determine how to most successfully adopt unrelated children.
Will I have to pay all of the fees in advance?
No. We have structured our fee schedule to spread out the payments over some period of time and to assure that our families have not paid large amounts of money prior to the submission of the documents necessary for the initiation of the adoption process overseas. At the time you commence the adoption process, you will pay $300 as a non-refundable application fee. The next amount due will be at the time your dossier is submitted, upon which you will pay the balance of the agency fee (currently $6,000 for the adoption of one child and $8,000 for the adoption of 2 children). Foreign Fees are not due until approximately 14 days before you will travel to finalize your adoption.
Is the adoption final?
Your adoption will be completed in the country in which your child resides. You will go through the legal process in that country and after going to court, your adoption will be final and irreversible. When you return to the United States, your child automatically becomes a US citizen, although we recommend that all of our families obtain a Certificate of Citizenship.
How will I travel to another country and adopt a child if I do not speak the language of the country?
All of our families are met at the airport in the foreign country by a coordinator. During the adoption process in that country, you will have a translator to translate for you, a coordinator to walk you through the entire adoption process and a driver to get you where you need to be. When you travel to the region in which your child resides, you will travel by car, train or plane and will generally be accompanied by one of our representatives. Our families have found that what easily could be a stressful process actually goes very smoothly.
Are the children healthy?
It is important to realize that these children have lived in an institutional setting for some period of time and have not had the attention and care that a child would have living from birth in your household. Most children have what we would refer to as “minor correctable conditions”, which would generally be physical and mental developmental delays. Most of these children will catch up with their peers when they have lived with a good family and have been well-cared for. We take great care to assure that our families are able to perform a complete evaluation of their child referrals, to obtain all available medical information for them, to facilitate the medical review process with the international adoption specialist chosen by them and to arrange conference calls between the orphanage and the international adoption specialist, so that the families can make an informed decision before accepting a referral. As a result of the intensive and complete review process, we have had great success with our placements and our families do not feel like they have to go through the difficult process of reviewing referrals on their own.
Special needs children are also available.
Why does it cost so much to adopt a child internationally?
We believe that anyone should be able to afford to adopt a child. Unfortunately, the international adoption process is a complicated process. It involves two countries and a myriad of governmental entities in both countries. The legal process takes place in a foreign country. Programs generally require between 1 and 3 trips, so the process of adoption requires the involvement of many individuals, and much travel.
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