Intercountry adoption is when you adopt a child from another country legally and then bring that child to your home country to live with you permanently.Thousands of intercountry adoptions take place in the United States each year.Depending on the state in which you live and the country where the child comes from, the process for adopting a child from abroad will differ.Some countries are party to the convention while others are not.The adoption process is the same regardless of where you adopt from.
Step 1: Check to see if you can adopt.
You must be at least 25 years old to adopt internationally.You must be a U.S. citizen to live in the United States.One spouse must be a citizen if you are married.There are eligibility requirements for each foreign country.You can find them by visiting the State Department's website at http://travel.state.gov/content/adoptionsabroad/en/country-information.html and selecting the country you are interested in adopting from.The parents must be over 55 years of age to adopt a child from Egypt.The couple needs to be married and have at least two children.One spouse must be of Egyptian descent.
Step 2: Adoption agencies can be researched.
Prospective parents are helped by private adoption agencies.In order to adopt from a foreign country, you need to work with an adoption agency.It is possible to find an acceptable foreign agency through your home-based agency.A representative of your U.S.-based agency can accompany you to the foreign country and help guide you through the process.The Child Welfare Gateway is a service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and can be used to find an adoption agency that handles intercountry adoptions.The childwelfare.gov/nfcad has a directory.To find out if the agency is licensed, contact them and ask for their license number.They should give it.Check that the agency's license is current by contacting the state licensing authority.If you are going to adopt from a country that is a party to the convention, you need an approved adoption agency.The Child Welfare directory identifies an agency as such.If you are not adopting from a Hague Convention country, the agency does not need to be approved.To find out how happy the families were with the agency's handling of their intercountry adoption, you should call the references.
Step 3: If it's necessary, hire an adoption attorney.
If you work with an adoption agency, the agency's own lawyer will handle any legal issues that arise.If you don't work with an adoption agency, you will need an experienced adoption attorney to help you navigate the many different requirements.The American Academy of Adoption Attorneys can help you find an adoption attorney.You can find an attorney by searching by state at the website.Ask about the attorney's experience.You will want an attorney with experience in intercountry adoptions.
Step 4: Take part in the training.
If you want to adopt a child from a country covered by the convention, you will need 10 hours of training.The convention covers 75 countries.The State Department has a list on its website.If your state requires you to take training, then you only need to adopt from a country that is a signatory to the convention.The required training programs should be connected to your adoption agency.
Step 5: Understand the timelines.
You have to fill out and create many forms in order to adopt a child.An intercountry adoption can take over a year to complete, so you should give yourself plenty of time.It will take two to four months.Your adoption agency will help you create the dossier.There will be a lot of documents related to your home and finances.For approval, apply to the federal government.To be approved for an international adoption, you need to fill out and submit forms.The process takes two to four months to complete.Send a document to the foreign country.The foreign country can take up to six months to process it after you submit it.You can't get a referral to adopt a child until it's processed.Wait for a referral.Referral times can change a lot.Prospective parents have to wait eight months to receive a referral for adoptions from China.You can travel to a foreign country.You will need to go to a foreign country to see the child.You may need to stay for up to two weeks in some countries.You have to make two trips in other countries.The United States is where you should file the document.Once you return to the US with the child, you need to file for a court date in order to complete the adoption.This step can take up to three months.
Step 6: Don't forget to plan ahead.
The home study will tell you if you are suitable for adoption.It will be submitted to the United States Customs and Immigration Service.The home study must be submitted with your initial application if you are adopting from a Hague Convention country.You have a year to submit your home study if you are adopting from a non-Hague country.
Step 7: Take care of your house.
The safety and comfort of your house will need to be assessed by a licensed social worker.The first thing you should do is clean it.Garbage, newspapers, toys, and clothes should be taken out.The bathroom should be paid particular attention to.Make sure there is enough hot and cold water to repair loosened tiles and broken shower curtain rods.The house has enough light and air.Put screens on the window.Also address safety concerns.Take a walk through the home and see if you can find something that could endanger a child.Fix broken or wobbly banisters and steps by hiding exposed wires.Store chemicals out of the reach of children and lock up firearms.Check the requirements for the bedroom.The child has his or her own bedroom in some states.Some states may limit how many children can share a bedroom.The list of requirements can be shared by your adoption agency.
Step 8: Meet with the evaluator.
Depending on your state and country, the requirements for your home study will be different.You will need to be interviewed in your home.Adults who live in the home must be interviewed.You should be prepared to talk about why you want to adopt, as well as what you think your strengths and weaknesses are as a parent.You should be prepared to discuss any domestic violence or sexual abuse that you have experienced as an adult or child.The home evaluator wants to know if you are a good parent.The home evaluator should always be told the truth.You will harm yourself in the eyes of the home evaluator if you try to cover up information.
Step 9: Have your criminal history looked at.
Adults will need a criminal history check.If you have an arrest or conviction, your application could be rejected.
Step 10: It's time to complete a dossier.
The foreign country's central adoption agency will require you to submit a dossier.It will take several months to complete the information in the dossier.It will be created with your adoption agency and tailored to the requirements of the foreign country.The home study medical reports information on finances and employment copies of important documents, such as birth certificates and marriage certificates that show completion of any required adoption education letters of reference are included in a typical dossier.
Step 11: Make sure your passport is valid.
You can't enter foreign countries without a valid passport.You can mail your passport renewal request.The State Department has a website at which you can find more information.Information for those getting their first passport can be found in Get a U.S. Passport.
Step 12: I-600A/800A is the complete form.
If you want to bring a child into the United States, you need the US Citizenship and Immigration Services to approve you.You need to be found suitable for adoption.You can apply by completing the forms.What country you are adopting from will affect the form you use.You will need to fill out Form I-600A if you are adopting from a country that isn't a party to the convention.Ensure that the form is filled out completely and accurately by working with your adoption agency or attorney.Form I-800A is needed if you want to adopt from a convention country.
Step 13: You have to fill out the form I-600 or I-800.
You will need to complete the applicable petition if you want to adopt a specific child.Your adoption agency will get the forms for you.Form I-600 is a petition to classify an orphan as an immediate relative.This form can be used to adopt a child from a non-Hague country.There is a petition to classify the convention adoptee as an immediate relative.This will be used when you adopt from a convention country.The timing of these petitions will be advised by your adoption agency.You can identify the child you want to adopt in some countries.You will not know what child you have been offered until you are in the country.
Step 14: It is necessary to schedule sufficient time.
Once you arrive in the foreign country, you won't be in control of anything related to the adoption.If you are delayed, you will need to add days to your visit.Talk to your U.S.-based adoption agency about the amount of time you need to complete the adoption.
Step 15: Meet the child.
You might not know much about the child when you show up in a foreign country.The process will be different in some countries.Before you travel to the foreign country, you will be sent information about the child and will make a decision on whether to adopt.You will receive photographs, medical information, and the child's name and birthdate when you adopt a Chinese child.
Step 16: The child should be examined.
To get a visa to travel to the U.S., a child must be examined by an approved doctor in his or her home country.The purpose of the medical examination is to screen the child for diseases.The medical exam that the U.S. Department of State requires is not comprehensive.You will need to pay for a more comprehensive examination if you want to know the health of the child.
Step 17: Attend court.
You will need to complete the adoption in a foreign country.You will not be able to leave with the child until the adoption is approved.
Step 18: The child needs to be registered.
Before you leave, you may need to register the child with a state agency.Make sure you follow the instructions in order to complete the adoption process.
Step 19: The child needs a visa.
To get a visa for your child to travel to the United States, you will need to interview at the U.S. Consulate in the foreign country.The representative from your adoption agency should be able to help you with this process.You can get different visas if you are adopting from a different country.The process of being interviewed should not be different.Timing is one of the differences.After the adoption proceedings in a non-Hague country, you will have to submit the visa application.The timing requirements are familiar to your adoption agency.
Step 20: There is a petition for an adoption.
It is possible to petition a court in the United States to adopt a child.If you adopted a child in a foreign country, you won't need to re-adopt in the U.S.You can re-adopt in the U.S. if you want a state birth certificate or a different name.The necessary petition will be filed with the court.You will most likely have to attend a hearing.There shouldn't be anyone at the hearing opposing your petition because the birth mother is in a foreign country.
Step 21: Look for support services.
Many parents with new adoptees seek counseling for themselves or their child.Children have difficulty adjusting to a new culture.A lot of adoptive parents want to understand how they can support their child's heritage.If the adoption agency can refer you to services, you should ask.You could join a support group.A support group can offer a variety of services, including family events, discussion groups, education workshops and newsletters.There may be a support group made up of other parents who have also adopted from the same country.
Step 22: Post-adoption reports should be filed.
You have to report on the child's welfare and health to some countries.You should ask your adoption agency questions about each country's requirements.It's important to make required reports.If you refuse to provide reports, other people will not be able to adopt from the foreign country.