International Adoption Angencies?

Marie C

No matter which agency you select, internation adoption is a very expensive process. Yes, you can save some money on the agency fees, but the overall cost will still be quite high in the end.

Since international adoption is also a very unpredictable process, it would be best to choose an agency that offers several different programs from various countries, so that if one country changes the rules or closes their program, you will still have other options.

You might want to check out Alliance for Children, at the following website:

www.allforchildren.org

They are an excellent, reputable agency with seven or eight different programs, some of which allow single parents to adopt. I used them as a single parent, and they were wonderful.

vaautumn

Adoption is wonderful journey of family building for both adoptive parents and child (ren). We have two bio teen boys & have adopted a daughter (2 1/2) from Hunan, China. She is a wonderful addition to our family.

Both domestic and International adoption can be expensive, especially with the cost of travel for Intl adoption, and both are relatively close in cost--unless you use the state foster care system. These are worthy children in need of a home but tend to be much older than infant age. However, there are grants and loans available for such endeavors. (seek the angelfire link). Many people will buy a new car, etc, on a loan without even thinking twice but will balk at the idea of using a loan for adoption expenses. (see the Conspicuous family article)

Look into a "special needs" child (waiting child) who may have a grant or scholarship attached to the them. A special needs child could be anything from a lazy eye, to Hep A positive, or cleft lip/palate which is correctable. One family I know adopted a wee girl who was simply near sighted and needed glasses, yet she was not perfectly healthy so she was considered special needs. Others can be older than the age of 3 and therefore considered special needs. Just about every international adoption agency has a waiting child list.

Also, consider an agency that is specific to one country such as Great Wall China Adoptions, because they tend to be a bit less in cost than larger agencies with many programs to support. Our agency explained that the China program fees had gone up one year to assist in supporting the Hungarian program which had very few applicants.

Lastly in regards to cost, do a lot of the paperwork & leg work yourself to save on fees. If you do your own compilation of your dossier rather than having the agency do it for you, then it could save hundreds of dollars. Some things you won't be able to lower the costs like the INS fees, they are the same for everyone regardless of adoptive country.

Use a social worker agency such as Catholic Charities to do your Homestudy; they are usually far less than other homestudy agencies. (homestudies are only good for 18 mos so keep this in mind when beginning the process--the state foster care system usually won't provide information on a child unless you have a homestudy already complete.) You don't pay for adoption expenses all at once, it is done in increments as the process moves along. A big up front expense is the Homestudy, therefore ask an agency will take the fee for the homestudy in a few payments rather than the $1200 (or higher) all up front. Sometimes a private social worker will be less cost than one with a large company.

As a single person you will have a bit more difficult time if you adopt Internationally. China now allows very few single parents to adopt. India has a good adoption program and single women are welcomed. (see agenciy links) Though you must be at least 30 and no older than 45 years (same with China). Children are aged 12 months and older.

I have listed in the sources sections a few really solid agencies to work with internationally, and you can look at their programs to see if one will fit your needs. You would need to investigate which country will allow singles to adopt. It is my understanding that as a single parent you may have an easier time in the US via the foster care system or open adoption. In my personal opinion if you're at all concerned about ever having your child taken away then I would stay with a closed adoption.

Keep in mind that an International adoption will take about a year to complete, sometimes longer. You will want to look a a program with little variations in the process, China is one country that is very solid in the process rarely changes, until recently the requirements were the same for over 15 yrs.

Best of wishes on your journey!

BPD Wife

We used Adoptions From the Heart. They specialized in both domestic and international adoptions and they were wonderful. We highly recommend them.

www.adoptionsfromtheheart.org.

Good luck.

DuneFL

There are a few countries that allow singles to adopt...Vietnam and Ethiopia are the big ones now. My suggestion is to find an agency that works with multiple countries so that if one country changes it's rules (like China just did) you are not stuck. If you adopt a child with a special need, there is financial assistance, the same is true for a child from the U.S. foster care system. Any other, you just have to pay the bills and wait for the adoption tax credit.

kathryn k

it might be worth looking at the fost-adopt scheme - if it operates in your area

babies or children that have been taken into care - sometimes at birth are placed with you as a foster parent until all the legal paperwork goes through.

its usually a very quick placement and with little or none of the usual fees

jennifer g

This agency handles international special needs adoptions for kid that have the strongest need to find loving homes.
untilallhavehomes.org
many of these kids have low or no fees and there may be assistance available through churches in your area.

Allison B

You could always do a government adoption - it's much less expensive and there are a lot of children currently in foster care.
International adoption is a very expensive process no matter what agency you use - there are a lot of costs, and then travel expences. Domestic is cheaper - but government adoption is cheapest and it's closed, you just may not get a newborn.

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