Whats the difference between adopting domestically or internationally?

BLW_KAM

As others have mentioned, adopting through the foster care system will provide a home to a child who is truly in need and the fees for adopting through foster care are very resonable. Here's a link to more information: http://www.cwla.org/programs/adoption/2008adoptiondaytoolkit.pdf

Both international and domestic adoptions are very expensive with fees running between $10,000 - $30,000 +. Domestic private/agency adoptions usually involve infants while international adoptions are usually toddlers and older.

There is a concern with international adoptions about grossly unethical practices in some countries (baby stealing, kidnapping, fraud) while domestic adoptions can come with the concern that the mother was coerced by the agency/attorney/DCFS to relinquish her child.

But in both options there are children who are truly in need for whatever reason (abandonment, death of family, those who are not ready or capable of parenting).

Obviously international adoption involves travel, while domestic adoption doesn't.

When we were thinking about this 12 years ago, we were blindly ignorant about adopting through foster care, so our decision was between international and domestic. We choose domestic for one overwhelmng reason: open adoption. We did not want to sever the ties between our child and her natural parents or vice versa. As a woman, I did not wish to be involved in a situation where another woman would spend her life in the dark about her child. I didn't want to add to her loss with my gain.

We've been in a fully open adoption for 10 years and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Bella Marie

Adopting domestically simply means adopting a child in your home country. Such as if you live in the United States and you adopt a child from the US, you are adopting domestically. International adopting is when you live in one country and adopt a child from another. Such as living in the US and adopting a child from China.

sunny

About 15 grand.

DannyBoo

A LOT OF MILES HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...

cantstopLinnyG

The only children who need homes are those who are in foster care.
If you want to help "starving children", go here:
http://www.feedthechildren.org

Mei-Ling

I'm sure someone else can give you the prices. In the meantime, I'll give you the ethical and emotionally-differentiated answers:

Domestic:

- amended BC
- the original BC is locked away forever by the gov't
- losing all the years with first family
- dealing withe confusion and love of an original family upon reunion

International:

- sometimes original, amended OR refabricated BC (sometimes there isn't even any info to go on, so they refabricate the BC - OR they lie so that the adoptee can never "return") http://jjtrenka.wordpress.com/ - check out her My Adoption File link on the left column
- losing all the years with first family
- language barrier
- cultural barrier
- feeling misplaced
- feeling cultural and emotional confusion upon reuniting with first family

red elephants

Adopting from foster care will be the least expensive way to adopt. There are thousands of children in foster care who really need families and range from infants to 18 years. This is the route I plan on going when I am ready to adopt.

International adoption and domestic infant adoption are both very pricey and can range anywhere from 10-40,000+

With domestic adoption (adopting in your own country) there is usually no travel involved or very little. You go through individual agencies that will match you with a birthmom.

With international adoption it varies by country. Longer travel is usually involved. Sometimes 2+ weeks and on multiple occasions. This can be more difficult because of language barriers and needing translators. Depending on the country there will be fairly lengthy waits. Each country will have a different set price and qualifications for adoption. Certain age, marriage status, gender, etc. Children are often from orphanages. If adopting internationally you should be committed to learning about your childs culture and finding ways to bring that into their lives.

All have their positive and negative qualities and will need a good bit of research. You will also want to really research the agency you use if doing domestic infant adoption or international adoption and make sure they are ethical and legit. I know families that have gone through each of the different routes and had wonderful experiences.

Philippa

I'm in the UK so it's very cheap to do here as usually it's only court costs to adopt domestically and maybe pay for a medical. International adoption is very expensive.

Please bear in mind adoption affects everybody but more so adoptees and first parents. I know from my own experience as a first mother who was lied, pressured and coerced into adoption for no better reason than that's what my parents wanted - this still goes on in the UK. My son does live with us now so I have an understanding how adoption affected him and still learning.

However I'm not anti adoption as I know there are times it is in the child's best interests. My dh and I are in the process of older child adoption from foster care domestically as we would rather give a child or siblings a home in their country of origin. I don't have a problem with IA and have cousins who were adopted internationally but it's not for us. We have our own experiences of adoption which will help in a positive way when we adopt. We are very pro adopted children/adults knowing who their natural family are.

sweet_azn_temptation

thats a wonderful thing your thinking of doing. to adopt domestically means to adopt a child in your area or state. adopt internationally means to adopt a child outside of this country from another country.

Flying Monkey #073177

Ahh the ignorance of youth. Already looking for easier, cheaper, faster are you? Have your own, you get easier, cheaper and faster as a guarantee that way.

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