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Home › Articles › Traditional Adoption › International Adoption

International Adoption

Requirements by Country

By Kelly Burgess

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Many people decide to adopt a child from another country for a variety of reasons. While the process is always time-consuming and there is a lot of paperwork involved, the results are worth the trouble.

Except in rare cases, anyone wishing to adopt is strongly advised to find a reliable adoption agency certified by both the country of origin and the United States. By doing this, you protect the rights of both the child and the adoptive parent. These agencies can help parents find out which countries are currently open to adoption and if the parents meet their regulations.

This information is constantly changing, but the chart below may help prospective parents make an initial decision. It is based on the most recent figures from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and the U.S. State Department and input from several reputable international adoption agencies.

There are always communication issues between countries of origin and the United States. These are often caused by language barriers, differing medical systems and natural suspicions across international lines caused by political issues beyond our control. However, the vast majority of international adoptions are successful, and every child deserves the chance to be placed in a loving home. Hopefully, this chart will help you through the process of filling yours.

Adoption Guidelines by Country
Please note: This list only includes countries where international adoptions are currently accepted, relatively common and where there has been an upswing in adoption in the past year. Some countries where adoption was common last year, such as Cambodia and Romania, have since placed moratoriums on international adoption. Many other countries either do not permit international adoptions at all or only approve them in very rare cases. All international adoptions require home studies, INS filings and documentations, and appropriate immunizations. Your adoption agency will help you obtain these.
Country
(2001 adoption statistics)		 Parental Requirements Children Available Time and Travel Information
Bulgaria
(260)		 Married couples age 21 and older. Single women may adopt. Infants to age 15. Sibling groups OK. Once the paperwork is in Bulgaria, potential parents wait approximately three to six months before an initial approval. Then, two trips to Bulgaria are required. In the first, they will meet the child. Then, after a six-month waiting period, one parent must return to pick up the child.
China
(4,690)		 Married couples and single females ages 30 to 55. Single men 40 years older than the adoptive child. Minimum annual income of $30,000 for a childless couple or $10,000 per person in the household.
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