An Overview of Ethiopia International Adoption
Ethiopia’s Adoption Guidelines and Process
International adoption from Ethiopia has grown in popularity in recent years, due in part to the shutdowns in Vietnam and Guatemala, and the slowdown in the China adoption process. Registering only 289 Ethiopian adoptions in 2004, the U.S. Department of State recorded more than 1,700 adoptions in 2008, according to the U.S. Department of State.
Children are generally young and healthy, total wait time to adoption completion is short compared to many other international adoption programs, and Ethiopia has one of the lowest costs to complete the adoption process. There have been some concerns about corruption, which can be present any time an adoption program is experiencing extreme popularity. Choosing an ethical, well-established adoption agency is key to successfully completing an adoption from Ethiopia.
The Children of Ethiopia
The children can be very young at referral – referrals of children as young as six weeks old have been given – and children are available into their teens. Girls and boys are available for adoption, and sibling groups can be requested. Basic medical tests are completed before referral, including HIV and HepB. Children with special needs also are available for adoption.
Guidelines for Families Hoping to Adopt from Ethiopia
Potential single adoptive parents must be at least 25 to enter the Ethiopia adoption program, but there is no minimum age for married couples. There is no stated upper age limit, although a maximum of 40 years between the age of the adoptive parent and the child referred has been given as a general guideline. There are no country-specific guidelines in terms of previous divorces or number of children currently in the home. Couples who have been married for at least five years are preferred. Single female applicants can be accepted (although this is sometimes adoption agency dependent), but single male applicants and homosexual applicants are not.
The Ethiopia International Adoption Process
A dossier is completed and submitted to the Ethiopian government. Paperwork is then reviewed and the adoption agency then works with the Ethiopian government and the orphanage to assign a referral to each prospective adoptive parent. Referral waits vary depending on adoption agency and the number of families waiting – ranging anywhere from a few weeks to more than a year. After referral, the match must be approved by the Ethiopian courts, a process that can take up to six months although 2-3 months is most common. Travel to Ethiopia is required, with the trip lasting approximately one week. Adoptive parents usually travel by themselves, although most adoption agencies will provide some sort of travel support.
The international adoption process in Ethiopia is quick (compared with many other programs) and allows for a great deal of flexibility in parental ages, age of children, number of other children in the home, and other potential restrictions. The program is relatively new and, because of its sudden popularity, may experience a few growing pains.
Other articles of interest:
What is in the Dossier for Ethiopian Adoption?
An Overview of Kazakhstan International Adoption
An Overview of International Adoption from China
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