International Adoption Program Restrictions
Guidelines to Adopt an Infant or Older Child From a Foreign Country
Jul 27, 2009
Foreign adoption appeals to many childless couples, singles and families who are looking to adopt a baby, toddler, an older child or a child with special needs. Those who have completed the adoption process would probably agree that international adoption is a long journey, involving months of adoption home studies, dossier compilation and months of travel in some cases.
International adoption can be a complex process – significantly more complex than domestic adoptions – and most soon-to-be adoptive parents require help to decide which country's international adoption program will suit their lifestyle and financial situation.
International Adoption Agencies Help Parents Decide Where to Adopt
The first step to adopting a child from a foreign country involves finding the right adoption agency. There are a broad array of adoption agencies available to prospective parents, including Christian adoption agencies or adoption agencies that specialize in adoptions from certain foreign countries or international adoption in general.
The international adoption agency will orchestrate the adoption process, in addition to counseling the prospective adoptive parents on their decision to adopt a child. In the early stages of the adoption process, the adoption agency will help soon-to-be single parents and couples to select a country for their adoption.
Adoption costs and guidelines vary dramatically by country, so while program restrictions and cost may make adopting from one country prohibitive for a couple, that same couple may find that the adoption program cost and guidelines make another country a good choice for international adoption.
Foreign Adoption Program Restrictions and Guidelines
Each foreign country's adoption program has its own requirements and restrictions in place. These adoption program requirements can include the following components.
- Adoption fees – Country adoption fees are required in most cases; the cost varies by country. Orphanage donations may also be required in some nations.
- Marriage requirements – Many countries require adoptive parents to be married; some require parents to be married for a minimum number of years. Other nations will allow single mothers to adopt. As of July 2009, there were no foreign countries permitting adoption by homosexual couples.
- Divorce restrictions on adoption – Some countries will not permit parents to adopt if they've been divorced; others will not adopt to parents who have had more than a certain number of divorces. Some nations require divorced individuals to obtain a reference from a social worker and/or couple's therapist.
- Parental age limits – Some countries will not allow parents over a certain age to adopt a child. Other nations will restrict older parents from adopting babies and young children under a certain age.
- Parental age minimums – Virtually all countries require adoptive parents to be over a certain age; 25 is a common minimum age for adoptive parents. Most countries also require a minimum age difference between the age of the child and the age of the parent.
- Family size restrictions – Some foreign countries prefer small families and will not allow families with more than x number of children to adopt a child. Other countries require a certain minimum age difference between the adoptive child and existing children in the household.
- Health restrictions – Many countries have certain health requirements for adoptive parents. Parents suffering from certain medical problems may not be able to adopt from certain countries. Other nations will not allow a parent to adopt if he/she has been treated for a mental illness, including depression.
- Background requirements – Background checks and criminal record checks are routine when trying to adopt a child from a foreign country. International adoption programs vary in terms of what they will allow. Some only place restrictions on parents convicted of a drug violation, child abuse or a violent crime, while other countries will not allow a person to adopt if they have any sort of criminal record.
Minimum household income requirements for adoption are also imposed by virtually all foreign adoption programs. In order for the adoptive child's immigration process to be completed, the adoptive family's household income must meet the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration (USCIS) income requirements and guidelines. The USCIS income guidelines are used to determine if a family's income is above the poverty line, a figure that varies based on family size.
Considering Foreign Adoption Travel Requirements
International adoption agencies can also help adoptive parents find the best country to adopt from in terms of the travel requirements. Most foreign adoption programs require parents to travel to the country in order to formally complete the adoption.
The cost of traveling overseas for an adoption can vary from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the number of required trips and the required length of stay.
Some countries' adoption programs require one week-long trip to complete the adoption paperwork and to collect the child. On the other end of the spectrum, some countries require two or more trips and a stay of 8 weeks or more to complete the foreign adoption process.
Adoption agencies can help prospective parents to select the adoption program that best fits their lifestyle and situation when it comes to travel requirements for the international adoption.
Like pregnancy, adopting a baby, toddler or older child from a foreign country is a lengthy, complicated process that's often filled with ups and downs. But like birthing a child, many new adoptive parents barely arrive home with their new child before they start wondering if they should repeat the process to expand their family by just one more.
Sources: Bethany Christian Services website.
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