U.S. Citizenship for your internationally adopted child

After internationally adopting, it is important to ensure that your adopted child becomes a U.S. citizen.  Postponing this process may affect your child as he or she becomes older in terms of voting, college scholarships, working, and other rights and privileges.  The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 was designed to make acquisition of U.S. citizenship easier and to eliminate extra steps and costs.  Under the Child Citizenship Act, children adopted internationally automatically acquire U.S. citizenship if:

Service providers for Hague convention international adoption

There are three different types of service providers for Hague convention international adoptions.  These three types are:

Hague Convention Country Adoption: Services provided by agencies...

The Hague Convention on International Adoption has had great impact in terms of International adoption rules and regulations.  One area that the convention has greatly impacted is the services that are provided by international adoption agencies.

Agencies accredited to place children from Convention countries provide six specific services necessary for successful adoption.  These are:

International Adoption: Ethiopia

Ethiopia, formally known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is located in Eastern Africa and is the second most populous nation in Africa with a population of over 82 million.  The Ethiopian government has authorized very few adoption agencies to operate within that country (only seven are qualified); ensure that your adoption agency is qualified to perform this international adoption. 

Below are some of the general rules and conditions to keep in mind when considering adoption from Ethiopia: 

International Adoption: Latvia

Latvia is a small independent democratic country in Eastern Europe that has a fairly stable adoption policy. Your experience when doing international adoption depends heavily on the country from which you adopt. Different countries have different rules and regulations regarding travel, marital status of adoptive parents, and children that may be adopted.

Below are some of the general rules and conditions to keep in mind when considering adoption from Latvia:

International Adoption: Lithuania

Your experience when adopting internationally depends heavily on the country from which you adopt.  Different countries have different rules and regulations regarding travel, marital status of adoptive parents, and children that may be adopted. 

Lithuania is a small independent democratic country in Eastern Europe that has a fairly stable adoption policy.  Below are some of the general rules and conditions to keep in mind when considering adoption from Lithuania:

Adoption Support Groups

Adoption support groups are a great idea for adoptive parents or prospective adoptive parents.  It allows adoptive parents to share with others, common problems and concerns- be it physical, emotional, etc.  It enables parents to bounce ideas and feelings off of other parents who are in similar situations.

Adoption support groups are also great for

Levels of Contact

There are three main levels of contact that must be kept in mind when adopting a child.  Knowing the amount of contact the adoptive child and adoptive family will have with the birth parents is essential.  This leaves no room for surprises and makes everyones role in the child's life clear early on.

There are three main levels of contact that take place in an adoption situation. They are:

Foster Care Adoption-Video

Below is a video that documents true accounts of the way foster care adoption has impacted families.  Foster care adoption involves adopting a child from the foster care system and is often overlooked by new parents because of their desire to have a young child or baby.  However, like all other forms of adoption, foster care adoption should never be overlooked; it is a great opportunity to provide a child with a loving home.

Saying "No" to a Child Referral

Perhaps the most exciting moment of the adoption process is when a referral is made by the adoption agency to the potential adoptive parents.  Finally you feel one step closer to welcoming your adopted child into your home.

However, sometimes after looking at the referral and all the components of the referral we feel that this child is simply not the right child for us.

What then?

A Child Referral

The most exciting moment of the adoption process is when an adoption match or referral is made.  This is the moment that an agency uses what they know about you and your family to match you to a child in need of a home.

While adoption referrals vary on a case-to-case basis, there are several components that may be included in your specific adoption referral.  Some of these include:

Ways to Afford the Cost of Adoption

One of the major reasons people do not pursue adoption is because of the high cost of adoption, especially international adoption.  There are several things people can do to help balance adoption costs and make it something financially possible.

Some ways to help you afford adoption:

Adoption Home Study

I know what you are probably thinking. What is an adoption home study and do I need it??

The short answer- YES. The adoption home study is a very detailed written report about your family that is compiled and prepared by a social worker.  It can take three to six months to finish and requires the prospective adoptive family to gather different documents, answer several questions, and explore their many reasons for adopting.

Through a series of

Interviewing Adoption Professionals

Adoption is a lengthy process.  And as time goes on you will be interacting with many people in many different realms of the adoption world.  It is important that each of these people be working towards the same goal as you and have the same ethics and morals when achieving these goals.

There are several questions that you should ask to any adoption professional you meet before you commit to working with them. After all, you only want someone that you trust is knowledgeable and true when dealing with such an important issue.

Some of the questions you should keep in mind are:

Adoption Agency? HELP!

When considering putting your child up for adoption or adopting a child yourself, one of the first things that runs through any person's head is how to find the right adoption agency.  There are several good and bad signs that you should look for when choosing the right adoption agency.

Some warning signs to look out for are:

Hague Convention on International Adoption

The Hague Convention on International Adoption (also known as intercountry adoption) is an international agreement between participating countries on the best adoption procedures for the children involved.  These procedures ensure that the best interest of the children are considered with each international adoption and help to prevent the abduction, exploitation, trafficking or sale of children across country lines.

Children's Health

A huge concern for any adoptive parent (really a concern for any parent in general) is the health and well being of their child.  When adopting internationally this is especially important because health and safety regulations are often not as strict in these countries.

"Life Unexpected"

Appropriately named, the CW show "Life Unexpected" gives a fictional look at how foster-care adoption can impact children and their families.  The show centers around a sixteen year old girl named Lux, who is put up for adoption at birth by her teenage mother.  Lux is never adopted, however, and enters the foster care system.  At sixteen she reunites with her birth parents and the difficult adjustment, for both parties, begins.

Openness in Adoption- A Firsthand Account

Perhaps one of the most difficult moments for any adoptive family is the moment when the adopted child must be told that he or she is adopted. However there are some strategies that can be employed to make the conversation go as smoothly as possible.

-I spoke to my cousin, Sam, who was adopted at just a few months old from an orphanage in India about her adoption and finding out that she is adopted. She said that she has always known that she is adopted. It is something that was told to her at a young age and has always been discussed in a very casual tone. She went on to say that it is this sense of normalness that has never made her feel that she is adopted. Her adoption is mentioned as being just another event in their lives, but nothing

A Beautiful Video About The Joys Of Adopting

A lovely video to watch if you are considering adoption!

Foster Care Adoption

Foster Care Adoption

When adopting domestically (adopting a child from the same country in which you reside), there are three different routes that one can take: closed adoption, open adoption, and foster care adoption. 

While all three are great options and have various advantages and disadvantages, foster care adoption is an amazing way to give children in the foster care system a forever home. 

Domestic vs. International Adoption

When you are looking into adoption, one of the biggest decisions you will make will be whether to adopt domestically or internationally.  

A domestic adoption means that you are adopting from the same country in which you reside, while an international adoption involves adopting from a country other than the one in which you currently reside. 

There are pros and cons to both domestic and international adoption, and ultimately the decision is yours.  You must do what is best for your family- however there are some things to keep in mind:

Sahaita Fundraiser

Hi Everyone,

You are all welcome to attend a fundraising event for “Sahaita,” a non-profit organization that that seeks to raise awareness in providing educational and critical healthcare services and resources to the poor (especially elderly and orphaned children) in the Punjab region of India. 

Sahaita has provided assistance to thousands of children and others in need since it was founded in 2007.  In addition to providing healthcare, schooling, and housing for orphaned children; it has also performed thousands of free healthcare checkups and treatments, especially corrective eye surgeries and providing glasses, to those in rural village areas.  

Welcome!

Welcome to your first stop for international adoption!

Are you thinking about international adoption?

Perhaps going through an international adoption?

Don't know where to start or what to expect?

International adoption can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience, but often times we forget to take into account and prepare for the expenses, the trips, and the sometimes difficult adjustment period.  Here we will learn about these details together to help make your international adoption as smooth and easy as possible!