Choosing the right method of adoption to form your family can be a very difficult task, but as with anything in life having a clear vision of your destination can make the journey much easier.  Also, having an experienced guide to give you the road map can make the journey easier too. In this article I am sharing the most frequently asked questions about international adoption that I have received over the years. 

Before diving right into International Adoption Frequently Asked Questions let’s review the total landscape of options to adopt a child.  All of which have been covered on this blog in both a deep dive and a frequently asked questions format in other posts for your reference.  Or you can get them emailed to you in depth.

There are 7 Ways to Adopt a Child:

1. Embryo Adoption

2. Adopting an Infant Internationally

3. Adopting an Infant Through Foster Care

4. Adopting an Infant with a Private Agency

5. Adopting an Infant with a Private Attorney

6. Adopting an Older Child Internationally 

7. Adopting an Older Child from Foster Care

Adopting Internationally FAQ

• What type of contact is required after placement: this highly depends on the agency and their contact requirements as well as your own preferences and the birth family preferences.  Again, this is something you are clear with in your vision casting exercise upfront and pick an agency that will help you achieve this in your final placement opportunity

  
  

• What is open adoption: you have regularly agreed upon contact and/or visits after finalization.  This is not something that typically occurs with international adoption

  
  

• What is semi open adoption: contact through the agency or some other third party agency is typically referred to as semi open adoption.  This could come in the form of letter exchange, contact via social media, or simple updates to the agency that they pass along for you to the birth family. 

  
  

• What is closed adoption: the simplest way to think about this no contact of any sort, even through the agency.  A truly closed adoption is very rare these days but more common in embryo adoption than other forms of adoption.

  
  

• What if we find each other through social media: social media has truly added a whole new dimension to the adoption process as it has reduced one's capability to remain 100% anonymous in this process.  Interacting with respect in all areas of communication is key to a successful adoption situation and social media is no different. Ensuring you are living to the agreed upon methods of communication is the best way to honor the agreement you made during the matching process.  

  
  

• How do you pick a type of contact: this comes back to the vision exercise you wrote at the start of this journey.  It is also important to imagine in detail what the conversation will be like with your child when they ask questions (or if they do) and ensure you are picking a path that will enable the type of conversation you will feel most comfortable with when/if that day comes.  Since contact and visits are more rare with international adoption it is important that this be part of your vision should you choose this route.

  
  

• What are the requirements to be able to adopt a baby internationally: The requirements vary dramatically between the countries, such as Body Mass Index health considerations, income requirements, contact or lack thereof after the placement, and multiple trips to the country to complete the process.  

  
  

• Will I have to travel to the country I am adopting from: Travel for international adoption is required at least once, but the average number of trips is 3 from start to finish.  This ensures that you have the opportunity to complete the paperwork, meet the child, bond with the child and ultimately finalize the adoption in that country’s court system. Having a clear understanding of the travel requirements is important to ensure you have the time and money budgeted to cover what is required.  

  
  

• What are the steps to adopting a child internationally: interview agencies, pick an agency, paperwork phase, home study phase, profile building, matching, travel, USCIS, Visa, and finalization.  If you would like to learn more about the step by step process for international adoption you can sign up to get the step by step process sent to you here.

• How do I get US Citizenship for an Adopted Child, USCIS: once you have been matched and potentially around the same time that you are legally finalizing the adoption you will need to apply for US Citizenship for the child in order to bring them back to the United States.  This paperwork should be handled by your agency but might require a bit more detail or homework on your part. Each agency will have a checklist of what you will need to provide to clear this important step in the process.

  
  

• How do I get a Visa for an adopted child: similar to the USCIS phase there will need to be paperwork filed so that the child may return home with you.  Again, typically this process is handled by the adoption agency and often times just requires you to sign a few incremental documents in order to complete this step.  

  
  

• How do I travel home with my adopted child: as easy as this step sounds there are a lot of factors to consider when planning an international trip for a child, and the age of the child will impact the factors to consider tremendously.  When traveling home with your adopted child you will need to have all of the immigration papers necessary to prove that you are that child’s legal guardian and that they are a citizen of this country. You also need to have paperwork for their immunization record as well.  Also, give some thought to how they will travel best for the long trip ahead. Do you need a baby carrier, extra bottles, more diapers and outfits, etc? While you don’t want to drown in the baby gear you need enough to care for this child during the planned travel time and a bit extra for those inevitable travel delays.  

  
  

• Cost to Adopt an Infant with International Adoption: $20K to $50K depending on the situation, plus travel costs. It is important that you set a budget and communicate that to your agency upfront so that you are only shown opportunities within your budget. 

  
  

• Timeline to Adopt a Child with International Adoption: Infant adoption internationally can be difficult to achieve in a timeline where the child is still an infant.  Most often the adoption is finalized somewhere around the 6-12 month mark after a child has been born and matched with an adoptive family. Adopting an Older Child Internationally will typically take 6-12 months as well, this is on top of the typical waiting period by country. 

  
  

• How to Pick a Country to Adopt from: the main factors to consider are their requirements, what cultural differences you feel equipped to parent, budget and travel feasibility.  

  
  

• How to pick an agency: picking an agency is a very important step in the process as they will be your partner in this super crazy journey ahead.  It is important to know their communication style, their preferred work style, their process, and their fees. I also believe you need to gel well together because you are going to have a long emotional road ahead and you need to feel comfortable with them as your partner in what is to come. 

  
  

• Pros/Cons to Adopting an Infant Internationally: while there are certainly better agencies than others the pros for choosing an agency would be their communication skills, having a proven step by step program that you follow, and their past success record.  The cons for choosing an agency would be costs, requirements, timelines. Since it is not typical to be able to adopt internationally without an agency, if you don’t want to use an agency then this might not be the path for you. If you want help picking a path I have a great resource here to help you.

• Risk Sharing: It is important that you clearly understand the risks with working with the agency and within each potential placement opportunity that is shared with you.  Some agencies guarantee a certain amount of your investment where others do not. Be sure to ask all of those questions during the agency interview stage and again at each placement opportunity presentation.  

To recap there are 7 Ways to Adopt A Child to choose from and in this article we focused on International Adoption: 

• Embryo Adoption

• Adopting an Infant Internationally

• Adopting an Infant Through Foster Care

• Adopting an Infant with a Private Agency

• Adopting an Infant with a Private Attorney

• Adopting an Older Child Internationally 

• Adopting an Older Child from Foster Care

Now that you are more familiar with how to adopt a child internationally the next step is to review the other 6 options and pick a path that matches your vision for your life.  And if you haven’t done my vision casting exercise make sure to head back to sign up to receive the Steps to Adoption free download to work through the vision casting exercise. 

I know that picking a path from these options can be confusing and overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be.  Let’s work together through your adoption process. You need someone that will be in your corner each step of the way.  If you are interested in learning more, you can schedule a free call at the link below. We can put together your specific step by step journey through your adoption process, so you can reach your goal of motherhood. 

Remember you can do this and I have your back, because after all, anything is achievable with a plan and support.

Hi, I Am Amanda

I help women build their families through adoption by giving them the step by step guide to adopt a child and support them on their journey