Adoption Process
Beginning your Journey
In the beginning of your adoption journey the many decisions you need to make and the tons of information you need to digest can become very stressful and overwhelming. Our goal is to help you to better understand the adoption process, and in so doing, assist you in making all your decisions a little less stressful so that you can begin searching for that special child. Please take time to look over all the information carefully and completely and once you have made your decision to adopt internationally the following steps will help you to easily begin your adoption journey. We would love to hear from you so please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Application to Compassionate Care
Our many years of international adoption experience will assure you of a successful adoption. Send your Application for Adoption to Compassionate Care along with the required non-refundable application fee of $300.
The application is used as our preliminary screening of the applicants. The screening process tells us whether the applicants are eligible to adopt and what type of child is desired. It allows us to do the background checks required by state and federal laws and regulations.
Apply to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
Everyone bringing a child into the United States for the purposes of adoption must file an I-600 petition- a “Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative.” This petition is filed through the United States Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS). To speed the USCIS paperwork process, you may begin with the “Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition” (I-600-A) with the USCIS before you have identified a specific child. USCIS has offices throughout the United States.
The filing fee for the I-600 is $670.00. You will also need to send in $80.00 per person who resides in your household 18 years of age and older for FBI fingerprinting. (i.e. a couple wanting to adopt one child would need to send a cashiers check in the amount of $830.00) You must send a cashier’s check or money order to the INS; they will not accept a personal check or cash.
You must also send certified copies of your birth certificates, copies of your passports if you have them, certified copy of your marriage license, and divorce decree if applicable.
Home Study
If you live within the State of Indiana, Compassionate Care will be able to prepare your home study for you. If you live outside of Indiana you will need to make arrangements with a state certified social worker that is licensed by your state. If you are unable to locate a home study agency in your area, please call us at 800-749-4153 and we will assist you in finding one.
Once prospective adoptive parents apply to adopt a child (whether they apply to an agency, an attorney or facilitator, or directly to the court in an independent adoption), the laws of all 50 States and the District of Columbia require that the applicants undergo a “home study.” This process involves education and preparation as well as the gathering of information about the prospective parents.
The home study is a report prepared by a social worker who will visit your home in person and is affiliated with a licensed adoption agency. The social worker will assess the family and reach a conclusion about the family’s preparedness and fitness to parent an adopted child.
Preparation of Your Dossier
Each country requires certain documents to be prepared and sent by each prospective family before a child can be adopted. These documents are known as a “dossier” (pronounced doss-e-a).
Completing your dossier may seem a bit overwhelming at first but our staff will assist you each and every step of the way. As part of our continuing commitment to you, we will assist you in collecting all the necessary documents for your dossier and then send them to the appropriate agencies to be authenticated and translated.
Foreign countries will not accept your dossier documents without first being authenticated. (The purpose of authentication is to verify for foreign governments that a public official is in good standing). The authentication process begins by obtaining the seal of a U.S. notary public (and in some states the notary seal must also be authenticated by the clerk of the court in the county where the notary is licensed). The documents must then be authenticated by your state’s Secretary of State.
After the Department of State has authenticated the documents, the Embassy or Consulate of the country you are adopting from and having jurisdiction over the region where you live must authenticate the documents. Your dossier will also need to be translated into the language of the country you are adopting from before it is considered for approval.
Get Your Passport
For the first time, you need to go in person to one of 6,000 passport acceptance facilities located throughout the United States with two photographs of yourself (also can be taking at CVS or Walgreens), proof of U.S. citizenship (birth certificate), and a valid form of photo identification (like a driver’s license). You also need to fill out an passport application.
Acceptance facilities include many Federal, state and probate courts, post offices, some public libraries and a number of county and municipal offices. There are also 13 regional passport agencies, which serve customers who are traveling within 2 weeks (14 days), or who need foreign visas for travel. Appointments are required in such cases.
Selection of a Child
Selecting a child varies country by country. In most countries the selection process begins by preparing a dossier which is then sent to the country you choose. The country then refers a child to you. You may accept the child, or decline and request another referral. Compassionate Care will work with you to find the right child for your family.
Travel
Travel varies country by country. Compassionate Care has established close working relationships with a team of professional agents abroad that are reputable, honest, efficient and highly committed to their placement programs. They work with reliable orphanages, known for providing the best available care for their children. While traveling to the child’s country of origin, our clients are escorted to all adoption-related activities by these foreign agents and/or their representatives. Their primary responsibility is to ensure that the adoption process remains on track, and that the traveling families are kept informed and safe at all times Comfortable accommodations are available in each country. Each step of your adoption will be prearranged to assure a successful adoption.
