Adoption FAQs

1. How do I choose the right adoption agency?
2. Are reputation and stability in an agency important?
3. Is the adoption process expensive?
4. Which countries are the best to adopt from?
5. What is an adoption home study?
6. How do I find a home study agency?
7. How do I obtain USCIS approval?
8. How long are FBI fingerprint checks good for?
9. What are special needs children?
10. What affect does being abandoned or orphaned have on a child?
11. Are there any tax benefits for adoption?
12. Once a child has been adopted domestically, can the birthparent change their mind?
13. What are the average fees for adoption?

1. How do I choose the right adoption agency?
   Things to consider when looking for an agency:
   1. Location. Proximity to where you live. For some this is a requirement.
   2. Size of agency. Some agencies focus on one region, so that's where all their efforts go. Some agencies with multiple countries are larger, and you may (or may not) become lost in the shuffle.
   3. Cost. It is important to understand that the cost of an adoption does not necessarily reflect the quality or reliability of the agency. See How much does the adoption process cost?
   4. Do your homework. Research various adoption agencies by using the Inter-Country Adoption Registry (ICAR). Its online database is a unique public forum designed to provide adoptive families worldwide with access to objective information on organizations participating in international adoption. All information is provided by adoptive families who volunteer to register their adoptions on this registry.
   5. Ask the other adoptive parents which agency they have had success with. Networking is a great way to find the adoption agency that best suits your needs.
   You can also see more on this subject in the discussion board called Adoption Beginnings.
    
   
2. Are reputation and stability in an agency important?
   With the myriad of adoption agencies operating around the world, it's difficult and overwhelming to find which ones are viable, honest and easy to work with. The Inter-Country Adoption Registry (ICAR) is your one-stop source for researching reputable agencies. The ICAR registry is linked to this site and is one of the most reputable and credible of sites to check out agencies.
    
   
3. Is the adoption process expensive?
   The cost of an adoption does not necessarily reflect the quality or reliability of the agency.
   1. Agency fees are not created equal. Fees begin at $3000-$5000.
   2. Foreign fees - If you are cost conscious, a lot of agencies will reduce your fees for a s/n or older child. China doesn't have a "foreign fee" per se - they have legal fees in country, travel fees, orphanage donations. Some agencies like to collect the money for this up front. Some give you a ball park figure and you pay as you go. Depends on how comfortable you are with carrying money.
   3. Dossier fees - Some agencies require you to use their dossier prep services. The documents you provide must be translated into the language of the country you're adopting from.
   Read more on the cost of adoptions in the Adoption Beginnings topic.
    
   
4. Which countries are the best to adopt from?
   There is a certain formula that must be considered in order to understand how many children are legally available. On average, about 1,000 children from birth to 9 years of age for every population of 5 million will be orphaned each year. Unfortunately, only 20% of these children are legally available to be adopted, and half of these children will be adopted by locals of the respective country. So that drastically diminishes the number of available adoptees to only 100 out of a population of 5 million.
    
   Use this formula to determine how many children are legally available to be adopted:
    
   
   (.00002x)(.2)
   2
   where x = country population
   
   Go to International Adoptions to read more about each sending country.
    
   
5. What is an adoption home study?
   This is a mandatory in-depth review of the prospective adoptive family. It is conducted by a licensed agency or social worker in your state of residence. It is the social worker's responsibility to determine if the adoptive parent(s) are emotionally, physically, mentally, and financially able to adopt. The review typically includes such things as home visits, medical reports, criminal record checks, and employment verification.
    
   
6. What is an adoption home study?
   There are several ways in which you can find a home study agency. The local yellow pages and Internet are two of the top ways to find a home study agency. If adopting internationally, your adoption agency may have a list of home study agencies for your home state.
    
   
7. How do I obtain USCIS approval?
   The first step in the process is downloading the I-600A form from this site www.uscis.gov. After completing and submitting the form, the next step will be to complete your home study. At the same time, you will need to be fingerprinted (a letter from USCIS will be sent to you with instructions). Once your home study is complete, your home study agency will send it to USCIS. It will take several weeks for USCIS to process this. Their decision will be sent to you – if you are approved, USCIS will send you the I-171H approval form. If you are not approved, a statement will be sent with options for appeal.
    
   
8. How long are FBI fingerprint checks good for?
   Fingerprints are valid for fifteen (15) months.
    
   
9. What are special needs children?
   The term special needs, when referring to adoption, typically means that the children have minor conditions such as cleft palate, heart conditions, and missing and/or extra extremities. In most cases, the conditions are correctable with proper medical attention and/or surgery.
    
   
10. What affect does being abandoned or orphaned have on a child?
    In international adoptions, the common affects are physical size, growth rate, and/or developmental delays. Most of these children, once adopted by a nurturing family, will flourish and the visible affects will disappear.
     
    In domestic adoptions, the above is not as critical. Typically the most common area of concern is the psychological or mental well-being of the child. Most children overcome this when they are placed with a loving family.
     
    
11. Are there any tax benefits for adoption?
    There are two: the adoption credit and the exclusion from income of benefits under your employer's adoption assistance program. For more information about tax benefits for adoption, please visit: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p968.pdf
     
    
12. Once a child has been adopted domestically, can the birthparent change their mind?
    This is called revoke consent and the state in which the adoption occurs determines how long after placement this decision can be made.
     
    
13. What are the average fees for adoption?
    Domestic: The fees can vary from $0 to over $30,000 for domestic private agency or independent adoptions. The fees range based on age of child, health of child, etc.
     
    International: Typically the fees will range from $22,000 to $35,000, depending on the country, age of child, health of child, and other factors.