This is a brief overview of the process for our international adoption. We will update it as we progress through the stages and learn more.
The Home Study
An adoption agency, that is permitted to handle adoptions in the Philippines, must do an assessment to determine if we are suitable to adopt a child. The home study gathers information to be used in the dossier and is also a time to educate ourselves about the adoption. It includes a couple of interviews, a look at the home environment and LOTS of paperwork (applications, info about our families relationships and tons of forms). The home study also includes: reference letters, criminal background checks, medical and psychological evaluations, and some training on adopting a child from another country (this is required of countries that belong to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children). We are using Holston Home for our home study.
The Dossier
This is basically a book that contains all of our information that is sent to the Inter-Country Adoption Board (ICAB) in the Philippines. It contains a description of our family, many of those reference letters and forms from the home study, and some other forms that the Philippines require. It may also include a few pictures of us. This is prepared by the adoption worker once home study study is complete. Our adoption worker is Janet, who has been great to work with.
Immigration Stuff
After sending the dossier we must file an Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country (I-800A) with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) office. I think this is basically a process that allows us to tell the government our plans to adopt and for them to tell us either yes or no regarding bringing a child into the country. We are told this process can take as long or little as they feel like it (2 weeks to 4 months). We have heard both horror stories and good stories about this part of the process.
The Match
ICAB will match a child to our family based on the things in our dossier and the child study. The Philippines is known for taken great care in matching the children and parents. A social worker from the agency taking care of the child is actually involved in the process. They may select a particular family based on religion, a physical similarity they see between the child and the adoptive parents, or any number of other reasons. They will send us a Child Study containing background information, pictures and what medical information they know. At this point we will have 2 weeks to decide and respond.
More Immigration Stuff
After we accept the match, we must file another form with USCIS asking to bring the specific child into the U.S. They make sure the child is eligible and grant authorization to adopt the child in the U.S. as well as grant a Visa to the child.
To the Philippines
Now we get to go and get our little girl. We arrive at the orphanage and meet her for the first time. We will spend some time getting familiar with her (and her with us) as well as doing some paperwork with ICAB and the U.S. Embassy. We would like for all 3 of us (Mike, Angeline and Sam) to travel to the Philippines. We want it to be a family experience that we all share together.
Return Home
After returning home, we have 3 post-placement visits with the adoption worker. This is to make sure everyone is adjusting to our new life. After 6 months the adoption is made final here in the U.S.
A couple of links if interested:
http://manila.usembassy.gov/wwwhadop.html
http://adoption.state.gov/
The Home Study
An adoption agency, that is permitted to handle adoptions in the Philippines, must do an assessment to determine if we are suitable to adopt a child. The home study gathers information to be used in the dossier and is also a time to educate ourselves about the adoption. It includes a couple of interviews, a look at the home environment and LOTS of paperwork (applications, info about our families relationships and tons of forms). The home study also includes: reference letters, criminal background checks, medical and psychological evaluations, and some training on adopting a child from another country (this is required of countries that belong to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children). We are using Holston Home for our home study.
The Dossier
This is basically a book that contains all of our information that is sent to the Inter-Country Adoption Board (ICAB) in the Philippines. It contains a description of our family, many of those reference letters and forms from the home study, and some other forms that the Philippines require. It may also include a few pictures of us. This is prepared by the adoption worker once home study study is complete. Our adoption worker is Janet, who has been great to work with.
Immigration Stuff
After sending the dossier we must file an Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country (I-800A) with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) office. I think this is basically a process that allows us to tell the government our plans to adopt and for them to tell us either yes or no regarding bringing a child into the country. We are told this process can take as long or little as they feel like it (2 weeks to 4 months). We have heard both horror stories and good stories about this part of the process.
The Match
ICAB will match a child to our family based on the things in our dossier and the child study. The Philippines is known for taken great care in matching the children and parents. A social worker from the agency taking care of the child is actually involved in the process. They may select a particular family based on religion, a physical similarity they see between the child and the adoptive parents, or any number of other reasons. They will send us a Child Study containing background information, pictures and what medical information they know. At this point we will have 2 weeks to decide and respond.
More Immigration Stuff
After we accept the match, we must file another form with USCIS asking to bring the specific child into the U.S. They make sure the child is eligible and grant authorization to adopt the child in the U.S. as well as grant a Visa to the child.
To the Philippines
Now we get to go and get our little girl. We arrive at the orphanage and meet her for the first time. We will spend some time getting familiar with her (and her with us) as well as doing some paperwork with ICAB and the U.S. Embassy. We would like for all 3 of us (Mike, Angeline and Sam) to travel to the Philippines. We want it to be a family experience that we all share together.
Return Home
After returning home, we have 3 post-placement visits with the adoption worker. This is to make sure everyone is adjusting to our new life. After 6 months the adoption is made final here in the U.S.
A couple of links if interested:
http://manila.usembassy.gov/wwwhadop.html
http://adoption.state.gov/
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