Most Filipino children available for adoption are between ages 11 and 20 months.
Americans hoping to adopt from the Philippines must meet some general criteria before beginning the adoption process. Couples and single men and women are allowed to adopt from the Philippines provided they are a minimum of 27 years old and at least 16 years older than the child they plan to adopt. Children available for adoption from the Philippines are generally healthy and between 11 and 20 months old at the time of placement, although older and special-needs children are sometimes available as well. In the Philippines there are more boys available for adoption than girls and parents are allowed to specify a desired gender of the child. It takes an average of 18 months to bring the child home from the time the adoption application is submitted.
Instructions
Choose an International Adoption Agency
1. Contact various adoption agencies and ask questions regarding the countries they work with, their fees and services. Also be sure to ask for references.
2. Contact the Better Business Bureau and check to see that the agency is accredited.
3. Call your state's licensing specialist and office of the attorney general to check license statuses of agencies and to inquire about any complaints that may have been filed against them.
4. Ensure that you meet prospective agencies' parental requirements and inquire about all services offered, including post-adoption services and pre-adoption education.
5. Learn laws that apply to adoption. Many of these laws will vary by state. A good starting place is The U.S Department of Human Health and Services adoption website, childwelfare.gov/adoption.
USCIS and ICAB Requirements
6. File the Application of Advanced Processing Orphan Petition, also known as the I-600A. and pay all processing fees. The adoption agency will be able to provide you with a copy of this form, or it can be downloaded from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' (USICS) website, uscis.gov. Send the completed form to the USICS office at the following address:
USICS
P.O. Box 660088
Dallas, TX 75266
7. Complete a home study, which must be done by a licensed social worker. The agency will provide or refer you to one. This process will include completing paperwork from your social worker along with allowing her to interview members of your family and visit your home.
8. Complete the adoption dossier through the agency. Much of this paperwork will be similar to forms from the home study and will require notarization.
9. File form I-800A, also known as The Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country, with the USICS. Once accepted by the USICS, the adoption agency will send it along with the dossier, completed home study and the approved I-600A form to the Intercountry Adoption Board (ICAB). After receiving and approving all required documents, ICAB will suggest a child match.
10. Accept or reject the child match made by ICAB. To accept the match, file form I-800, also known as Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative, with the USICS.
11. Apply for the child's immigration visa by filing form DS-230 with the U.S Embassy or Consulate. Once the visa is approved, wait to receive an Article 5 Letter from ICAB.
12. Travel to the Philippines within 30 days of the child being issued an immigration visa.
13. File an adoption petition with a court in the United States within six months after completing a six-month trial custody period.
14. Submit the final adoption degree to the ICAB within one month of issuance.
Tags: agency will, also known, available adoption, from Philippines, home study