How to Secure an International Adoption Without Traveling

Adopting Without Traveling

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  While there are dozens of countries from which you can legally adopt a child, only a handful allow adoption that does not require at least one of the adoptive parents to travel to the country at least one time. As international adoption has become more popular, adoption laws in foreign countries have changed and continue to change frequently. In most countries the adoptive parents must appear before a judge or in court in that particular country, thus the reason needed to travel.

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  There are, however, some countries that currently allow adoption without traveling to the country. As of 2009, they included South Korea, Liberia, Ethiopia, Haiti, Hong Kong, Guatemala and some regions of India. These countries allow an escort to bring your child to the U.S. for you. If you are able to prove a reason for not traveling, such as a physical disability, permission may be granted for an escort in certain circumstances for other countries, as well. However, this is very rare and may add extra time and paperwork to your adoption. An Open Door Adoption Agency, Inc. has set up an escort service for families who cannot travel, but it is still subject to the laws of the land. You can look their at their website on the Internet.

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  There are literally dozens of international adoption agencies and not all are created equal. Your purposes are best served by choosing an established, reputable agency. If you know someone who has adopted, even domestically, contact him immediately as information from someone who has been through the process may be the difference between a smooth experience and a horrible experience. There is no substituting for experience. Adoptive parents are part of a huge network of people who are usually eager to share their experiences and help fellow adoptive families. Doing an Internet search for international adoption agencies is the other way of finding an agency. Remember, you don't have to have an agency in your area; it just makes things more convenient. You may end up working with an agency in another state where all the business is done over the phone, through emails and faxes. In fact, you may never actually meet the people you are working with. While searching on the Internet, make sure you are searching for agencies that have international adoption as their main focus. If the agency's specialty is domestic adoption with only a few international adoptions, they may not be a good fit for you. Each agency will know if "travel optional" adoption is available in the country you have chosen. Holt International in Eugene, Oregon, has been doing international adoptions for decades from several foreign countries. They also work with prospective parents from all over the U.S. Their website is full of information and is a good place to start your search for a country. Once you decide on a country, check the travel requirements.

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  Another option for securing a travel-free adoption is by using an international adoption lawyer. Because they are sometimes willing to escort the child themselves, this may be helpful. However, check and recheck all credentials before committing to a lawyer. The international adoption industry is filled with fraud. Contacting a reputable international adoption lawyer in the U.S. is a good first step. Check with your personal lawyer for referrals to adoption lawyers. Always check references from people who have used his service before. That lawyer should in turn be able to put you in touch with a lawyer in your country of choice. Remember, everyone is subject to the laws of the country they are working in, and if they are promising you something that is not in accordance with that country's laws, such as delivering your child to you when travel to the country is required, stay away, no matter how tempting it may be.

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  When choosing to have your child escorted back to the U.S., there are several things you will need to do. You will need to fill out an I-600A from your CIS (Citizenship and Immigration Service) office. It should be accompanied by the adoption paperwork from the foreign country and translated into English. The paperwork may be sent directly to you or to your agency for translation. After approval, CIS contacts the U.S. consulate in the foreign country so your child's visa can be issued. Next you will need to give your escort power of attorney for the child so the escort can legally get the visa from the U.S. embassy and travel with the child. Depending on who the escort is, your child may be delivered to a large international airport in the U.S. and not to your hometown. If you are not willing to travel within the U.S., more arrangements will need to be made for another escort to get your child to where you are. Involving an escort may add an extra month to the process but may be less expensive since you won't be staying in a foreign country for an extended period of time.

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  Lastly, if you are using an agency, the agency will provide the escort, whether it is another American citizen or a representative from the foreign country. If you are using a lawyer, your lawyer may want you to provide the escort. If you can, choose a relative or close friend who you know you can trust. Make sure all the paperwork for your chosen escort to be approved and legally able to escort your child is finished before he leaves the U.S. to pick up your child.