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International Adoptions
Heaven Sent Children
Process for International Adoption
- Send us your completed application with your $200 application fee.
- Complete a home study. The home study is a 6-10 page written report that tells about you and your family. The document includes sections on each member of the family, marriage, medical, employment, financial, description of the home, arrest record (if any), religion, attitudes towards children, discipline, and counseling for adoption. Typically, two visits in the home are required and each visit is about 2-3 hours in duration. Your Social Worker may recommend that you attend workshops, support groups, and read articles/books on adoption
to better prepare you for the journey of adoption.
- Decide on a Country & Placing Agency. Your Social Worker can assist you in choosing the program which best meets your criteria.
Heaven Sent Children partners with placing agencies with programs in
your country of choice (see Professional Association link). Families typically make this decision while in the Home Study process.
- File with Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS). Request the I600A form at 1/800-870-3676 or at their website at
www.uscis.gov. Your Social Worker will assist you with completing this form and prepare a cover letter to accompany the INS document. You will also need to include copies of your birth certificates, marriage license, and divorce decrees (if any). This step can be done while in the Home Study process. It typically takes 3-4 months for CIS to grant an approval of your application.
- Begin Education.
Hague requirements are that each adoptive
parent complete 10 hours of adoption preparation education, unless
your placing agency requires more. Your Social Worker can
give you information on completing this education requirement.
- Prepare the legal documents (dossier). The documents required by each country vary, but will include documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificate, physicians letters, reference letters, police clearance letters, and CIS approval. We
can work with you in completing your dossier and having it certified and legalized. These documents will be filed in court or presented to government officials in the country your child resides in. They will be used to process your adoption.
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- Receive and accept a child referred to you. In consultation with your Social Worker, you will receive a referral of a child,
from your placing agency, which usually includes a picture, a medical report, and sometimes a video. It is always advised that families seek a medical opinion to help them make an informed decision when accepting a referral.
- Travel. You will be notified when you need to travel to the country and enter your petition to adopt in court, bring your child home after finalization, or when you child is being escorted to you. As soon as the legal work is complete, you are the child's legal parent, and you complete your immigration visa with the U.S. Embassy in that country and return to the United States.
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If your child is being escorted to you, the legal work and visa are completed first and then permission is granted for the escort to leave the country with your child.
- Home. After your child is home, we will begin the post placement visits with your family. These must be completed according to the laws and policies of Heaven Sent Children, your child's country, and your state. The purpose of these reports is two fold. To show the country of origin that the placement of the child in your care was a good decision and to assist you with the adjustment of parenting a child from another country.
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Citizenship and Re-adoption.
Upon arrival home, begin the process to obtain
your child's social security number, certificate of citizenship and
complete the re-adoption in Tennessee to receive a Tennessee Report
of Foreign Birth Certificate. Your Social Worker can assist you in
completing these steps.
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