Adoption Process
Once you have decided to adopt you will be anxious to get started with the paperwork part of the process. The first step will be for you to complete the Family Profile application. There is no application fee, but we ask you to complete this form as the first step to verify that you meet the requirements for adoption in Haiti.
The next step is to select an agency for your homestudy. You should review our list of Agency Partners to get this process started. Many families will have to use a local agency to help them complete their homestudy. For this part of the process you should call and interview local agencies who are familiar with international adoption requirements in your state. If they have experience with Haiti that will be a plus, but not required. The homestudy is an important tool for discussion and clarification between an experienced social worker and an adoptive family. The Homestudy Agency will visit you and your family, conduct thorough interviews, review the required paperwork (birth certificates, marriage license, divorce decrees, etc) and then prepare a detailed Homestudy report. These reports are typically lengthy in nature, but for our adoption dossier we will need only the summary report which is usually between 5-10 pages. The Homestudy Agency should also be able to advise you on the completion of your I-600A application which is filed in your state to begin the process of applying to adopt an orphaned child internationally. The Homestudy agency must be a licensed agency in your state and the Homestudy must be signed by a licensed social worker.
While you are compiling your documents for your Homestudy you can also begin the process of completing your I600-A Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition. This is the step where you will receive clearance at both the state and federal level to adopt internationally and you will be fingerprinted. It is best to file this application along with a cover letter when you start the process, because the fingerprinting stage can often take weeks to schedule an appointment. This application is filed with your state USCIS office and you can visit https://egov.uscis.gov/crisgwi/go?action=offices to find the office in your state.
The next major hurdle is the completion of your adoption dossier. There are many steps to reach a completed Dossier (the collection of all the documents needed to complete your Adoption paperwork) which will eventually be sent to Haiti. Your agency can assist you with all the components of this process. In addition, Chances for Children can provide you with a very detailed Dossier Checklist to help you stay on track.
Once your dossier is complete you will then be ready to meet your new child. We will ask you (or your agency) to send us your completed dossier for our review. Your dossier will then be sent to our Directors in Haiti for their review. From this information they will make suggestions about the appropriate children who are available for your family. You will then be provided with photos, medical information, social history and narratives about each child. Additionally, if you would like to travel to Haiti to meet all of the children this is also an option for you and your family.
Once your dossier has been received by our experienced team of lawyers, social workers, government relations consultants take over. They oversee every step of the process as it weaves through civil courts, higher courts, IBESR, INS and Haitian government. You will be asked to travel to Haiti during your adoption process to file your I600 paperwork - this will also be an excellent time to begin to get to know your child.
And the final, most rewarding step will be the day when you get the phone call that your child's visa is ready and you are ready to travel to Haiti to bring them home!