Adoption Information
(currently under major construction - please check back soon for more information)

Some of the information on this page has been extracted from Adoption discussion boards and can not be confirmed.

• Adoption information: European Adoption Consultants, Inc (they say about $22,000 including travel) 800-533-0098

• The 20th Annual Adoptive Parents Committee, Inc. 
  Adoption Conference 
  Sunday, Nov. 19, 2000 
  Fashion Institute of Technology, 
  NYC, NY

• Rainbow Kids is an online magazine about international adoption

• CELEBRATE THE CHILD the world's biggest multicultural store for kids!

• Also, another website for those wishing to adopt from Eastern Europe is the EEAC site (Eastern European Adoption Coalition). They have links to available children, and other info. pertinent to international adoption from Eastern Europe.

Adoption Resources Online

• Research link for checking out adoption agencies
  Here is a great website that has many links to checking if adoption agencies, lawyer, etc are legitimate

• Angels Haven Outreach in California

• Ametz Adoption Program of Jewish Child Care Association JCCA: 212-558-9949 www.jewishchildcareny.org

• AAC Adoption
  Berthoud, Colorado. 
  They can do Korean adoption in other states, but only if there is NOT already an Eastern Social Welfare
  Society agency represented there. 

• Tree of Life Agency
  Oregon
  Daniel Stinea at 503-244-7374

• One Couples Journey

• FRUA support group

• http://www.yunona.com/cfml/default.cfm

• EEAC

Home Studies
You will need a homestudy and INS approval for any international adoption (more on what a homestudy is, info in the INS, and foster-care versus orphanages in other future posts)

• Phillis Labella
  212-987-0077
  She is a licensed agency and the name of it is Heart of America. She has done home studies for couples from SI, NY, one for the Ukraine, and one for Latvia. (they each got 2 children).  I understand she also handles domestic

US Immigration

• You can request by mail or download the INS forms from the INS website.  It's recommended that you request the forms by mail as many of the forms must be on a certain colored paper. It takes them about a week to mail them out to you. Request these forms: I-600A, I-600, I-864, M-249, OF-230. You can also download the forms to start filling them out, then transfer the info to the correct form when you receive it. It will seem like a lot of forms to fill out, but don't worry - the only one you need at first is the I-600A and it is really short and easy. The other forms are due when you immigrate your child. It will cost you $455 including 2 sets of fingerprints by the FBI and you should send it either overnight or certified mail so that you have a delivery confirmation.

• It is often an advantage (or requirement in some countries) to be "paper-ready". This means you already have your homestudy completed and have INS approval. Often you will have a greater selection of children and faster process if you are paper-ready.

• Standard costs for becoming "paper-ready" for international adoption is:

  • $455 for INS approval including 2 sets of fingerprints

  • $800 - $2500 (depending on which state you live in) for your homestudy. CT - One family We paid $1600 for theirs. NY - If you're in the NYC area, Jules knows a social worker that can do the homestudy for $875. CA - runs around $2500, but in some places you can get it done for $1500. OR - $800

Pediatricians who Screen International Adoptee's Medical Reports and Videos

• Dr. Jerri Ann Jenista. MD 
  551 Second Street 
  Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103 
  Phone: 734-668-0419 Fax: 764-668-9492
  she reviewed the tape and medical the same day she received it because the parents had only one day to accept the referral). Her fee was $100.

• Dr. Jane Aronson in NYC: 
  International Pediatric Health Services 
  151 East 62nd Street, Suite 1A 
  New York, New York 10021 
  For Information regarding Appointments and fees call: (212) 207-6666 phone; (212) 207-6665 fax

• Dr. Jane Ellen Aronson Director, 
  International Adoption Medical Consultation Services Chief, 
  Pediatric Infectious Diseases Winthrop Pediatric Specialty Center 
  200 Old Country Road, Suite 440 
  Mineola, NY 11501
  Can and will review medicals too, and she is also supposed to be one of the "best" in this field.

• Dr. Laurie C. Miller, 
  Director The International Adoption Clinic 
  The Floating Hospital for Children 
  750 Washington Street, Box 286 
  Boston, MA 02111 
  Telephone: (617) 636-8121
  The Clinic Notes: "due to the overwhelming volume of requests for pre-adoptive child health counseling, we request families send a donation to the clinic to help defray the costs of professional time, telephone, and postage. We suggest a minimum donation of $50.00 for each medical record or video to be reviewed, and $100.00 for each medical record and video combination. Checks should be made payable to The International Adoption Clinic and should be sent together with medical records and/or videos to the above address. Please include a cover letter with phone numbers at which we can reach you during either daytime or evening hours. Clinic staff make every attempt to respond to requests within four working days. All consultations are conducted over the phone to expedite your receipt of needed information."

• For other doctors, try Medical Resources.

Adoption Lawyers

• Aaron Britvan, Attorney at Law (one of the presenters at the above conference, see above) 516-496-2222

• Myer & Scher, LLP New York-based law firm primarily focusing in adoption law in NY and NJ
  973-802-1128
  516-677-0028

• California Bar Association
  They have a referral # at 415-477-2374 and they will give you the name and # of a lawyer who specializes in your area of need. Their main # is 415-538-2000.

• Phyllis Labella
  212-987-0077 
  She said she can obtain domestic children as babies.

•  

Costs of Adoption

• Ukraine
  For those who are able to travel for 2 or 3 weeks out of country, you can adopt independently from Ukraine.  The total expenses range under $10,000 and that includes airfare, INS, orphanage donations, etc. You can adopt two children at the same time and it is only about $12,000 total.  The lady who has helped over 100 families to adopt independently is Cathy Harris.

• Cambodia
  Also another choice for independent adoptions that few people know about is Cambodia. At the moment Cambodia adoptions are halted, but expected to restart any minute, which means that there will be a lot of young babies available.  A great thing about Cambodia is that you can get very YOUNG babies, as young as 12 weeks.  There is a facilitator who works with several of the agencies but also works with families independently. A lady I know was going to use him to adopt twins and the total costs was under $12,000 and I think for one child the cost was around $6,000 total. Cambodia is one trip of about 3 days. I will dig through my information but that is a really great way to proceed too. Just thought I would pass along that info for those who might be interested. - Lisa

• Romania
  $13-20K plus travel or escort fee (travel costs are about $1200 for one person, one trip to bring child home). The agency I like best charges $13-16K. If you don't travel, it is an escort fee ($200-500) plus airfare and hotel. The paperwork is easier for Romania and the children are in foster care, so your child will likely not have institutional-type problems. You can get an infant as young as 3 months at referral, generally they are about 5-9 months at referral. It takes 2-3 months to bring him home from acceptance date.

• Bulgaria 
  $10-16K plus travel (travel cost about $3-4K ). One parent can make the first trip to accept the child, then both parents have to go back to get the child. Children are in orphanages. Youngest infant is 1 year unless he/she has special needs. Process takes 6-9 months from date of accepted child referral.

• Russia, Ukraine
  $16-20K plus travel (travel costs are about $6-7K total for 2 people). 2 trips for both parents are required. The second trip you must stay 10 days. Food and hotels are expensive in Russia. Infants are generally older than 8 months at referral and it takes 2-4 months upon acceptance to get him home. Children are in orphanages and there is a lot of fetal alcohol syndrome in Russia. The medical reports can be very bizarre with diagnoses unknown to American doctors. This is due to a law stating that foreigners cannot adopt healthy infants, so they try to get around the law with strange illnesses to help get children placed. Unfortunately it can be hard to sort out real problems from the fake illnesses.

• Ukraine
  For those who are able to travel for 2 or 3 weeks out of country, you can adopt independently from Ukraine.  The total expenses range under $10,000 and that includes airfare, INS, orphanage donations, etc. You can adopt two children at the same time and it is only about $12,000 total.  The lady who has helped over 100 families to adopt independently is Cathy Harris.

• Kazakhstan
  $10-15K plus travel. (1) 3-4 week trip. Both parents must stay 2 weeks, and then one may leave and the other remains the final 2 weeks. They are reviewing this law and may shorten the time required to stay. Mostly are Asian children, but some Caucasian. You can pick out your child from the orphanage or do it by referral. You can get an infant as young as a 2-3 months old.

• Moldova
  Similar to Romania except children are in orphanages. It is processed through the US Embassy in Bucharest, Romania

• China
  $5-12K plus travel (most agencies are $8-12K, I know an arrangement for $5K). Infants - mostly girls. Children are in orphanages. Process takes about 12 months.

• Korea
  $16-20K including escort and travel for escort and child. No travel required. Easy paperwork. Generally you get a boy the first time and a girl the second time. Takes 2-5 months from start of paperwork to getting your child. Children are in foster care.

Adoption by Country

Korea

• AAC Adoption
  Berthoud, Colorado. 
  They can do Korean adoption in other states, but only if there is NOT already an Eastern Social Welfare
  Society agency represented there. 
  
  Requirements for parents: 
  • Married at least 3 years, 
  • one under 45, 
  • sufficient income

  Fees:

  • Recent Home Study ($1500), 
  • INS Filing ($455 for initial I-600 and 2 fingerprints), 
  • Korean Fee of $6,000, 
  • Agency Fee of $3,000, 
  • Travel fee for baby of $1,400, 
  • After
    placement fee of $1,000 and 
  • other fees for about total of $14,000. 
  • If you travel to Korea to pick up the baby, fees would be higher.

  Need: 

  • Central Registry Form stating that you are not a known child beater or molester (State of Colorado $8.50); 
  • Written statements from District Police or Sheriff that you don't have a local record;
  • Certified copies (NOT authenticated!) of: 
    • Birth Certificates, 
    • Marriage License, 
    • Any previous marriage licenses and divorce decrees;
  • Health letter from physician stating you've had a recent complete physical and you and dh are in good health; 
  • letter from employer stating time on job and salary; 
  • 3 personal reference letters each from non-family friends; 
  • letter from health insurance carrier stating they will cover an adopted child immediately when you get custody;
  • Three years of tax returns with W-2's and 1099's attached (copies); 
  • Financial Statement (form provided by agency); None of these forms above have to be notarized
    for Korean adoption.

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