| ADOPTING A FOREIGN CHILD: THINGS TO | | | | 000 per child. Agency fees cover adoption |
| CONSIDER | | | | arrangements such as passports, legal fees, and |
| According to the U.S. Department of State, | | | | travel costs. If you are required or if you wish to |
| approximately 20 000 children have been adopted | | | | travel to your child's country to retrieve them, your |
| internationally by American families within the last | | | | travel costs will be an additional expense. Some |
| decade. If this is an option you have been considering | | | | foreign orphanages also require a several thousand |
| there are many things to keep in mind when weighing | | | | dollar donation if you adopt one of their children. |
| your decision. | | | | There is usually also a great deal of time involved. It |
| First, you must meet the requirements as outlined by | | | | can take one to four (or more) years to complete |
| the U.S. Department of State: | | | | the inter-country adoption process. |
| 1. You must be a U.S. citizen; | | | | Individuals who wish to adopt must also consider the |
| 2. If unmarried, the adoptive parent must be 25 | | | | fact that a foreign child may be of a different race, |
| years of age or older; | | | | religion, and language than themselves. This will, of |
| 3. If married, your spouse must also be a U.S. citizen | | | | course, present unique challenges that adopting an |
| or a legal immigrant; | | | | American-born child would not. The child may also |
| 4. If married, both individuals must adopt jointly; | | | | have certain health problems as a result of poor |
| 5. You must meet additional character requirements, | | | | nutrition, abuse, or neglect. |
| including criminal background checks, fingerprinting and | | | | Nevertheless, adopting a foreign child is a beautiful |
| a home study; | | | | and very rewarding thing. You will be giving them |
| 6. You must meet any additional requirements of the | | | | opportunities in the U.S. they likely would not have |
| state in which you reside or the foreign country in | | | | had in their home country. It is also possible to adopt |
| which the child resides. | | | | internationally by adopting a foreign-born child |
| Another important factor to consider is the cost. | | | | currently located in the U.S. |
| Adoption agency fees can range from $7500 to $30 | | | | |