| When considering adoption there are several | | | | loving home. |
| different avenues one can take. One of the more | | | | 3. By adopting a foreign child, you are helping |
| recent trends has been looking for a child outside of | | | | someone who would not have gotten the benefits |
| the United States borders. There are children, just | | | | you could offer such as a better school system, |
| like in the United States, that need a home. This is an | | | | food to eat or a loving family. |
| option to consider, however, like anything there are | | | | Let's look at the pitfalls to adopting internationally: |
| benefits and downfalls in taking this route. One of the | | | | 4. Money. It costs lots and lots of money to adopt a |
| things to be wary of is when dealing with another | | | | foreign child. There are adoption agencies that charge |
| country's child, the United States government cannot | | | | around $30,000 to get this process done because of |
| get involved. You will be dealing with a foreign court | | | | the bureaucratic red tape that is involved. The |
| on behalf of its government and the U.S. has no | | | | agency is at the mercy of the other country and has |
| jurisdiction there. | | | | to go by its policies. There are rarely instances where |
| Here is the good part about adopting a foreign child: | | | | the U.S. is able to get involved on the behalf of the |
| 1. There are not as many children available | | | | family, so if there is a falling out with the potential |
| domestically and broadening your search gives you | | | | adoptive child, you might be out luck and money. |
| more options. You are not limited to a certain area | | | | 5. The waiting process could be longer than a |
| and can now open the search worldwide. Many | | | | domestic adoption. There also might be extensive |
| people are going this route as the number of foreign | | | | travel involved. Prospective parents might have to |
| adoptions has increased by three times since 1990. | | | | spend time in the foreign country having to miss |
| Too many people have been discouraged by the long | | | | work and will need to take care of everything is |
| wait time domestically and are looking internationally | | | | involved with being away for a substantial amount of |
| for a different path. | | | | time. |
| 2. There are countries where children are in | | | | Before deciding to adopt internationally, prospective |
| desperate need of a better future such as China and | | | | parents should do research on the idea. There are |
| Russia. China has a population problem and has | | | | many resources available on the Internet and from |
| mandated rules governing how many children a family | | | | government and adoption agencies. Check out and |
| could have. This forces a family give up a child more | | | | the United States State Department. Both websites |
| often, which tend to be mostly girls. Russia is a | | | | offer pertinent information on foreign adoption. You |
| downtrodden country with economic issues and | | | | might also want to call adoption agencies that |
| families cannot afford to keep their children. By | | | | specialize in foreign adoptions. Before going that |
| adopting these children, you are giving them a life | | | | route, the agency will be able to give you information |
| they didn't have the opportunity to have before. This | | | | and explain all the pros and cons to adopting |
| is why these two countries are more popular than | | | | internationally. |
| others to adopt internationally, but these should not | | | | In the end, while it could be costly and the wait time |
| be the only two places your search is limited to. | | | | astronomical, it will be forgotten while you are holding |
| There are children all over the world who need a | | | | that beautiful child in your arms. |