Adopt International International Program

Mission Statement

Adopt International recognizes the rights of every child throughout the world to find a loving permanent family who will meet her or his individual needs.  Our vision focuses on making a difference in the lives of children remaining in institutional care through educational and humanitarian efforts.  Our staff is committed to providing professional, comprehensive services with an emphasis on meeting and responding to the needs of our culturally diverse community while reflecting the changing adoption environment and providing continuous quality improvement.

To maintain standards and policies that (i) ensure that intercountry adoptions take place in the best interests of children; (ii) prevent the abduction, sale or trafficking of children in connection with intercountry adoption, and (iii) comply with the requirements of the Convention on Protections of Children and Cooperation in respect of Intercountry Adoption, the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 and the implementing Regulations issued o February 15, 2006.

Adoption Services

Adopt is a private, nonprofit agency licensed by the State of California since 1983 and the State of Hawaii since 1993. We provide both domestic and international adoption placement services.

We provide Home Study services and facilitate domestic adoption for families residing in Hawaii and California. We place international * children all over the United States. If you reside outside of our licensing area, you must work with a licensed agent in your area to have your Home Study completed.  We are an educational agency, which conducts its Home Studies with respect and openness and works with traditional and non-traditional families.

We specialize in locating children available for placement from many international countries including Russia, Korea, Haiti,and China and place these children with families throughout the United States. A family

must have an approved Home Study completed by a licensed agency in their area of residence. We can advise you as to the current information pertaining to the laws, age limits, marital status, fee schedules, wait periods, and length of stay for each of our foreign programs.

Adoption Home Study

In an agency adoption, a Home Study must be completed prior to the relinquishment and placement of the child.  The Home Study is an educational, nonjudgmental process, and covers the following areas:

• Attitudes towards adoption, including transracial and transcultural issues
• Educational and career history
• Family background and current family support
• Parenting and child raising beliefs
• Financial information and stability
• Medicals and references

It takes approximately eight to twelve weeks to complete a Hague compliant home study. The USCIS approval may take up to fourteen weeks.  A complete application package can be mailed to you at your request.

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

The USCIS requires that each family adopting internationally be approved prior to being able to bring their child(ren) into the United States.  An approved Home Study is required, in addition to an I-800A or I-800 application for adopting through a Hague country.  Supporting documents must be provided for these application including fingerprint cards, financial support information, and an application fee.  Adopt International will provide you with the instructions and forms.  We serve as an intermediary between our families and the USCIS.  Our relationship with CIS allows us to provide our families with the most current information and policy changes as they occur.  If you have completed your Home Study with another agency, please have them assist you with your USCIS.  This is an important process that the adopting parents must complete to move forward with the adoption process.

Post Adoption Services

• Post placement visit for all international adoptions
• USCIS assistance
• Readoption assistance
• Supervision as required by State, Federal and International laws
• Seminars and presentations on issues, concerns, and problems related to adoption adjustment and parenting
• Matching with other adoptive families
• Parties, picnics, and events with other adoptive families