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I normally post at Ukraine Adoption Blog and I will continue to do so. But I was given an opportunity to post on my recent research.
I would like to adopt a second child and I have been exploring my options; foster, domestic, international. Getting Started with my second adoption has been so much harder than my first adoption.
Maybe I am just more aware of what can go wrong. And this is why my research and decision making are taking so much longer. I have been researching for more than 1 year now.
I started exploring adopting from Haiti because they allow single mothers to adopt. But then I moved onto the statistics. I am an analytical person and really appreciate numbers.
The United States Office of Immigration Statistics produces a document called the Yearbook of Immigration Statistics. It breaks down all international adoptions completed by American families from 1996 to 2006 by country, gender and age.
From 1996 to 2006, Americans adopted 2,060 children from Haiti.
- 42% were male
- 58% were female
- 11% were under 1 year of age
- 48% were 1 to 4 years of age
- 41% were 5 years or older
I would like to adopt a girl over 5 years of age. This is very possible based on the above statistics.
I have also been reading the US Embassy in Haiti’s 18 page document on adoption. I found out via this document that the Institut du Bien Etre Social et de Recherches (IBESR) certifies orphanages. And many of these orphanages are privately run by charities.
So I started reading about the orphanages. Many have their own web sites. The reading just never ends. 
It is at this point that I discovered a problem. Many of these privately run orphanages have specific religious requirements. One for example will only allow “bible Christians” to adopt children.
So I started emailing orphanages, agencies and facilitators to see if there is any chance that I could adopt. And it turned out that I wasn’t the right flavor of Christian for many of these orphanages.
This was fine. I understand that everyone makes their own rules. But the rejection frustrated me. I started to give up when I found Crèche Enfant de l’Jèsus and Foyer de Sion. Neither one seems to have a specific religious requirement.
With that barrier out of the way I started looking at other factors. I would only be in Haiti for 3 to 5 days after the adoption was completed. And the estimated cost of $15,000 and $18,000 is very reasonable.
I understand there are challenges. But Haiti is looking like a good adoption option for me.
Videos
God’s Littlest Angels – video 1, video 2
For His Glory Adoption Outreach – video 1, video 2
New Life Orphanage
Petits Anges de Chantel orphanage
The children of Haiti are waiting
We used Wasatch adoptions for our China adoption. They work with Foyer de Sion. We adopted Lilly from a orphanage nemed Petit angels de chantel in port au prince. You can do an independent adoption through them. The kids are amazing and the director takes the best care of her kids and their families. There website is http://www.littleangelshaiti.org
Heidi
Thanks so much for the link.
Angela, I too am just now exploring Haiti adoption and found your post very informative, thank you. Are you proceeding with Haiti adoption, and if so, what agency are you using and how is it going?
Jane
Jane: We adopted from Haiti in late 2005 from New Life Link, using Heritage Adoption. The difficulties with IBESR and the Ministry of Interior resulted in my husband having to make a trip to Port-au-Prince to facilitate the passport and other papers. But our son is a complete joy, very healthy and loving. He was in the orphange for 1 year and was 20 months when we brought him home.
Laura
My family is in the process of adopting a 5 year old girl from the Bresma orphanage in Port Au Price. We have been at it since Late January and entered IBESR mid May. We were recently told that due to the current delays in MOI, we can expect to get our daughter home next spring. We have traveled to Haiti twice this year and will return again in December. We are able to spend the entire time with our daughter. She is only 5 so we need to reassure her that we are still here for her and that eventually she will join our family.
I stronly recommend making the trip to Haiti. You will appr34eciate the plight of the Haitian people as well as the orphans and at the same time spend important time bonding with your child.
If you choose to go, please write back to me. There is much you need to understand BEFORE making this journey.
Hey guys
My husband and I are thinking about adopting a child in Haiti, my husband was born in Haiti and lived in an orphanage for 2 years. He found his family and came to America. It’s something we always wanted to do. We just don’t know where to start. Please help
Twillacey@msn.com
We are in the process of adopting a 1 year old boy from Haiti, we are working with CASI Foundation for children. We started the whole thing in Feb. 07, our Dossier just got out of Minister of Foriegn Affairs, and is being prepared for IBESR. We had thought from the beginning that we were not going to go to Haiti at all for the adoption process, but now CASI is saying it will be hard, if not impossible and possible delays if we do not go to Haiti. I have no problem with going to Haiti, anything to make the process quicker, but my husband is really against going to Haiti.(Safety reasons) Can people that have been there, please let me know how it is down there,
I am very new to this chatting thing, I am not even sure how you read all this stuff!
Thanks for help from anyone!
kkcascio@comcast.net
The Creating a Family website has a recently updated adoption chart for Haiti. I found it helpful in learning about the basic factors you need to know when considering a Haiti adoption. Hope you find it helpful as well.
http://www.creatingafamily.com/index.php?content=adoption/charts
are there any less expensive adoption routes. Less than $10k? Do you have to be married?
I’m trying to find someone who has adopted from Haiti successfully. My husband and I are looking to adopt two siblings…
we brought our 5yr old twins home from Haiti in July 2009,took 18mths, if you want info email me. irene_barron@hotmail.com
Exploring Haiti Adoption Option — Haiti Adoption…
Thought this would be timely…
I’ve been considering adotion for three years now and have decided that it’s time to “get the ball rolling”, in light of the Haiti tragedy. I’m completely overwhelmed, however. Where does one begin with the process? Should I seek legal guidance? Is it even possible for a single person(woman)to adopt from Haiti? If not, what is the optimum country/location for single parent adoption. Should I go through a religious oranization…will that yield the best reslts? I appreciate any information that’s out there and wish everyone who’s looking to adopt (especially single women) the very best of luck and all of the happiness in the world.
With the recent earthquakes decided now is the time. I have contacted adoption agencies in Haiti and was told they can not accept new applications because of “the realities are at the moment:
-We don’t know when the Haitian government will be able to begin processing new adoptions.
-We don’t know when the Haitian government will be reestablished enough to either reaffirm existing rules or set up new ones.
-We don’t know how long and under what situations the orphaned status of the new children being brought to us will be able to be determined.
-The newly orphaned children may very well have a biological family who may be looking for them. We cannot send the children out of the country until the families have had a chance to look for them. Right now, that’s very difficult because there is no public transportation and very little phone service.
-More than likely, the children will have to be declared legally orphaned by the Haitian courts, and that will take some time.
-Our immediate goal is to get the children out that have adoptive families already, so we can make room in the orphanage for the new orphans.
I also contacted UNICEF to see if there is now or plans for a international foster program to quickly get the children out becuase they are at high risk of malnutrition and disease, and of permanent psychological damage, as well increased exposure to the risk of sexual exploitation and trafficking. UNICEF is telling me there are no plans for that now, once the children are registered they will eventually be placed with orpahnages but quick, immediate care is needed now.
Seems to me the large agencies: redcross and unicef are pointing to the private adopting agencies and the private agencies are saying they cant take new applications due to the state of the government… I dont know where to begin either.
About a week before the earthquake hit Haiti we started to filling out forms to start the adoption process. Are adoption is on hold to now, we can‘t even start the first process. The Government was horrible there in the first place but the rules for adopting in Haiti had changed as of I think 2008. They are tough. But I’m sure they will change again with this disaster. With the earthquake destroying all governmental buildings and all the paper work destroyed for families that were in process of adopting, there could be a long wait. They first have to get the children out who were in the process. Then they have to figure out who’s an orphan and who’s not. After talking with a lot of adoption agencies there is going to be a big need for the children that are left with no families. Sooner or later they are going to have to put there heads together and figure out what to do with these kids. There are not enough orphanages in Haiti to take all these children in. I did ask if I could start the process and at least get the home study out of the way. But they said no! So my advice is to give your name and address out to all these adoption agencies and wait. It may be long but it will be worth it in the end. If anyone has any different advice I would appricate it!
Have you thought about being a foster parent. I have a beautiful 21 month old that I have had since he was 2 days. He is perfect and we are getting ready to adopt him in a few months. You can request a new born. Trust me, children are here is the US that need good homes.
I have been considering adoption for a few years as well and I feel now is the right time and that witout knowing I have been waiting for a child who needs me from Haiti. My heart aches for all of the children going without
the essential needs and without a parent or parents left in their lives due
to this tragedy. I am a single mom of two teenagers (17 & 19). I still have so much love to give and feel now that I am older I appreciate more that quality time and love are two things that every child needs. I don’t worry so much about having a house that always has to be spotless – I’d rather get down on the floor and play or go to a park. I am not sure how to go about making this happen but would appreciate any advice. Is this dream even possible if I don’t have $15,000 to spend. I have a good job but don’t have that much money and would hate that to hold me back! I would even be prepared to foster a child temporarily to give them a safe place to live until they decide what is to be done on a permanent basis.
Thats why I questioned an international foster program thinking there are even more children now in danger – sleeping on streets because the orphanages cant take them because they are already full. I have hit a wall. I cant start the adoption process and there seems no way to get the children sleeping on the street out of haiti – until the government can figure it out. The orphanages can not take them in.
I am new to this whole thing and also a single woman. I am looking to adopt a Haitian child. I realize with the disaster everything is on hold but how do you even start? What do I need to do or where do I need to go to get things started? If you have any information you can give, I would greatly appreciate it. I am also Canadian so not sure how that plays any role. Any info. you can pass on would be very much appreciated.
I am also a Canadian who is searching for more infromation on adoption from Haiti. If you find additional information – could you please let me know.
Thanks,
Allana
I am also Canadian and my husband and I are looking into the possibilities of adopting. We realize that it may be a while before the need is there, but have no doubt there will be a need for homes for these poor children. This is our first step into the adoption stream, so please put us on the list of Canadians looking for information and forward anything you may find, as will I.
Thank you!
This is the Haitian law as it stands now!
•Residency Requirements: Haitian law does not require prospective adoptive parents to reside in Haiti, although Haitian courts and/or the Institut du Bien Etre Social et de Recherches (IBESR, the Haitian adoption authority) may require American prospective adoptive parents to travel to Haiti before the adoption is finalized. The U.S. Government does not require adoptive parents to travel to Haiti at any time during the adoption and immigrant visa process.
•Age Requirements: Under Haitian law, the prospective adoptive parent must be 35 or older. For married couples, one prospective adoptive parent may be under age 35, provided the couple has been married for ten years and has no biological children. The adoptive parent must be at least 19 years older than the child they intend to adopt. These restriction can be waived with permission from the President of Haiti.(please see note below on “Waiver of Ineligibility.”)
•Marriage Requirements: Adoptions by married couples require the consent of both spouses. This restriction can be waived with permission from the President of Haiti. (please see note below on “Waiver of Ineligibility.”)
Note: U.S. immigration procedures still require the signature of both spouses on the USCIS Form I-600 (Petition to Classify Orphan as Immediate Relative).
•Other Requirements: Haitian law permits adoptions by single parents, provided they meet the age requirements.
•Waiver of Ineligibility: While Presidential waivers of ineligibility are sometimes issued, they are difficult to obtain and require a lengthy period of time to process. Prospective adoptive parents who do not fit the guidelines should consider not adopting in Haiti.
Also there ar grants that you can apply for to help with the cost. I found info. on http://www.adoption.state.gov and this agency was really good with a lot of info a love beyond borders.
I was wondering if anyone anticipates haiti lowering their age requirements for adoptive parents. I am single and only 23 but have had more experience with children then most 30 yr olds. I wouldn’t probably be in a position to be ready to adopt for about another year, but I don’t want to wait till I’m 30 or 35!! Haitian children need help now! They need homes now! I am praying that my age doesn’t deprive a child from a loving home. Can you give me any hope that they might consider?
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services has published information on the procedure to adopt in Haiti. The information can be seen in http://www.us-immigrationvisa.com/adoption/haiti-adoption.