A lot of people have asked us why we chose South Korea and how we selected a country. I thought with this being National Adoption Awareness month, I would take some time to inform you about the different country requirements a family must meet in order to adopt internationally. Each country requires different things such as: family income, travel requirements, marriage history/status, weight, age, and criminal history. When looking to adopt in another country, you have to carefully consider each of these requirements and make sure you are able to meet them. Below is a list of just some of the country's different requirements:
South Korea Requirements:
Age 25-42
Length of Marriage 3 Years
Max # Children in Family 4
Gender Choice Cannot Choose Gender
Age of Child at Arrival in US 18-24 mo
Travel Requirements 1 Trip
Weight No more than 30% overweight
Length of Trip/Trips 4-7 Days
Wait time for Referral 4-6 mo
Wait time to travel to Korea 11-16 mo
Total Adoption Process Time 20-28 mo
China Requirements:
(Special Needs List)
Age 30-50
Length of Marriage 2 Years
Max # Children in Family 4
Gender Choice May Choose Gender
Age of Child at Arrival in US All
Income $10,000 for each family member
Weight BMI no greater than 40
Travel Requirements 1 Trip
Length of Trip/Trips 14-16 Days
Wait time for Referral 4-6 mo
Wait time to travel to China 4-6 mo
Total Adoption Process Time 11-24 mo
Haiti Requirements:
Age 35-50
Length of Marriage 10 Years
Max # Children in Family 5
Gender Choice May Choose Gender
Age of Child at Arrival in US 24-36 mo
Travel Requirements 2 Trips
Length of Trip/Trips Both 3-4 Days
Wait time for Referral 6-12 mo
Total Adoption Process Time 24-36 mo
Russia Requirements:
Age 25-50
Length of Marriage 2 Years
Max # Children in Family 5
Gender Choice May Choose Gender
Age of Child at Arrival in US 14 mo- 15 yrs
Travel Requirements 3 Trips
Length of Trip/Trips 1st: 5-7 days, 2nd: 3-5 days,
3rd: 10 days
Wait time for Referral Boys 3-9 mo,
Girls 16+mo
Total Adoption Process Time 15-34 mo
Of course, these are just a few international requirements and there are many more. It has also been known for countries to make exceptions in certain cases. Choosing a country is a big decision and one that we prayed about for 3 years. I think the first step is to always pray about which country God would have you adopt from (either US or overseas) and then to start researching all of the requirements to see where your heart is lead. :) One thing our family had to really look into was the number of trips required. For example, in Columbia you are required to make one trip of approximately 4 weeks long. This was not something we felt we could do at this time because we both work outside the home and have our son to consider. I hope this helps answer some questions on how to choose a country. Please reply with any questions you might have. Have a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!
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