International Relative Adoption

What overseas agencies are involved in the relative adoption process from Haiti?

Holt has staff members living and working in Haiti. Our staff represent families to IBESR, Haiti’s central adoption authority, which oversees all child welfare systems in the country, including international relative adoptions.

What is the maximum age a relative child can be adopted?

At 3-4 years on average, the relative adoption process in Haiti is rather lengthy. Children also age out of eligibility for international adoption once they turn 17.  Because of this, cases can be risky if the process is started when the child is close to aging out. Please consult Holt’s Haiti program staff before pursuing relative adoption for a child around this age or older.

I want to adopt the child because their birth parents are living in poverty. Does my case qualify?

U.S. immigration regulations for relative adoption cases are restrictive. Poverty alone is not generally considered a valid reason for adoption. There must be other substantiated reasons and the birth parents must be incapable of providing proper care. If a biological parent is caring for the child, then it’s difficult to prove to U.S. immigration why the birth parents can no longer parent the child, even if the biological parent and/or child are being financially supported by the prospective adoptive parents (or other family members). It’s also extremely difficult to obtain approval from Haitian and U.S. authorities for cases in which both biological parents are still living. There must be extraordinary circumstances that prevent one or both biological parents from caring for their child.

Can Holt guarantee that a visa will be issued for the relative child I want to adopt?

No. It is important to understand that although Holt, Holt Haiti, IBESR and the USCIS/NBC office (in the U.S.) all evaluate the situation and make recommendations based on assessment and prior experiences, U.S. immigration and/or the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti will ultimately decide whether to issue a visa for a relative child’s adoption. More than likely, a visa will be approved for the child once the case has made it through the various stages of evaluation mentioned above. However, U.S. immigration and/or the U.S. Embassy is the ultimate authority regarding visa issuance, and only they can make the final decision.

How long does it take to adopt a relative child from Haiti?

Timeframes for relative adoptions can vary greatly. However, here are some average timeframes: 

• 3-6+ months for homestudy and dossier completion 
• 6+ months for IBESR to approve the dossier and child match 
• 12+ months between match and travel, depending on USCIS visa processing timeframes
• Approximately 3-4 years TOTAL timeframe 

What is a homestudy?

A homestudy is a very comprehensive written report evaluating the family’s ability/eligibility to adopt a child. You will work with a social worker licensed in your state from a Holt branch or cooperating agency to complete this process, which often consists of home visits, group trainings, phone interviews, completion of paperwork, and submission of documentation proving certain information. (Some of these documents are similar to documents required for the dossier, however the homestudy and dossier are completely separate sets of original documents.) 

Initial screening (prior to homestudy) includes: 

• Criminal History checks 
• Child Abuse Registry clearances in every state and country that you have lived in, from age 18+ (Unless that particular country does not have a Child Abuse Registry.) 
• Meet agency eligibility requirements 
• Meet government requirements, based on child’s country of origin and U.S. regulations 

Some factors considered in the evaluation of family functioning include: 

• Marital stability 
• Health (physical & mental) 
• Motivation for adopting 
• Employment and financial security 
• Family history and extended family support of adoption 
• Understanding and respect for child’s birth family and culture 
• Resources available to meet the needs of child 

<strong>What is a dossier?</strong>

There are two dossiers a family is required to prepare for a Haiti relative adoption.

1. Child’s Dossier — This is the family’s responsibility to prepare in Haiti on behalf of the child. Holt does not assist with gathering these documents. We recommend families seek legal advice in Haiti from a lawyer who is knowledgeable about adoption/intercountry adoption. Once completed, this child dossier will be submitted to Holt Haiti staff by the family and/or the family adoption lawyer in Haiti. 
2. Family Dossier — Most countries require a dossier as a way to evaluate a family’s ability to adopt a child. A dossier consists of several documents, some of which are prepared by the adoptive parents, and some that will be gathered from other sources. Compared to most country programs, the dossier required for the Haiti program is moderately difficult and there is a complex authentication process that families are required to take the dossier through for finalization. Families should be able to prepare many of their dossier documents during the same time it takes to complete the homestudy process. 

Am I required to travel to Haiti to adopt a relative?

Haiti has a two-trip adoption process, which is the same for both relative and non-relative international adoptions. Haitian law requires that both parents travel on the first trip, which is a two-week socialization trip at which time the family will be interviewed by an IBESR social worker. Only one parent is required to travel for the second trip, though two parents are always encouraged to travel. During this trip, a family will receive the child into their physical custody. This trip generally lasts 6-7 days. 

When is the adoption final?

The adoption will be final in Haiti. The required post-adoption reporting period is registered at 1 month, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and 24 months. Additionally, families are legally expected by Haitian law to complete an annual report every year until a child turns 18 years old. 

What overseas agencies are involved in this process?

Kaisahang Buhay Foundation (KBF) is our partner agency in the Philippines, and they are approved by the National Authority for Child Care (NACC). NACC is the central authority of the Philippines, and responsible for overseeing all international adoption from the Philippines, including relative adoptions. 

If I already have a child that I want to adopt, can you help with the process?

NACC will not accept cases in which neither adoptive parent is biologically related to the child. If the child is a relative (within 4 degrees of consanguinity) and your case meets the other eligibility requirements for relative adoption from the Philippines (see above), then Holt can assist with your case.

What is the maximum age of a relative child to be adopted?

The relative adoption process in the Philippines is rather lengthy. Because of this, cases can be risky if the child is 12-13 years old when the adoption clearance process begins. Please consult with the Philippines program staff for more information before pursuing adoption for a child ages 12-13. Unfortunately, we cannot accept relative adoption cases for children that are 14 years old or older. 

I want to adopt the child because their birth parents are living in poverty. Does my case qualify?

U.S. immigration regulations for relative adoption cases are restrictive. Poverty alone is not considered a valid reason for adoption. There must be other substantiated reasons and the birth parents must be incapable of providing proper care. If a biological parent is caring for the child, then it’s difficult to prove why they can no longer parent the child, even if the biological parent and/or child are being financially supported by the prospective adoptive parents (or other family members). It’s also extremely difficult to obtain approval from the Philippines and U.S. authorities for cases in which both biological parents are still living. There must be extraordinary circumstances that prevent one or both biological parents from caring for their child.

Can Holt guarantee that a visa will be issued for the relative child I want to adopt? 

No. It is important to understand that although Holt, KBF, DSWD, NACC and the USCIS/NBC office (in the U.S.) all evaluate the situation and make recommendations based on assessment and prior experiences, the ultimate decision will be up to the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippines. More than likely, a visa will be approved for the child once the case has made it through the various stages of evaluation mentioned above. However, the U.S. Embassy is the ultimate authority regarding visa issuance, and only they can make the final decision.

How long does it take to adopt a relative child from the Philippines?

Timeframes for relative adoptions can vary greatly. However, here are some average timeframes: 

• 1-2 months for KBF’s informal assessment and referral to NACC 
• 1-2+ years for DSWD to submit child study report and child dossier to NACC for review (times vary greatly)
• 3-6+ months for homestudy and dossier completion 
• 3-6 months for NACC to approve the dossier and match 
• 5-7 months between match and travel, depending on USCIS visa processing timeframes 
• 3-4+ years TOTAL timeframe 

Am I required to travel to the Philippines to adopt a relative? 

At least one parent must travel, although both parents are encouraged to travel. If only one parent is traveling, you can have a family member or close friend travel with you to provide support. Your trip will require seven days, which includes five business days in the Philippines and travel time to fly there and back. Some families choose to stay longer. 

When is the adoption final? 

You will finalize the adoption in local U.S. courts after completing the required post-placement period of six months — also called a “trial custody period” — and upon receipt of the Affidavit of Consent to Adoption issued by NACC. It usually takes 2-4 months after the final report is sent to receive this. Upon finalization, your child will gain U.S. citizenship. 

What are the fees for Philippines relative adoption?

We are open and transparent about our fees and want you to be aware of all potential costs involved in an adoption, including third-party costs and travel.

Holt is a Christian, private, nonprofit, licensed and accredited child welfare and family service organization. Our adoption work is entirely financed through adoption fees and donations. It is not government subsidized. We believe that children are the highest priority, and we want as many children as possible to have families. To that end, we strive to keep our fees within a reasonable range. All fees are subject to change and are charged at the rate that is current at time of billing. Holt may increase fees if adoption expenses in the foreign country increase substantially after time of application. Families will be notified in writing of any fee increase. Holt International accepts the following for adoption fees: check, cashier’s check or money order. If you would like to pay by credit card, there will be a 3% convenience fee added to your total. Fees due upon invoice.