Dove Adoptions is honored to be the fifth US adoption agency approved by the government of Ethiopia to complete international adoptions of Ethiopian children.
Ethiopia Program Features
Who can adopt from Ethiopia?
- Married couples may adopt. Single women are currently permitted by Ethiopian law to adopt, but officials have indicated that this may change in the future as they prefer to place children into two-parent families.
- Both parents must be at least 25 years of age
- Prospective parents should be no older than 40-45 years of age to adopt an infant (contact Dove for additional info.)
- Please see General Adoption Requirements for more information about adoption requirements
What can I specify about my prospective child?
- Age range (e.g. 0-2 years)
- Desired Gender
- General Health status (including any special needs you would consider)
What information is generally available when I receive a referral of a prospective child?
- Photo of the child, gender, age
- Medical record from admittance to the orphanage
- Any known information about the child's background (this information is limited and may not be available).
Do I have to travel to Ethiopia?
Prospective Adoptive Parent(s) are required to travel to Ethiopia twice. The first trip is for the Ethiopian court hearing. On the second trip the Prospective Adoptive Parent(s) will travel to attend the US Embassy visa interview and bring their child home. For married applicants: Both parents must be phyiscally present for the court hearing. If desired, only one parent may be required to travel to bring the child home.
Please note: costs and length of process vary depending on many factors which include but are not limited to court closures and court delays, how quickly you are able to submit the required paperwork, and many other factors involving domestic and international entities. Any information on the length or cost of an adoption process is approximate and subject to change without notice.
Approximately how much does it cost?
There are many costs associated with international adoption. The average cost to complete an adoption in Ethiopia, including Home Study, agency and travel fees, is approximately $32,000 before the adoption tax credit, which your family may qualify for. Please read Funding Your Adoption for resources and information or contact Dove for more specifics and information on possible grants.
Approximately how long does the process take?
Time frames for the process vary but generally speaking, the average time frame from submission of your dossier to referral of a prospective child is 24-28 months (as of May, 2013). For information regarding the average time from referral, to court, to bringing your child home, please contact Dove.
What else should I know?
- Simultaneous adoption of non-related children is NOT permitted except in exceptional circumstances involving older or special needs children, on a case-by-case basis.
- Post-adoption reports are required by Ethiopia and are due at 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year from the date the child arrives in the United States. After the post-adoption reports are complete, families are required to submit an Annual Report form with photos yearly until the child reaches 15 years old.
- Children who enter the US on an I-R4 visa must have their adoptions finalized in the United States in order for the child to have US citizenship. Dove requires families to complete this process within a year of returning to the US.
- Dove requires all families to obtain US Birth Certificates for their children after they arrive home.
Ethiopia Links
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