What are the easiest countries to adopt a baby from? 

In this blog post, we will cover topics such as easiest countries to adopt from, where you can adopt in the cheapest manner, countries you cannot adopt from as a US citizen, and if it’s a better option than surrogacy. 

Easiest countries to adopt a baby from

Every day, the regulations for pre-adoption housing and foster parents vary. For example, the adoption process in Uganda could be a possible option but it doesn’t come with guarantee. 

Many people look for a country that has had a long history of international adoption and had ethical adoption policies. This often leaves them undecided on what countries they should visit.

Regrettably, the answer changes each year. Some nations, such as Ethiopia, are on the verge of adopting foreign children, while others, such as India, have remained constant in their adoption processes. 

People who started their adoption journey in 2013 report that the environment of international adoption was completely different, and it was very different from what they would see in 2017, and it is still changing now. 

List of countries easier to adopt from: 

  1. South Korea: 

Korea has the oldest tradition of foreign adoption. Holt International began the practice of international adoption in 1955, and it has been continuously adopting in Korea since then. 

According to figures released last year, 276 persons were adopted from Korea to the United States. Adoptable children range in age from 10 months to three years, with an average age of two years. 

It is not feasible to form sibling groupings. In Korea, there are age, health, and economic criteria, as well as the necessity that potential adopting parents be married. 

From application to placement, the typical adoption duration in Korea is 12-19 months. Korea offers a heritage track for Korean forebears, which may take less time. 

To finalize the adoption, you’ll need to travel to Korea twice, for a total of six to eight days each time. Between $30,000 to $50,000 is the price range. Despite the fact that South Korea is not a member of the Hague Convention, potential adopters must follow US regulations.

  1. China: 

China is one of the most reliable adoptive nations. International adoptions are supervised by the Chinese Center for Child Protection and Adoption (CCCWA), and 80,162 children have been brought from China to the United States since international adoption began in 1992. 

Adoptions from China to the United States were 1,905 in 2017. Children who are adoptable range in age from 7 months to 13 years old and have moderate to complex special needs. It’s unusual to find family groups.

In China, unmarried women can adopt children if they meet certain age, health, and economic standards. From application to placement in China, the average acceptance time is 24 months. 

The cost ranges from $35,000 to $40,000, and you must fly to China for two weeks. China is a signatory to the Hague Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods.

  1. India: 

India is the newest country for international adoption. Adoption by Foreign Indian Citizens (OCI) and Non-Resident Indians (NRI) was previously available, however non-NRI and non-OCI families became eligible for adoption beginning in 2006. 

Both individuals and married couples can adopt children in India, albeit there are age, health, and economic criteria. Adoptable children range in age from 6 months to 14 years old, with special needs, and the average age at adoption is between 24 and 36 months. 

The costs range from $25,000 to $35,000, and a 10-day journey to India is usually required. 

Some states, such as Hyderabad, require prospective adoptive parents to attend an adoption court hearing, so check with the agency to see whether you need to travel again. 

India is a signatory to the Hague Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods.

  1. Colombia: 

Adoption is legal in Central America, and in 2017, 181 children from Colombia were adopted by American families as permanent members of their families. 

Adoptable children range in age from one to fifteen years old, and sibling groupings are prevalent. Families that are willing to adopt school-aged children (7-10 years old) and siblings are in high demand. 

Singles, married couples, and same-sex couples are all eligible for adoption in Colombia, notwithstanding the country’s age, financial, and health limitations.

Depending on how receptive the family is to recommendations, the adoption process might take anywhere from one to two years. 

If at least one potential adoptive parent holds a Colombian birth certificate, Colombia has a legacy imprint. To finalize the adoption, you’ll need to travel for three to eight weeks. 

The price ranges between $30,000 to $45,000. Colombia is a signatory to the Hague Convention on Civil and Political Rights.

  1. Haiti: 

Finally, families should think about adopting a Haitian child. Adoptable children are typically healthy and between the ages of 2 and 9 at the time of fostering, and poverty is a primary cause of many orphans. 

Haiti allows married couples and single women to adopt, and potential adoptive parents must meet age, health, and economic standards, much like other countries. 

The adoption procedure necessitates two trips. The family will be in contact with the possible adoptive kid during the initial trip, which will last around two weeks.

The second journey, which lasts roughly a week, is to bring the kid back to his or her family following adoption. It takes an average of 1-2 years from the time you submit your application to the time you receive your Haiti recommendation letter. 

Following the receipt of a letter of recommendation, families are allowed to travel for six months. The price range is $35,000 to $50,000. The Hague Convention is a treaty that Haiti has ratified.

  1. Ukraine: 

Ukraine has a high rate of poverty, and children begin living on their own at the age of 16. There are programs that last shorter than a year.

  1. Philippines: 

The process in the Philippines is complicated but dependable.

  1. Burundi: 

Berundi has an 80% poverty rate, and many children are crammed into shelters. It takes no more than 30 months to complete this process.

  1. Ghana: 

Ghana has no unique criteria, but will endeavour to accommodate children already living in the nation before applying to families from other countries.

  1. Honduras: 

Honduras  has a high adoption rate and is a leader in child maltreatment.

  1. Thailand: 

This is another country where international adoption is possible. It includes medical information as well as a wealth of information on children. It’s also one of the quickest programs, with a completion time of less than two years.

Acceptance is a decision that has the potential to change your life forever. As a result, it’s critical to consider all of the aspects and take the time necessary to make the greatest option for you, your family, and your children.

Want to adopt at lowest possible cost? 

Is it feasible to adopt a child from another country at a reasonable price? 

Keep in mind that even a low-cost foreign adoption would set you back at least $12,000 (about 12 million won) when all expenditures, including flight, accommodation, and international fees, are included in.

Some adoption programs, on the other hand, are less expensive than others. Here are a few: 

  1. Adopted from Ukraine:

Ukraine is one of the few countries where you can save thousands of dollars by making cheap international adoptions without going through an agency. 

Depending on when you received your application, the process can take about a year or more. If you go down this road, you plan to gather your paperwork and apply for I171H approval with USCIS in the fall and apply in the spring.

  1. Adopting from Jamaica: 

This is a course that is taken by a small number of families. This is probably because they are not sure it’s feasible. 

However, because kids may be adopted without going via an agency, Jamaica is an excellent destination for low-cost international adoptions. 

Adoption is available to both single and married couples over the age of 25. Children might be as young as six weeks old and as old as eighteen years old.

  1. China: 

When most people think of international adoption, they think of adoption from China. This is one of the most historic routes, and it is also a highly cost-effective one. Because it is a government-sponsored initiative.

Unfortunately, because it is a stateful program, it is also one of the slowest. A nomination might take up to three years to come through. You can, however, take advantage of this period to gather cash for overseas adoption.

  1. Adoption from Ethiopia: 

Ethiopian adoption is also a highly cost-effective international adoption option. 

The average cost per child is roughly $19,000, and the program takes less than a year to finish. Married couples are encouraged, and applicants must be 25 years old or older.

Are there any countries you cannot adopt from as a US citizen? 

Cambodia said this week that foreign adoptions will restart soon after a four-year halt. In the past, the majority of Cambodian children were adopted by American families.

There are various nations that restrict foreign adoptions into families, including in the United States, and others where the US government denies for a number of reasons.

Russia stopped adopting Americans in 2013, and Indian residents living overseas can seek to adopt an Indian kid who is in need of a home, but only if the child has special needs.

Vietnam, Nepal, and Guatemala are among the nations where adoption is prohibited by the US government.

Is adoption better than surrogacy?

Issues with surrogacy or adoption are fairly prevalent among prospective parents who are unable to conceive on their own. 

Both have advantages and disadvantages, so it’s critical to completely comprehend both methods before determining which is best for your family.

Speaking with a professional about surrogacy and adoption is the best approach to learn more (in this case, US Adoption and US Surrogate Mothers). 

They can provide detailed answers to your queries and assist you in determining which option is best for you.

Every family is different, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to starting a family. 

For you, there is just one way to go. When it comes to surrogacy and adoption, there are a few things to keep in mind, including the distinctions and similarities between the two alternatives.

  1. Genetic linkage:

Many intended parents dream that their children  are biologically related, and surrogacy provides such an opportunity. 

In surrogacy,  heterosexual couples can use  sperm and eggs to create embryos that are related to both (same-sex couples or single parents can use a donor spouse). Adoption does not offer this option unless you have completed a counterpart adoption. 

During adoption, the child is related to the woman holding him, but not the surrogate if she becomes a surrogate. As a result, both processes require different legal steps and have different emotional complexity for the participants.

  1. Expense: 

Surrogacy and adoption are both costly procedures, with surrogacy being the most costly. Adoption costs an average of $40,000 and surrogacy costs an average of $75,000. Individual circumstances play a big part in deciding these expenses. 

The prospective parent pays for the costs of the future biological mother’s or surrogate’s conception in both surrogacy and adoption, but in surrogacy, the prospective parent must additionally provide the surrogate mother with additional basic compensation (typically approximately $25,000).

Both adoption and surrogacy need serious consideration of how the parenting process will be funded. Surrogacy does not give many tax incentives, with the exception of prospective tax credits for the IVF process.

  1. Control and planning:

One of the most significant distinctions between surrogacy and adoption is the level of parental control desired. 

Surrogacy pregnancies are always planned, but future biological mother pregnancies are often unanticipated, therefore the intended parent’s level of engagement in the child’s intrauterine development varies greatly. In

The intended parent is involved in all phases of the IVF medical process, including meetings with a surrogate physician and the child’s delivery. 

Surrogacy agreements outline each party’s expectations throughout the procedure, ensuring that there is no confusion about who will take the kid home when it is delivered.

How do you make a choice? 

When it comes to adoption, prospective parents must be prepared for the unexpected. 

A potential birth mother can change her mind at any time during the process, and while she will receive all of the necessary prenatal care once she meets with an adoption expert, she may not have received it previously. 

A waiting family is chosen by the prospective birth mother, and intending parents must be prepared for situations beyond their control.

While both surrogacy and adoption have their own set of challenges, they are also ways of raising a family the way parents intended. 

These are just a few basics you need to know about the process, and there is much more you need to understand before deciding which one is best for you. 

Ultimately, you are  the only one who can decide which procedure is right for you and your family, but gathering all available information  will be very helpful in the decision-making process.

References: 

  1.  https://adoption.com/10-countries-with-accessible-international-adoption-programs/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20list%2C%20China,their%20stable%20and%20predictable%20program
  2. https://knowinsiders.com/top-11-easiest-countries-to-adopt-a-child-31226.html 
  3. https://www.international-adoption-facts-and-information.com/low-cost-international-adoption.html