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How much can we expect to spend all in for an international adoption. Perhaps from Latin America?
30 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]np: how did you get started? how did you find/select your agency? any information would be greatly appreciated. it seems like such a daunting process.
[ Reply | Options ]we didn't know anyone who had adopted so we had to do a lot of research on the internet. i found chat sites like adoption.com can be helpful but they have vast amounts of information which can be intimidating to wade through. in the end we decided that we wanted an agency in NYC that offers adoptions from a variety of countries (or domestic if you're interested in that). we found one on the web, went to their intro night which they have once a month, and later signed up with them. we were very happy with them and the adoption could not have turned out better. it is daunting at first but if you can live through the k admissions process you can adopt.
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thanks for the info. if you don't mind, what is the name of the agency you used?
[ Reply | Options ]we used Spence-Chapin, which is a large, well established agency on the UES. i think they have branches on LI and in NJ. they were not the cheapest but they are extremely reputable (which is obviously important) did a great job and i would recommend them highly. there are also agencies that specialize in certain countries like korea, russia, latin america, etc. If you're not sure yet then go with a big one that can give you info on all the countries.
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I know people who used an agency in Texas (with many Latino children) that was less expensive than an international adoption--maybe around $15,000.
[ Reply | Options ]OR: there are definitely less expensive alternatives but not sure how the home study would work with an out of state agency. that's when you work with the agency for about three months so they can get info about you as parents and prepare you for adoption. we had to meet with the agency and other parents going through the process about every week or two during that period.
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There is nothing wrong with an American baby but unless you know all about the differences between the domestic and int'l adoption processes and why people choose one over the other, you are not really entitled to ask that question of someone who is considering adopting. As a parent of an int'l adoptee, I can tell you that this is one of the common questions people ask, along with "are you her real parents" (yes, we are now her real parents, but not her birth parents or biological parents) and "don't you wish you could have a child of your own" (our adoptive child is our own). We try not to be offended by the question because they are not meant to be offensive, but it would help if people thought twice before asking them.
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There is a book that covers all the basics in international adoption (put that in the search on amazon and it will come up; sorry, it's not near my computer or I'd tell you the name). A good place to start is the Dept of State's website -- they list every country from which it's possible for a US citizen to adopt, and the specific requirements. You may find you are not qualified for as many countries as you think (they all have different rules).
[ Reply | Options ]^^^We adopted 2 years ago internationally. Our main concern was dealing with an agency with a long, positive track record in the country we were interested in. Above all we wanted as ethical a process as possible. We went with an agency in another state that's been in the business for over a century. Doing the homestudy with JCCA here in NY (they work with our main agency) was a breeze. It was not nearly the problem I thought it might be. Do a lot of reading -- books and online. Ask any agency you're considering VERY hard questions. Don't be intoxicated by short wait times or low agency fees -- if one agency's stats differ significantly from others that's a HUGE red flag. Good luck!
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My SIL just picked up her little boy from China this week. She spent about 40 grand.
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It is. 4 years. A long journey. But once she held him, she forgot all about the wait.
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Boys on the Chinese adoption market were often forcibly taken away from their parents (aka kidnapped) by baby sellers / brokers. see, http://www.china.org.cn/english/news/223687.htm
[ Reply | Options ]why would you say an offensive thing like that to someone whose situation you don't know? it may be true that boys are kidnapped--i have no idea--but you have no idea if it applies to poster's SIL.
[ Reply | Options ]parents -willingly- giving up their infant/toddler SONS in China, without coercion and $, are unheard of. really. consider it a PSA to the would-be adoptive parents who are undoubtedly reading this thread. If you're talking to an agency that suggests you can adopt a male from China, look elsewhere. http://www.hbo.com/docs/docuseries/chinasstolenchildren/index.html
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