The Hague Adoption Convention enters into force
with respect to the
United States on April 1, 2008. Effective April 1, 2008,
intercountry adoptions between the United States and other Convention
comply with the Hague Adoption Convention.
VIDA initiated our first program with Bulgaria
over 10 years ago. Some
of our first children are college graduates. Click here to hear from
one of our families about a day they celebrate their connection with
Bulgaria's Gotcha Day,
Children placed through this program are over the
age of one year at
time of assignment. Families with no children are
preferred. Families with one child can be
considered.
Children live in government-run orphanages in various regions
throughout Bulgaria. Bulgaria has a Central Authority. All
organizations that place children out of Bulgaria must be recognized by
the Central Authority. VIDA’s partnership is with the charity Amor.
They share in VIDA’s philosophy concerning children. The Association
for International Adoption and Reintegration was as created on the 7th
of August 2003, after the publication of the Family Code amendments in
2003. These amendments are in compliance with the Hague Convention on
Protection of Children and Co-operation in respect of Intercountry
Adoption, which was ratified by the Republic of Bulgaria.
The Association for International Adoption and
Reintegration is
an association of physical persons registered as a non-profit legal
entity for carrying out socially useful activity by a Decision of the
Sofia City Court, Company Section, 7th Panel, under company file No.
8671/2003, entered into the Central Register of Non-profit Legal
Entities for Carrying Out Socially Useful Activity with the Ministry of
Justice under No. 20030821010
The Association is an Accredited Entity for
mediation in Intercountry
Adoption and has a permit No. 76 of 28.06.2006, issued by the Minister
of Justice of the Republic of Bulgaria for mediation activity in the
following countries: Spain, U.S.A., Belgium, Great Britain, Andorra and
Canada. The permit is valid until 04.07.2009.
Bulgarian Adoption Authority
The government office responsible for
adoptions in Bulgaria is
the Ministry of Justice. This office approves requests based
upon
the recommendation of the Ministry of Health (for children up to three
years of age) or the Ministry of Education (for children over three
years of age). If the Ministry of Justice approves a request
to
adopt, the case is submitted to a court for final review, and when
approved, an adoption decree is issued. The first step is to prepare a
profile with VIDA called a presentation and know if your profile will
meet the requirements of the Bulgaria program.
Bulgarian Adoption Procedures
There are many orphanages in Bulgaria,
but not all children in
orphanages are available for adoption. Regional committees of
supervising physicians and officials, together with the director of
each orphanage, determine whether a child may be placed. The child is
then placed on the central registry. Sometimes there are videos, to
share with the prospective adoptive family. However, a referral may
begin as verbal, and then be followed with a picture, a child study and
medical. The family must then
travel to
Bulgaria to visit the child and register their interest to adopt.
Sometimes one parent can travel with consent of the other but it is
preferred that both parents visit.
Plan for one or both of the parents to make two trips to Bulgaria
shortly after you agree to consider the referral, the first trip will
be to see the child personally. You have this opportunity to
understand the child’s environment, and your own responsibility when
you become the parents. The second trip is after the adoption
process is finished. At least one adoptive parent must be
present
to accept the child from the custody of the orphanage director after
the adoption has been approved by a court. Under very special
circumstances, an escort, rather the second trip can be considered.
Requirements
Applicants should be minimally 25 years
of age
Families with no children are
generally preferred for younger
children
Singles may consider this program
and are reviewed case by
case
