How to Proceed to Adopt a Child
Considerations
When considering adoption, we hope you will think
carefully about how some of these relevant issues will impact
your family.
When
you adopt a child from abroad, you are adopting both the child and the
country for life. It is essential to think carefully
about
which country to adopt from; it must be one that you
genuinely respect
and feel some affinity for its people and cultural heritage.
This is
the country you will be sharing with your child: you will be
talking
about this country to your child and teaching your child to
love and
respect it. It will be the central focus for planning visits
to
exhibitions, seeing films and videos, meeting new people, and
hopefully, visiting together. Your relationship
with the country will
have to be one of affection.
Once you adopt a child from
abroad, you will, most likely, become a racially mixed
family. There
are bound to be implications, both positive and negative, for your
extended family, your relations within the community, and the
future of
your family, your grandchildren, for instance. It is
important to
consider how you feel about these issues, as well as, how you will
explain to your child that he or she is different from you and
yet, an
integral part of your life. Most important, you must
feel comfortable
about your new situation, a family created
through intercountry
adoption.
It is not likely that you will receive much
information about the child's background or
medical history. You have
to be willing to live with this unknown and help your child live with
it as well.
Adoption Procedures
VIDA's procedures are
designed to meet state and federal prerequisites, international
regulations and the requirements of the adoptive parents= country and
the child=s country. A typical adoption includes, but is not
limited
to the following procedures: a VIDA application requested, completed,
and returned by the prospective parents. The required legal
documents
are assembled by the applicants. Following a review and
approval of
the application, dossier preparations begin. An appointment
is then
scheduled with VIDA staff. This orientation includes an
assessment
based on individual interviews, psychological testing, and document
review. Thepre-adoption process then begins and includes the
assignment of a child, pre-placement coordination, and
placement. Once
a child is at home, post-placement begins.
No rigid time can be
expected. However, the average time-frame for the entire
process
from application to placement is usually one year.
Because of the
complexity of services, there can be unforeseen
delays. The adoptive
parent(s) must be prepared for these, maintain a flexible
and positive
perspective, and remain in contact with VIDA throughout the entire
process. At worst, a country may even close down the
entire adoption
system for an indefinite period. The
adoption process is simply a
reflection of these unforeseen events we can all expect, but seldom
realize. Children may become ill, a birth mother can
withdraw her
release, information can becontradictory or unavailable.
Therefore,
communication will bring about more gratifying experience,
even when
minor or major difficulties are encountered. At all times, we
must
havein focus that the child's needs are our responsibility to
meet.
VIDA
encourages families to consider carefully the expenditures of their
time and financial resources. Fees are necessary in order for
services
to be provided. Proper documents and procedures are equally
important.
For these reasons, we encourage you to discuss with us
items that are
of particular concern and perhaps, worry you.
Steps in the Process
1. Contact VIDA to learn more about programs and
to discuss your particular situation.
2. Submit VIDA Background Information Form with a
request for an application
3. Submit a formal application.
4. Start a life book.
5. Investigation of Immigration and Entry
Clearance
requirements for International Adoption
and your state
or country's pre-adoption requirements.
6. Review of application by VIDA Adoption Committee
7. Schedule appointment with VIDA for interview
and evaluation.
8. Prioritize programs
9. A letter of Understanding to VIDA
10. Document and Dossier preparation
11. Home Study
12. Immigration and other appropriate clearances
13. Close coordination with agency while you wait
14. Referral
15. Review of referral and medical information
16. Notification to USCIS to forward cable to
appropriate Embassy
17. Preparation of material for your child (album,
tapes, video)
18. Preparation for travel - questions you would
like to have answered
about your child
19. Meeting your child
20. In-country legal process
21. Issuance of final decree, amended birth
certificate and passport
22. Visa/entry
clearance
23. Post-Adoption services
24. Finalization/re-adoption
25.Citizenship
Please note: Steps #12 through #25 will vary for
US domestic placement
VIDA
Background Information Form
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