International adoptions peaked in 2004, according to statistics provided by the U.S. Department of State, but many parents still look beyond the borders of the United States to find their children. Sixty-eight percent of respondents to a survey by Adoptive Families magazine said they chose to adopt internationally because it is perceived as being more predictable than domestic adoption. Most domestic adoptions are dependent upon a birth mother choosing parents for her child. Most children adopted internationally are already living in orphanages or foster care, so adoptions have established time lines and are usually finalized with less hassle. Once you've decided to adopt internationally, you have several different options.
China
The China adoption program is still the most popular with people in the United States, despite the increasing length in referral times. U.S. adoption figures show that 3,001 Chinese children were adopted by Americans in 2009, down from 7,903 in 2005. Available children are nearly all female, although boys with special needs--or older toddlers--are also available. Parents who submit paperwork in 2010 can expect to wait five years before placement with a child. Most of the children are older than six months. Travel to China is required, usually for ten days to two weeks. Couples are strongly preferred and must be younger than 50 years old and suffer from no health issues, including depression.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia has become a popular country from which to adopt, as 2,227 children were adopted by Americans there in 2009, up from 731 in 2006, the first year for which there are statistics. There are only seven American adoption agencies authorized to work with Ethiopia, but those that are have established programs that regularly place children of all ages, including sibling groups, twins and triplets. Parents must be at least 25 years old, and married couples are preferred. Adoptions typically take from eight to 12 months.
Russia
Russia continues to have a popular adoption program, with 1,586 children adopted from that country in 2009. Most of the children are ten months of age or older, although occasionally younger babies are available. Adopted children must be at least 16 years younger than the adoptive parents, and two trips are required to complete the adoption. The first trip takes about a week, and the second takes two or three weeks. Referrals are usually made within six months of completing paperwork and are often accompanied by a videotape of the child that can be evaluated by your personal physician.
South Korea
South Korea has an established program that continues to be popular with Americans. In 2009, 1,080 children were adopted from South Korea. Couples must be between 25 and 44 to adopt and married for at least three years. Singles may not adopt. Children as young as six months are available, and many of them live in foster care. Adoptions can take up to 12 months from the time an application is filed.
Other Countries
There are many other countries with programs available to would-be parents in the United States. Check with your adoption agency because some countries open and close their programs based on various criteria, and adoptions may not always be available. They include: Guatemala, Ukraine, Vietnam, Haiti, India, Kazakhstan, Colombia, Nigeria, the Philippines and Taiwan.
