Adopt From Dominica

New to Children’s Home: A Small Caribbean Program

Adopting From Dominica

We can assist with a relative or identified child adoption through Procedural Consultation Services (PCS). Additionally, there is a traditional adoption program whereby families match to children who are eligible for adoption through The Welfare Division of Dominica.

The Universal Accreditation Act of the U.S. requires all U.S. citizens who are completing international adoption to have a Primary Adoption Service Provider. If you wish to pursue an adoption from Dominica, Children’s Home can provide Procedural Consultation Services as your Primary Provider if you are engaging in a parent-initiated adoption of an independently identified/relative child(ren) from Dominica.

Children in Dominica

Children eligible for adoption in Dominica are toddler-age to 15-years-old. Identified children, both relatives, and non-relatives may be adopted. Or, you may choose to be matched with a child who is eligible for adoption through The Welfare Division of Dominica. Through the traditional program, the children we generally see are school-age, members of sibling groups, and/or children with identified needs.  Families awaiting a match through the traditional program may experience up to a 3-year wait depending on openness to age, sibling status, and need. Currently, we are only seeking families for our traditional program who are open to school-age children, sibling groups (where at least one child is school-age), and children of all ages with identified needs.

Eligibility Requirements

Like most international adoption programs, Dominica has its own unique eligibility requirements for adoptive parents. Dominica is open to heterosexual couples and single women. At this time, LGBTQ families are unlikely to be approved. All applicants must be at least 25 years of age. While there is no official maximum age for applicants, those who are 50 years of age or older are assessed on a case-by-case basis. There is typically flexibility for relative cases. There is no country marriage requirement. Families with more than three children in the home will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Medical and criminal histories are considered on a case-by-case basis.

The Process

If you are adopting a relative or identified child, please complete the free Application Part 1 – Identified Child. Once received, we will contact you for a one-on-one consultation about this process, your individual eligibility, your specific situation.

If you are pursuing a traditional adoption (non-relative/identified child), please complete the free Application Part 1. You are welcome to contact us any time with questions or concerns. As stated above, we are currently seeking adoptive families for children in Dominica who are school-age, part of a sibling group, and children with identified needs.

If it is recommended that you proceed with international adoption from Dominica, you will complete Application Part 2 and being your required education and home study. If you live in MD, MN, VA or WI, Children’s Home can complete your home study. If you live elsewhere, you will need to find an agency licensed in your state to complete your home study and we will serve as the primary provider.

Two trips to Dominica are typically required for families adopting relatives or identified children whom they have already met. Three trips are typically required for all other cases. Trip one is about a week in length, trip two is 3-4 days and trip three is 1.5-2 weeks. Both parents must travel for trips one and two, at least one parent must travel for trip three.

The placement of the child will be coordinated by The Child Welfare Division and The Guardian Ad Litem. Adoptions are finalized in Dominica and children will enter the U.S. on IR-3 visas. Post Adoption Reports, completed by a Social Worker are due at 3, 6, and 12 months after placement.