Adopt from India

SEEKING FAMILIES OF INDIAN AND NON-INDIAN HERITAGE

THE INDIA PROGRAM

India is a Hague country. Children’s Home’s India program offers three tracks: Traditional, Waiting Child and Heritage. The Traditional Track serves families who are open to children with minor/correctable to moderate needs and/or families open to children who are four years and older. The Waiting Child Track serves families with a completed past or current adoption home study, and are interested in matching to specific waiting children for whom we are currently advocating. The Heritage Track requires at least one parent to be a U.S. citizen and one parent to be a non-resident (NRI) with a valid Indian passport. The Heritage Track is also open to couples when one parent is an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder, and single applicants who are OCI cardholders, but NRI families are given matching priority over OCI families.

CHILDREN IN INDIA

All children matched through the India Program are legally free for adoption as determined by the central authority in India, Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA).  The children come into orphanages, throughout the country, either through relinquishment by birth parents or abandonment. Children are generally between the ages of 6 months and 14 years at the time of referral. Families in our Heritage Track are eligible to adopt young children with no known needs, but are encouraged to be open to minor/correctable physical needs. Please see eligibility section for additional details. Families in our Traditional Track must be open to children with identified needs. The needs of children range from minor, mild or correctable, to more significant or lifelong needs. Through the Traditional Track we may see children with: cleft lip and palate, heart conditions, Hepatitis B, limb differences, low birth weight, and developmental delays.  There are also children waiting with more significant or lifelong needs such as: vision and hearing impairments, HIV, complex heart conditions, cerebral palsy, various syndromes, ambiguous genitalia, impaired mobility, older children, among other conditions. We generally see a comparable number of boys and girls.

THE CARE IN INDIA

Children in India are cared for in orphanages throughout the country, which are licensed by CARA to facilitate in domestic and/or international adoption. These licensed Indian adoption agencies (SAA: State Authorized Agency) are required to maintain a government-mandated standard of care. Children receive medical care, nutrition and educational opportunities. As numerous studies have demonstrated, institutional care is not conducive to optimal development, therefore children may experience orphanage-related delays.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Like most international adoption programs, India has its own unique eligibility requirements for adoptive parents. Eligibility varies depending on program track. Applicants must be available to travel to India to complete the in-country process. The required number (1-2) and duration of trip(s) varies depending on which state within India the child resides. Heterosexual couples married a minimum of two years may adopt from India. Single women and men are allowed to adopt; single men may only adopt boys. Applicants must be between the ages of 25-55; financially capable; physically, mentally and emotionally stable and without any life-threatening conditions. Families cannot have more than three children already in the home. The India program is not currently open to families who are only interested in adopting siblings. CARA determines the minimum age range of children to whom parents need to be open. This is based on the total age(s) of the adoptive parent(s) at the time of registration with CARA.

Please contact us to discuss your individual eligibility.

THE PROCESS

The first step in the Heritage and Traditional Track is to apply and begin the home study. If you live in MN, Western WI, MD or VA, Children’s Home and LSS can complete your home study. We will then guide you to apply for approval from USCIS and compile a dossier that is sent to India, requesting approval from CARA.

For the Heritage Track, after your case is approved by CARA, your case waits in a queue to receive a child referral from CARA. We anticipate the wait for referral to be up to 24 months from the time of approval by CARA.

For the Traditional Track, after your case is approved by CARA,  our program staff works with you to identify a child for whom you would be an appropriate match. Children are identified via an online portal operated by CARA. We anticipate the wait for referral to be up to six months from the time of approval by CARA.

For all tracks, at least one trip to India is required. Trips can be 2-3 weeks; a minimum of ten days is anticipated per trip. The variance in travel (one or two trips and length of trip(s)) is dependent on the state within India where the child resides as well as the child’s health and age. Travel typically occurs 7-11 months after dossier to India and no-objection certificate (NOC) filing by the Indian adoption agency (SAA).

Written post placement reports are required to be submitted to Children’s Home at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months after placement. These reports are to be completed by a social worker until all components of the process, as required by your U.S. state of residence, are completed (usually 9 months). After that time, self-reports are submitted.

Families following the Waiting Child Track will bypass the wait for referral, but are required to complete all other steps in the process. CARA approval is required prior to completing any referral acceptance paperwork.