Adopt From Jamaica

New to Children’s Home: Procedural Consultation Services

Adopting From Jamaica

In accordance with the laws of Jamaica, we do not provide direct child-placing services to families adopting from Jamaica. The Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) of Jamaica has sole statutory responsibility governing the adoption process in Jamaica either through the Adoption License process or Adoption Order. You will work directly with the CPFSA to complete these procedures to obtain an Adoption License, in which you are granted legal guardianship of the identified child(ren) for the purpose of emigration to, and adoption in, your country, OR through the granting of a full and final Adoption Order in Jamaica.

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 Jamaica, 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 Jamaica.

This program primarily serves families adopting relatives or identified children.

Children in Jamaica

Children are of all ages, from infants to teens. Identified children, both relatives, and non-relatives may be adopted.

Eligibility Requirements

Like most international adoption programs, Jamaica has its own unique eligibility requirements for adoptive parents. Jamaica is open to heterosexual couples, single men, 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 four children in the home will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Note that each adoption from Jamaica is evaluated individually by the CPFSA and the Jamaican courts.

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 it is recommended that you proceed with international adoption from Jamaica, you will complete Application Part 2 and being your required education and home study. If you live in MD, MN, VA orWI, 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.

As stated above, if you are waiting for a referral of a child who is a Ward of the State, the anticipated wait time is 3-7 years. The majority of adoptions from Jamaica are of relative or identified children.

The CPFSA assesses the child’s suitability for adoption and forwards a report to the independent Adoption Board for review. If approval is issued, the case is sent to family court which determines whether an Adoption License or Adoption Order should be issued.

At least two trips to Jamaica are typically required: once to meet with the CPFSA and appear in court, and again to apply for the child’s visa. If the child is already known to you, the CPFSA does not typically require any further visitation, but they reserve the right to do so.

Families who receive an Adoption Order complete at least one post-placement report at 3 months after placement. Families who receive an Adoption License are required to complete post-placement reports at 6 weeks after placement,  3 months after placement, and every 3 months thereafter until the adoption is finalized in the U.S.

Helpful Resources