What You Should Know About International Adoption Requirements

International adoption requirements can seem confusing and overwhelming to new prospective adoptive parents. Most countries have their own set of requirements for parents. Different criteria include your age, marital status, how long you’ve been married, minimum income and how many other children you are allowed to have in your home. Some countries even specify things such as a maximum BMI, or specific health conditions that they exclude from eligibility. Generally speaking though, the vast majority of people who wish to adopt internationally are qualified to do so. 

You may need to investigate more than one country to see which is the best fit for you in terms of your family and the country’s requirements. The Hague Convention, established in 2008, standardized the process somewhat amongst countries and established certain countries that are designated by the US government as being in compliance. The Hague Convention not only established consistency for requirements made of adoptive parents, but it also established consistency for the care of children being adopted into the US in their native country and helped ensure that adoptions from those countries are as ethical as possible. Some countries have moved in and out of Hague Compliance, and the list of countries that are Hague countries is generally in flux. To best determine which country will be the best fit for your family, make sure you are working with an agency in the US that has a lot of international adoption experience. 

International adoption is a wonderful way to strengthen your forever family and bring more love into your life. Although the process and requirements can seem daunting, don’t give up hope. You can find help and resources. Learn more about international adoption today and learn what your next step is. Before you know it you’ll be welcoming the next piece of your forever family into your home.