There are specific rules and regulations for adopting a child from India to the USA. All youngsters matched via the India Program are free, legally, for adoption – consistent with the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) Adoption Regulations, 2017 of India. Via relinquishment by abandonment or birth parents, children have to enter the system of CARA when they are deemed eligible for adoption.
Process of Adopting a Child from India to the USA
At the time of the match, kids are generally between 10 months and 14 years of age. Applicants need to be open to kids with identified requirements, ranging from correctable/minor to lifelong.
Like all global adoption programs, India has its particular eligibility criteria for adoptive mothers and fathers. To finish the USCIS process, at least one parent must be a U.S. Citizen. Applicants need to be able to tour India for a couple of trips, based on the court procedure. Such an application is open to heterosexual couples married for at least two years and unmarried girls and unmarried guys. Single guys can adopt boys.
Applicants need to be in the 25-55 age range, and they should be:
- Emotionally, mentally and physically stable
- Financially capable
- Not have any life-threatening condition
In the home, more than four children cannot already be there when adopting a child with special needs. Currently, the India program is not presently open for applicants who are interested only in adopting siblings.
As per CARA, at least 25 years age gap must be there between the adoptive parent and the kid. The minimum age range of children, who parents would adopt, would be determined by CARA. It is based on the adoptive parent(s) combined age(s) while registering with CARA. U.S. parents should check the Age Guidelines of CARA before adopting a child from India.
How Do You Become Eligible for Adoption?
In a few instances, child care is maintained by means of Child Care Institutions all through the country. Certified entities are known as SAAs (Specialized Adoption Agencies) and care for children in India. SAAs have certified agencies of the nation to facilitate home and inter-country adoptions.
Government-mandated requirements of care have to be complied with by these entities. Children can have academic opportunities, nutrition, and clinical care. As per research, most appropriate development is not always possible through institutional care. Thus, institutional-associated delays may also be suffered by kids.
Children you adopt from India are not entitled automatically to go into the United States. You will have to conform to strict immigration regulations to get them into the U.S. and live with you. Which regulations you may want to observe depend on the nation you will be adopting from and whether or not the kid is an orphan.
For maximum families, the adoption process takes 2 – 4 years. The most significant contributing element to the adoption system in India is the time to wait for a kid referral. Possibly, parents can lessen their time to wait when they are open to adopting a boy or special needs adoptions.
According to the Universal Accreditation Act, you can get help from an adoption agency, and it has to be accredited by Hague or CARA. These are some agencies that can help you with adopting a child from India:
- International Family Services
- Faith International Adoptions
- Children’s House International
- America World Adoption
- Holt International
Adopting a child from India to the USA is never a straightforward task. In order to be approved by the United States to adopt a child, you have to first apply to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). If you are adopting from India, a Hague Convention country, this can be done by filling out Form I-800A. It is also necessary to include a background check, fingerprints check, and a home study check. After USCIS approves your information for approval in India, it will be forwarded to CARA.
Once both countries deem that you are eligible to adopt, you must wait for a referral. This will take around 6 to 18 months, on average.
The procedures mentioned above are paperwork intensive and complicated. But it can be worthwhile to get familiar with the process of adoption of a child from India to the U.S., even after you obtain professional assistance. It is practical that you work with an agency/attorney which helps with international adoption so as to be able to get assistance with all the essential steps.
What happens after you get approval?
After completing the above steps, you will be eligible to journey to India to undertake your child. Before you get back home, you have to apply for a U.S. birth certificate as well as get an Indian passport for the child you have adopted. You may finalize your child’s adoption during this time, and for approval on any pending documents, you are supposed to wait.
In order to finalize your visa application, you also have to attend a visa interview with the U.S. Embassy. After you have managed to get all of the important documents for your kid, you will be ready to get back home and start a life together as a family.
What are the Expenses in the Process of Adopting a Child from India to the USA?
You have to spend between $30,000 and $40,000, the average total cost of adoption in India. However, significantly more or less might have to be paid by some families. It will constitute expenses such as Documentation and application fees, Home study costs, Travel expenses, Foreign program fees, Adoption agency fees, and Third-party costs.
However, you do not have to pay all these expenses in one go. It will be needed over the period of the adoption journey. Many independent organizations and agencies offer grants and loans to help families adopt a child from India. You should speak with an adoption professional to get answers to questions about financial aid.
