Intercountry Adoption

For families living in the Chicago Metropolitan area

1800 N. Hermitage Lake County Services Chicago, IL 60622 Cardinal Bernadin Center Phone: 312-655-7086 671 S. Lewis Avenue Fax: 312-382-1612 Waukegan, IL 60085

Email: adoptions@catholiccharities.net

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago is recognized as a 501 (c) 3 Non-Profit Agency, is fully accredited and is licensed by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services—License #003971

Catholic Charities is recognized by the Department of State, and accredited by the Council on Accreditation, to provide adoption services for Hague Adoption cases. Welcome to Catholic Charities International Adoption Program! We have been providing International Adoption services since the 1950s, when we began placing children from Italy, Germany, Ireland and Canada. Our International Adoption Program is a great choice for many families; we offer direct child placement services from Mexico and Poland, we can prepare a home study to aid you in adopting from any country where adoption is allowed. We also provide small group training and preparation to help prepare you for the process, joys and challenges of adopting internationally. We work with various licensed, accredited placing agencies across the country to help you facilitate an adoption that is right for you.

Many families continue to choose to build their families through International Adoption. Children of various ages, cultures and ethnic backgrounds are waiting for stable, loving families. Come join us for a journey to another part of the world!

Immigrant Visas Issued to Orphans Coming to the United States

Top Twenty Countries of Origin

FY 2017 FY 2016 FY 2015

1 CHINA 1,905 CHINA 2,231 CHINA 2,353 2 ETHIOPIA 313 CONGO, DEM. REP. 359 ETHIOPIA 335 3 SOUTH KOREA 276 UKRAINE 303 SOUTH KOREA 318 4 HAITI 227 SOUTH KOREA 260 UKRAINE 303 5 INDIA 221 BULGARIA 201 UGANDA 202 6 UKRAINE 215 INDIA 194 BULGARIA 185 7 COLOMBIA 181 UGANDA 187 LATVIA 170 8 NIGERIA 176 ETHIOPIA 183 CONGO, DEM. REP 168 9 BULGARIA 147 HAITI 178 NIGERIA 154 10 PHILIPPINES 111 PHILIPPINES 156 COLOMBIA 153 11 LATVIA 71 COLOMBIA 131 PHILIPPINES 150 12 POLAND 65 NIGERIA 121 HAITI 143 13 UGANDA 55 POLAND 98 INDIA 138 14 JAMAICA 51 LATVIA 81 GHANA 85 15 SIERRA LEONE 44 TAIWAN 59 POLAND 60 16 TAIWAN 44 JAMAICA 56 TAIWAN 59 17 THAILAND 34 THAILAND 45 THAILAND 47 18 MOROCCO 31 PAKISTAN 39 JAMAICA 42 19 PAKISTAN 30 GHANA 29 SOUTH AFRICA 33 20 VIETNAM 30 SOUTH AFRICA 25 GUYANA 31

4,227 4,936 5,130

World Totals for Year: World Totals for Year: World Totals for Year: 4,714Source: United States Department5,372 of State http://adoption.state.gov5,648

Source: U.S, Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs

Intercountry Adoption Process:

1. Contact AdopƟon Intake Specialist at 312‐655‐7086 to complete a preliminary inquiry.

2. AƩend a group or individual Intercountry AdopƟon OrientaƟon meeƟng. This meeng can be scheduled when you contact the Adopon Intake Specialist. It will provide an overview of Catholic Charies Intercountry Adopon Program.

3. Complete and return the applicaƟon packet along with the applicaon fee.

4. Receive noƟﬁcaƟon of your assigned adopƟon specialist. An adopon specialist will be assigned to work with your family and will schedule an Intake interview with you. During this interview, your interest in Intercountry adopon, the country you may be interested in adopng from, and the eligibility requirements of that country will be explored, and you will complete some inial intake forms.

5. You will meet with your AdopƟon Specialist for a series of interviews as part of the home study. The home study is comprised of ﬁngerprinng, a criminal background check, child abuse and neglect clearances, medical history, small group training, references, the abovemenoned interviews and a home visit. The home study report itself is the legal document required by US Cizenship and Immigraon Services, and Foreign Oﬃcials. The home study process generally takes approximately 4 ‐ 6 months to complete. Upon compleon and approval of your home study you will apply for USCIS pre‐approval.

6. Compile your dossier documents and have them authenƟcated by the proper state agencies. Your adopon specialist will provide you with the necessary informaon to complete this step. Once completed, your dossier will be sent to the authories in the country you have chosen to adopt from.

7. Await Referral. Waing mes vary from country to country.

8. Receive and accept a referral. When an appropriate match has been made, your adopon specialist will receive a child referral to share with you. The referral may include basic informaon about the child, medical informaon and photos. You will also have the opportunity to ask speciﬁc quesons during this process. Our adopve families are encouraged to have the child’s medical history reviewed by medical professionals who specialize in intercountry adopon.

9. Travel to complete adopƟon. The number and length of trips vary from country to country. During this me, you will visit with your child, aend the required court dates, and obtain your child’s entry visa.

10. Welcome home! Once you have returned home with your new family member, Catholic Charies will connue to provide support and post placement services. Your adopon specialist will visit with you at least four mes during the ﬁrst year aer placement. You will be able to maintain your connecon to the agency and other adopve parents though the Adopon Guild and various events. Because adopon is a lifelong journey, Catholic Charies will also be available to provide ongoing services if requested.

International Partnership Program:

Catholic Charities can provide home study, adoption preparation and post placement support and supervision for local families working with another licensed, accredited U.S. adoption agency oﬀering international placement programs.

We have a long established partnership agreement with Children’s Home Society and Lutheran Social Services www.chlss.org an agency with an outstanding reputation, and placement programs with a variety of countries. They share our strong commitment to serving children, and also have special programs that seek homes for children who are older, for sibling groups, and for children with special needs. Together we will work to ensure that your international adoption experience is a positive one.

We encourage you to contact the agency that you are interested in working with for the most current information about their available country programs, the requirements, and the fees and estimated third party expenses that you might expect in working with them.

Intercountry Adoption Fees

The program fees for an international adoption will diﬀer depending on the program you are involved with, and the country in which you adopt. Please see fee schedules for a detailed list of the fees and estimated third party expenses for each program.

INTERCOUNTRY HOME STUDY AND POST ADOPTION FEE SCHEDULE

Does not include fees charged by Placing Agency or expenses incurred in foreign country

Agency Fees Payment Schedule Amount Application Fee Submission of Application $350

$2000 Due with Adoption Services Agreement Home Study $3,000 $1,000 Balance due upon Scheduling Home Visit

Pre-Adoption Education Included in HS fee if completed by CC Home Study Update Due prior to submission to USCIS $750 if required for extension or any revisions (new address, employment, change in child approval, etcetera) Service Coordination Fee Due prior to the submission of Home Study and Supporting Documents to Program and operational costs, and coordination of Placing Agency and/or USCIS. $1,800 services provided in the U.S. Post Adoption Service Fee Acceptance of Child Referral +Note: An additional $400 will be invoiced for each visit/written report Supervision of child placement, 3 visits and written $1,200+ reports during first year; court report for Illinois required following the first year of placement. finalization.

Please consult your placing agency for information regarding the following: fees charged by placing agency for services in the United States, Foreign Country Program Expenses, care of the child, translation and document expenses, contributions, legal fees incurred in finalizing the adoption, travel and accommodation expenses, and the expected total fees paid to third parties.

THE FOLLOWING EXPENSES WILL BE INCURRED FOR REQUIRED CLEARANCES AND CHILD VISA Anticipated Expenses Paid directly to the service provider by family Current Fee USCIS I-600A / I-800A $775 Paid to US Department of Homeland Security Biometrics Fee $85 per adult ISP & FBI Fingerprint clearances Paid to Accurate Biometrics (will be required for each Home Study or Update) $56.25 per adult Child Visa Form DS260 filed at US Embassy in child’s country of origin $325 per child

Any additional fees or expenses or increases in fees, which the agency will invoice to the prospective adoptive parents will be disclosed to the adoptive parents, in writing, and their consent will be obtained, before the fees or expenses are incurred. The prospective adoptive parents have the option to waive the notice or consent requirement in advance.

The Primary Provider or Placing Agency should inform you of their fees, as well as any estimated third party expenses or costs to be incurred abroad. Adoption fees and other expenses are subject to change.

Effective 07/01/2017

Adoption Program with Poland

In 1998, Catholic Charities began to investigate the possibility of  At least one parent must be a U.S. citizen. serving as a child placing agency for Poland., and signed a formal  Must be in good health agreement with Poland in January 1999. Catholic Charities of the  Must have explored their medical situation regarding infertility, if Archdiocese of Chicago is pleased to continue this collaboration to applicable, and are not involved in infertility treatment. help find loving, permanent families for children qualified or identified for international placement. We have a staff person in Poland who  Must have a willingness to recognize and support the importance serves as our liaison and works with the entities in Poland to secure of a child’s heritage and family of origin. child referrals for our families, as well as presenting required  Must be financially stable, with the ability to make two trips to documentation, and working with the families once they travel and Poland and stay for a period of up to 8 weeks during second trip. are in-country. WHO ARE THE CHILDREN AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION? WHO MAY ADOPT? In Poland, children become available for international adoption following The following eligibility guidelines are specified by child placing the death of their parents, or extreme economic hardship or other crises authorities in Poland and Convention requirements: that may cause parents to abandon their children or prevent them from  Prospective adoptive parents can be no more than 40 years older properly caring for them. Their parental rights have been legally than the child they are adopting terminated, and the children are cared for in relatively small group  Married couples must be married at least 3 years (exceptions homes, foster homes or orphanages. The children qualified for determined by Poland on a case by case basis) international adoption are typically: 1. Children between the ages of 6-15 years.  Single women may adopt 2. Children 5 years or younger with an identified medical condition.  Prospective adoptive parents must demonstrate the means to 3. Sibling groups, (may include a child under 6 years of age). support the physical and educational needs of the child.

REFERRAL AND TRAVEL Once your dossier has been completed and you have been pre-approved, your documents are sent to Poland for certified translation. The average wait for referral is 9 to 14 months. When a possible match has been made, a referral packet will be forwarded for you to review. The referral will include information on the medical, developmental and social history of the child or children. Following your acceptance of the referral, you will file for provisional approval of the children’s visas, and then will be granted approval from the Central Authority, before you make your first trip to Poland to meet the child or children, and begin the legal processing of your adoption. This trip requires a stay of five business days. The second trip is on average six weeks to eight weeks in length and for this trip both parents are required to travel to Poland prior to, and remain for both assigned court dates. It is possible for one of the parents to return to the U.S. after the second court date if necessary. During this time, you will await the final adoption decree and amended birth certificate, obtain your child’s Polish Passport and other required documents before having a Visa Interview Appointment at the U.S. Embassy, which issues visas for all adopted children. (More specific information on Visa requirements will be provided to you during your adoptive home study and preparation process.)

Fee Schedule: POLAND ADOPTION PROGRAM

Families working with Agency Fees Payment Schedule Direct Service Families another HS Agency

Application Submission of Application $350 $350 Monitoring & Oversight – Agency will submit this fee $500 Due with Adoption Services Agreement $500 $500 directly to accrediting entity IAAME, for the adoption of one (1) Note: If adopting a sibling group, $500 per additional child, as required by child IAAME, will be due upon acceptance of referral. $2,000 Due with Adoption Services Agreement Home Study $3,000 $1,000 Balance due upon Scheduling Home Visit Fees vary determined Pre-Adoption Education Included in HS fee if completed by CC by Home Study Home Study Update Due prior to submission to USCIS $750 Agency if required for extension or any revisions (new address, employment, change in child approval, etcetera) Service Coordination Due Upon Approval of Home Study $5,000 $5,000 Program development and support; operational costs and coordination of services provided in the U.S. Post Adoption Supervision Administration Due upon Issuance of Article 5, to pre-pay for Post Adoption $300 $300 Translation and other costs related to submitting required Reports and Supervision. reports to foreign adoption authorities. Pre-pay HS agency for reports thru year three or Post Adoption Reports *Note there will be an additional fee of $400 for each $1,200* pay $1000 deposit to CC Prepayment of 12, 24 and 36 month visits and additional visit and written report required beyond year refunded upon agency written reports. three. completion. Total Agency Fees including Home Study, Adoption Education and Post Adoption Support & Reports $10,350 - $10,600 $

Country Fees Payment Schedule Fee Poland Program $2,000 Due with Dossier submission $9,000 ◊ ◊ Note: There will be an additional foreign fee increment of $1,500 $7,000 Balance Due upon acceptance of child referral. Client understands that per additional sibling for families adopting sibling groups, which will the foreign program fee may be increased, but not once a child referral has been be included in balance due for second payment. accepted. Total Country Fees (not including third party fees) $9,000 -$13,500 ◊

Estimated Third Party Fees and other anticipated expenses paid directly to third party providers Fee or Estimated expense Fee or Estimated expense USCIS I-800A $775 Interpreter if necessary or requested by Court $300-$450 Biometrics $85 per adult In Country translation of documents for visa interview $350 per child ISP & FBI Clearances $56.25 per adult for IL families New birth certificate and passport $150 / child State Background Check Varies by state Embassy Medical/lab fees $150 / child Authenticate dossier documents $32 - $120 varies by state Estimated Airfare per person per trip $850 - $1,600 Child Visa – Form DS260 $325 per child Lodging and in-country transportation $4,000 - $6,000

Any unforeseen additional fees or expenses in excess of $1,000, incurred in Poland, for which the agency will hold the prospective adoptive parents responsible, will be disclosed to the adoptive parents, in writing, and their consent will be obtained, before the fees or expenses are incurred. The prospective adoptive parents have the option to waive the notice or consent requirement in advance.

Refund Policy - All fees are to be paid at predetermined intervals. Fees are non-refundable once the service has been provided. The Post Adoption Services Fee will be refunded in full, within 60 days, if the client does not complete an adoption. Catholic Charities reserves the right to terminate the adoption process of clients who fail to disclose information fully or properly or in any way place the agency at risk.

Effective 07/01/2018

Adoption Program with Mexico

1997, Catholic Charities began functioning as a child placing  At least one parent must be a U.S. citizen. In agency for families across the United States interested in  Must be in good health (no degenerative or infectious diseases). adopting from Mexico. We are pleased to resume working with Mexico,  Must have a willingness to recognize and support the importance where we had many years of adoption experience prior to the of a child’s heritage and family of origin. implementation of the Hague Convention and the most recently  Families outside of the Chicago Metropolitan area will complete implemented centralized approval and adoption processing guidelines their home study with a local accredited agency. established by adoption authorities in Mexico. Mexico is a Hague Convention country, and adoptions must meet Convention requirements. The following is an overview of our Mexico Program: WHO ARE THE CHILDREN AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION?

The Mexican Central Authority has clarified that Mexican children who WHO MAY ADOPT? meet any of the following conditions are eligible for placement through The following eligibility guidelines are specified by Mexican authorities The Hague Convention Intercountry Adoption Process: and Convention requirements:  Prospective adoptive parents must be over 25 years of age and at 1. Children five years and older (typically 7+ years) least 17 years older than the child. If married, only one parent 2. Children with a physical or mental disability needs to meet this requirement. No greater than a 40 year age 3. Children who suffer from a disease that is costly to treat difference between the prospective parents and the youngest 4. Sibling groups (Children under 5 years of age may be adopted if child, preferred. siblings older that five are also being adopted.)  Prospective adoptive parents may be married or single.  Prospective adoptive parents must demonstrate the means to support the physical and educational needs of the child.

Referral and Travel Once the dossier is complete, it will be submitted to SRE, and will be forwarded and logged by DIF Nacional, before being sent to the specific state that will be making the child referral. Once approved, the family will be added to a waiting list maintained by DIF, who then matches eligible prospective adoptive parents with children who are on its list of children legally available for adoption. Anticipated Referral wait time is 8-24 months from dossier submission, depending upon the request of the adoptive family and whether children that suit the request are legally free for adoption. When you receive a referral from DIF, they will contact Catholic Charities’ legal representative in Mexico, who will receive, translate and forward the social and medical background information on the child for review. Prospective adoptive parents are able to decide whether or not they will be able to meet the needs of the child referred to them by the DIF, and whether they will provide a permanent family placement for the referred child. Most families will make a first trip, during which they meet with DIF representatives, who will coordinate a meeting to introduce the child to the prospective adoptive parent(s), prior to initiating the legal adoption process in Mexico. The second trip will be longer. During this time the child is placed with and resides with the family, while the legal process takes place. The family will await the final adoption decree and obtain the child’s amended birth certificate and Mexican Passport before having a Visa Interview Appointment at the U.S. Consulate in Mexico, which issues visas for all adopted children.

Fee Schedule: MEXICO ADOPTION PROGRAM

Families working with Agency Fees Payment Schedule Direct Service Families another HS Agency Application Submission of Application $350 $350 Monitoring & Oversight – Agency will submit this fee $500 Due with Adoption Services Agreement $500 $500

directly to accrediting entity IAAME, as assessed for the adoption Note: If adopting a sibling group, $500 per additional child will be of one (1) child. due to IAAME upon acceptance of referral. $2,000 Due with Adoption Services Agreement Home Study $3,000 $1,000 Balance due upon Scheduling Home Visit Fees vary determined Pre-Adoption Education Included in HS fee if completed by CC by Home Study Home Study Update Due prior to submission to USCIS $750 Agency if required for extension or any revisions (new address, employment, change in child approval, etcetera) Service Coordination Due Upon Approval of Home Study $5,000 $5,000 Program development and support; operational costs and coordination of services provided in the U.S. Post Adoption Services Due upon Issuance of Article 5, to pre-pay for Post Adoption $1,750* Pre-pay HS agency for Mexico requires the agency to complete and submit written Reports and Supervision. *Note there will be an additional fee of $400 for each additional visit and written report required beyond year three. reports thru year three or reports every six months the first 3 years and then annually pay $1000 deposit to CC until the child turns 16 years of age. refunded upon completion. Total Agency Fees including Home Study, Adoption Education and Post Adoption Support & Reports $10,600 - $14,150 $

Country Fees Payment Schedule Fee Mexico Program $2,000 Due with Dossier submission $9,000 ◊ ◊ Note: There will be an additional foreign fee increment of $1,500 $7,000 Balance Due upon acceptance of child referral. Client understands that per additional sibling for families adopting sibling groups, which will the foreign program fee may be increased, but not once a child referral has been accepted. be included in balance due for second payment.

Orphan Care and Humanitarian Aid - This fee, when The amount in each adoption will be established prior to the formal acceptance applicable, is determined based on the amount of time the child has of a child referral and is due in full once a child referral is accepted. spent in substitute care, whether they are coming from a private or $1,000-$3,100 public orphanage or adoption center, and any specialized medical care they may have received.

Total Agency and Country Fees (not including third party fees) $19,600 -$26,250

Estimated Third Party Fees and other anticipated expenses paid directly to third party providers Fee or Estimated expense Fee or Estimated expense USCIS I-800A $775 Interpreter if necessary or requested by $300-$450 Biometrics $85 per adult Court ISP & FBI Clearances $56.25 per adult for IL families In Country translation of documents $150 /child Psychological Evaluation $600 - $900 required for visa interview. Authenticate dossier documents $32 - $120 State Background Check Varies by state Mexico visa $230 / person Child Visa – Form DS260 $325 / child Estimated Airfare per person per trip $750 - $1800 New birth certificate and passport $150 / child Lodging and In-country transportation $3000-$6400 Embassy Medical/lab fees $100 / child

Airfare, and accommodations vary considerably with travel season, number of required trips, orphanage location, family size, lodging preferences and length of stay. More detailed information will be available closer to time of travel. Any unforeseen additional fees or expenses in excess of $1,000, incurred in Mexico, for which the agency will hold the prospective adoptive parents responsible, will be disclosed to the adoptive parents, in writing, and their consent will be obtained, before the fees or expenses are incurred. The prospective adoptive parents have the option to waive the notice or consent requirement in advance.

*Special consideration may be given for identified relative adoption cases, with a reduction of up to 20% applied to CC Home Study and Post Adoption Services fees.

Effective 07/01/2018 Adoption Financial Resources Personal Savings, Bank Loans and Fundraising Many families use personal savings, take out bank loans*, or receive ﬁnancial help from family and friends. Some banks and credit unions oﬀer adopon loan programs or home equity loans for adopons. Families have held fundraisers or have set up an adopon bank account, where friends or family can make tax‐ deducble donaons towards the adopon.

Adopon Tax Credits Use IRS Form 8839 to figure the amount of your adopon credit and any employer‐provided adopon benefits you can exclude from your income for the adopon of an eligible child, which includes provisions for families adopng children either in the U.S. or internaonally. For 2018 the maximum credit and exclusion are both $13,840, per eligible child. The amount begins to phase out if you have modified adjusted gross income in excess of $207,580 and is completely phased out for modified AGI of $247,580 or more. Please see your tax consultant for more informaon.

Employer Assistance / Adopon Benefits Your employer may offer adopon assistance in various forms. Ask your Human Resources Department to determine if your company offers assistance. For more informaon about employer adopon benefits please visit www.adoponbenefits.com, contact the Dave Thomas Foundaon for Adopon at 1‐800‐275‐3832, or the Naonal Adopon Center at 1‐800‐TO‐ADOPT.

Assistance for Military Families Please discuss the current adopon assistance informaon with your base personnel. You can also contact the Military OneSource at 800‐342‐9647 regarding adopon assistance for military families.

Adopon Loans, Grants, and Resources Catholic Charies does not have experience with, nor do we endorse the following organizaons. This informaon was gathered and compiled from the Internet, and clients should conduct appropriate research before ulizing any of the following:

The Abba Fund Gift of Adoption Fund National Adoption Foundation 888-775-3422 877-905-2367 845-803-4837 www.abbafund.org www.giftofadoption.org www.fundyouradoption.org

A Child Waits Foundation God’s Grace Adoption Ministry, Inc. National Council For Adoption 866-999-2445 209-572-4539 703-299-6633 www.achildwaits.org www.ggam.org [email protected] www.adoptioncouncil.org Adopt Together HANDinHAND Christian Adoption, Inc. 888-826-0948 913-248-5015 The National Endowment for [email protected] [email protected] Financial Education www.adopttogether.org www.handinhandadopt.org 303-741-6333 http://www.nefe.org Airlines Discount HelpUsAdopt Various airlines offer discounted airfares for 917-684-5484 Oxford Adoption Foundation, Inc. families traveling to bring home their adopted [email protected] 239-430-6240 child www.helpusadopt.org oxfordadoption.com

Affording Adoption Foundation Home for Good Foundation Room for One More www.affordingadoption.com 541-479-5926 www.roomforonemorechild.org www.hfgf.org Brittany's Hope Foundation The Sparrow Fund 717-367-9614 International Adoption Resources (IAR) [email protected] www.brittanyshope.org www.theiar.org www.sparrow-fund.org

Both Hands Foundation Lifesong for Orphans Resources for Adoption 615-969-7565 309-747-4527 www.resources4adoption.com http://www.bothhandsfoundation.org www.lifesongfororphans.org

Child Welfare Information Gateway Children's Bureau 800-394-3366 [email protected] * MBNA Bank has a program that offers lines of www.childwelfare.gov credit up to $25,000.

Loan, Grant and Resource list last verified 02/06/2017