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Journeys is Adoption. |
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AdoptIndia |
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Update from the India Program:
"Very
special opportunities exist both for couples who
are (NRI/OCI) and who are not of Indian
heritage, who are under 55 years old, who have
no more than two children (exceptions may be
made on case by case basis), and who are open to
older children or children with minor and/or
correctable special needs. We are actively
seeking families who have a completed home study
and it is even more beneficial if they already
have their I800A approval.
In most cases,
it will take 3-6 months for families to
move through the first phase of the
process and to obtain all the necessary
approvals (home study and I-800A), which
are needed in order for a referral to be
given. As we anticipate many new
children becoming available for
international adoption soon, we
encourage families to contact us to
discuss the wonderful opportunities
available to them in the India Program." |
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Quick Facts:
Age requirements:
Single women are allowed between the ages of
30-50. Married
couples are allowed between the ages of 25-55.
Maximum age restrictions apply regarding the
composite age of the parents and in the difference of
the age of the child and the age(s) of the parents,
depending on the age of the child at the time of
referral.
Hague: Yes
Characteristics of Child:
For NRI/OCI families:
Healthy infants of ~12-14 months and up are
available. Older children ages 5-12 years old and
special needs children who are 12 months - 12 years old
are available for all families.
Fees:
$27,000 - $30,000 (Rough Estimate) which includes
travel for two, but not the home study.
Some court systems in India require parents to
travel twice and so costs may be slightly higher.
Referral
Wait Time (Vary) :
Once a family is eligible to receive a referral, wait
times are ~ 2-18 months (if not matched with a waiting
child). Once the
family’s dossier is received in India, then it is
usually 8-12 months before the family will travel to
receive their child.
Eligibility
Citizenship: At least one parent,
must be a US citizen. Single women must be a US citizen.
Marital Status: Married couple for at
least two years, and committed relationship for 5.
Single women also allowed.
Income:
There must be an income earning of $10,000 per person in
the household, including the adopted child (exceptions
may be made on case by case basis).
Family Size: No more than 2 children already in
home (exceptions may be made on case by
case basis). |
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Overview:
Journeys of the Heart Adoption
Services (JOH) is pleased to offer an India Adoption
Program that is open and thriving for families with and
without Indian heritage.
International adoptions have
been occurring in India for over 30 years. While Indian
adoption laws and regulations do change from time to
time, international adoptions have always continued.
Many children who grow up in orphanages would face a
life on the streets without job skills, family, or
status in Indian society. International adoption, when
no family within India is found, is their best hope and
truly in their best interest.
Married couples where one parent holds and Indian
Passport (NRI) or and Overseas Citizen of India card
(OCI) and with the other parent being an American
citizen have the opportunity to adopt young, healthy
children or children with very minor and/or correctable
special needs. Non-Indian heritage or non-NRI families
have the opportunity to adopt children of all ages who
have medical or physical issues (some minor and/or
correctable) or healthy children five years of age and
older. Please also see Journeys’ waiting children page
on our website
www.journeysoftheheart.net
for more information.
JOH’s India Program Director visits India as frequently
as possible and has a strong working relationship with
over 13 orphanages throughout the country where staff
members provide excellent care to the children, and we
are ever expanding. In addition to a very hands-on and
active Program Director, we also have JOH staff in
country to assist as needed.
All the orphanages JOH
works with are licensed by CARA, the Central Adoption
Resource Authority in New Delhi, and have years of
experience in processing adoptions. JOH has been by
licensed by CARA to complete international adoptions in
India since 1999.
For a little history, Indian
law gives the birth mothers the right to change their
minds for up to two months after the child’s abandonment
or relinquishment. After this two month period Indian
citizens living in India are given a chance to adopt the
child. If no family in India adopts the child then the
child can be cleared and referred for international
adoption with first priority given to NRI/OCI families.
All children referred to adopting parents have the
appropriate clearances and are legally available for
adoption.
Time
frames for completion of the adoption depend upon the
region of India where the child resides, the judge, and
other factors specific to each case. Most families will
travel to receive their children within ~8-12 months
after the family’s completed dossier has been received
in India.
*Strikes, holidays,
change of judges and other officials, as well as
political and social situations can always affect the
time frames.
Medical testing for HIV and Hepatitis B, as well as a
routine medical exam are performed on each child and
results are available to adopting families in the Child
Study Report which is provided at the time a referral is
identified.
Families will also
receive a social report and pictures at the time of
child referral.
Background and birthparent
information is generally not available to adoptive
parents. JOH does its best to obtain updated information
during the process but JOH cannot guarantee the
frequency of updates.
Although we are currently
seeing a shift towards more Full and Final Adoptions
being issued, most international adoptions in India
still currently result in the adopting parents receiving
a Legal Guardianship from the Indian Courts. In
guardianship cases, the United States allows the child
to immigrate to the U.S. with an IH-4 visa or an IR-4
Visa. All guardianships must be finalized in the
family’s local US court system and can be done so after
the adopting parents satisfy the post placement
requirements of their State of residence.
A few Indian States currently
allow all parents to adopt under the JJ Adoption Act and
receive a Full and Final Adoption in India. NRI/OCI
families who are Hindu may be able to adopt under the
Hindu Adoption Act and receive a Full and Final Adoption
in India. In cases of Full and Final Adoptions, the
United States will issue the child an IH-3 visa or an
IR-3 Visa to enter the U.S. In the case of a final
adoption, adopting parents must still complete the
mandatory post placement requirements and complete a
local court “Recognition of a Foreign Adoption.”
***Please note that faster referral
times are possible for families who
have a valid I-800A or completed
home study***
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Requirements:
«
The United States requires that one parent be an
American citizen in order to adopt and have an adopted
orphan child immigrate to the United States on either an
IH-3/IR-3 or IH-4/IR-4 visa.
«
The CARA guidelines state that married couples
must be between the ages of 25-55 years old to adopt.
Preference is for a maximum difference between
the age of the child and the parent being less than 45
years. In order
to adopt a child up to age 3, the combined age of
parents must be under 90 years, with preference for a
maximum age of 40 years old for infant referrals.
In order to adopt a child age 3 and older, the
combined age of parents must be under 105 years.
No parent over the age of 55 is eligible to
adopt.
*Flexibility regarding age may be possible on a
case-by-case basis, but should be confirmed with the
India Program Coordinator.
«
Single women of 30-50 years old are eligible to
adopt through the India Program.
In order to adopt a child up to age 3, preference
is for a maximum age of 40 years old.
In order to adopt a child age 3 and older,
preference is for a maximum age of 45 years old.
«
In most cases, families should not have more than
two children already in the home. Exceptions can be made
when seeking to adopt an older child, a child with a
special need, as well as children who have waited for a
long period of time.
«
Couples need to demonstrate a
stable relationship of at least five years, and have
been married a minimum of 2 years.
«
Depending on the orphanage or court, a history of
divorce may be acceptable. JOH does currently work with some
orphanages which are open to couples with a history of
divorce.
«
Adopting parents will be required to have
Supervised Post Placement visits at the 1, 3, 6, and 12
month intervals after their arrival home.
Families must also prepare and send post
placement reports, including photos, to JOH as required
by the courts, quarterly for the second year home and
then twice a year for following three years, unless the
court order states differently. JOH will forward the
reports to the appropriate Indian Authorities.
«
The India Program is always open to consideration for
families with unique circumstances, particularly for
families seeking children who have medical or physical
special needs.” |
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Children Available:
« For qualified NRI/OCI
families, healthy infants and toddlers (10-18 months at
the time of referral) may be available.
« Although children from the
ages of infant through 15 years old are available, most
children fall into the age range of 3-8 years old. For
non-NRI/OCI families, infants and toddlers with special
needs are also occasionally available. Siblings are
occasionally available and are always placed together.
Infants will usually be 16-20 months+, at the time that
they come home.
« Usually no background
information prior to the child’s admission to the
orphanage is available to adoptive parents.
« Most infants entering
orphanages have been born to unwed mothers. Older
children may come into care due to the loss of a parent,
poverty or other circumstances.
« Both boys and girls are
available for adoption and referral times will vary
depending on the number of families in the program, and
each family’s child characteristic preferences (age and
gender).
«
Currently our referral wait time for approved NRI/OCI
infant and/or young toddler referrals is approximately
12-18 months, after receipt of the I-800A approval. The
referral times for age 5 and older as well as for
children with special needs will be much less.
For a list of special
needs, please contact your JOH Coordinator.
**JOH generally also has a
number of “waiting” children with special needs.
For more information
on the Waiting Children, please contact the JOH India
Program Coordinator or visit our website:
Waiting Children Page**
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© Journeys of the Heart Adoption Services 2012. All Rights Reserved.
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| Journeys
of the Heart Adoption Services is an
adoption agency specializing in
International and Domestic adoptions.
Journeys of the Heart has been building
families through adoption for more than
18 years. Journeys of the Heart has
offices in Illinois, Oregon, and
Washington. Journeys of the Heart has
adoption programs in the US (Domestic),
Bulgaria, Colombia, China, India, Mali,
and Uganda. Journeys of the Heart places
children in need of a family from
newborns to teenagers, healthy to
special needs. Journeys of the Heart
Adoption Services finds forever families
for orphaned children. |
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