How to Adopt a Haitian Refugee After the Earthquake

An adoption agent is invaluable when going through an adoption process.

On Jan. 12, 2010 an earthquake reaching 7.0 on the Richter scale devastated Haiti, leaving behind thousands of orphans. Many of these orphans became refugees inside the United States. Prospective parents are able to provide for one of these children as long as they follow the adoption regulations enforced by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Begin your journey as an adoptive parent with a reputable adoption agency to ensure the best interests of the child.

Instructions

1. Find an adoption service. Reputable adoption agencies will carry multiple licenses and certifications. These include the Joint Council on International Children's Services and state government agencies, such as the state's Department of Children and Families. Agencies that comply with the Hague Convention, an international regulatory treatise, will also be Hague-accredited. Ask an agency to provide copies of their licenses before taking them as your representative.

2. Apply for eligibility from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. A couple, married or unmarried, must be found eligible before they are matched with a Haitian child. The same goes for a single parent looking to adopt. Haitian law requires a single parent to be at least 35 years old before adopting, but the prospective parent of a child that already has refugee status in the states need only meet the U.S. requirement of 21 years old. Fill out form I-600A and submit to the Bureau of Consular Affairs. The form is available for download through the U.S. Department of State's website, adoption.state.gov. Keep in mind that prospective parents are restricted from making contact with biological family members or guardian agencies of a prospective child until they are deemed eligible.

3. Find a child. An adoption agency will assist you by matching you with eligible children left stranded after the earthquake.

4. Apply for the child's adoption eligibility. Fill out form I-600, also available through the U.S. Department of State's website. Submit the form to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS.)

5. Collect the child's documentation. Documents that attest to a child's health and background are necessary for the child to be accepted as eligible for adoption. These documents include: a medical report with a list of vaccinations, a birth certificate and the death certificate of the child's parents. These documents take time to obtain in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake, so be patient in your search.

6. Obtain citizenship for your child. A child with refugee status, once successfully adopted by U.S. citizens, becomes a U.S. citizen when the final adoption decree is issued by a U.S. state court. This means once your eligibility forms are accepted and all documentation is filed, the child will automatically become a citizen.

Tips & Warnings

• Adopting a child who has experienced personal trauma is a big commitment that may require counseling sessions and multiple interviews.

References

• U.S. Department of State: Intercountry Adoption: Haiti
• The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute: International Adoption Facts; 2002
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services: I Am a Refugee or Asylee, How Do I Become a U.S. Permanent Resident; August 2008
• Hope for Haiti's Orphans: Who Can Adopt a Haitian Child?