Hi everyone. Have any of you adopted a child in Colombia or maybe in another country? What was the process like? HOw long did it take? How was the experience? Thanks for the responses!!

You can do a net search on that, was considering adopting my step daughter from Venezuela and contacted an attorney down there, she would have been a grandma by the time it was over so gave up. But we got her here, and that was also very expensive and she is an adult now, so it doesn't make any difference and I could claim her as a dependent on our income tax. Ha, I was also liable for her if she did anything naughty.

Is the child you are considering to adopt any kind of a relative?

Ha, sure makes a guy wonder about our tax and educational system, with a kid, you do get a 3,500 buck deduction and that is after you already paid FICA taxes they claim you will never get back, it simply means you don't have to pay extra taxes on that very small amount. But yet the state says it costs them 10,000 bucks a year to baby sit with your kid for a couple of hours each day. They don't discipline, pay for medical expenses, cloth, house, feed them, nor even teach them! And if you want your kid to succeed, I did get my daughter on the high honor roll, have to spend at least two hours a night with homework and at least ten hours on the weekend. Feel we are getting ripped off.

There are a lot of agencies here in the States that work with Bienestar Familiar, which is one of the organizations who helps get children adopted. It will cost around $20k from beginning to end. You can also ask your question at www.poorbuthappy.com which is a forum made up of a lot of Americans who are very familiar with Colombia. They might be able to help.

Diana

Hi Nick, thanks for responding so quickly! The child that I'd like to bring over here/adopt is my husband's cousin. She is in so much need of a stable good home and parents that have time to take care of her. Was your step daughter still a child when you brought her here? Was she "legal" and if not, how were you able to claim her?
Thanks again for responding!!






Thanks Diana!

We are looking into adopting our orphaned nephew from Jamaica. He currently lives with my MIL.

So far, we have received his birth papers and filed with the Child Development Agency of Jamaica. That was about a month and a half ago. Haven't heard anything yet. You have to be approved by them before you can file for adoption.

I used this link to help me figure it all out....

http://www.travel.state.gov/family/adoptio...ountry_404.html


Since it is a completely different country, that's about all I can think of to help you get started.

I did think it would be fairly painless to do it. Hell, after going through all the hoops to get where we are today, I can't imagine it could be harder.

We have friends adopting a child from Colombia. Not sure what agency they are using, but as Diana says, the cost is around $20 thousand. Their process, if all goes well, will end up taking about two years.

Oh my God, that's alot of money!! Was the child a relative or an orphan?

This was my wife's daughter, 13 years old at the time, and the father did live in Colombia, with your husband's cousin, like my wife's daughter, somebody there has to have legal custody of the child, and is willing to relinquish all rights to that child plus to give that child to leave Colombia and come here, all that has to be documented in Colombia plus the child also requires a passport and a visa to come here. They, the authorities won't even permit that child to board the plane to come here without that documentation.

In the case of my step daughter's father, just freed him of his child support payments and he was willing to sign her over, strange with children, some people want them, other don't. Another important consideration is like a mutual relationship between the child and you and vice-versa, the child must want to come here and live with you.

That is one side of the coin, the other is US immigration in filing the I-130 for that child, I had to get all of that Spanish documentation translated by a certified translator into English as part of the I-130, actually, I hired a good immigration attorney to handle this, plus had attorneys in Colombia. All attorneys have to work hand in hand, helps to be a USC as the application goes quicker than a permanent resident, and also helps to hire an attorney that knows the ropes and how to get things done, still took us a year before we can bring her over and today she has her ten year green card. She is legal

Depending on the age of the child, can expect some adaptation problems, and what hardships the child already experienced that may have cause emotional problems, plus their physical health, and if the child only speaks Spanish, that is yet another barrier, my daughter scored very high in the English placement test, but she had a lot to learn, but was a challenge.

Cost wise, still cheaper than buying a new Honda Civic, but dealing with a human life here, as a half orphan myself, have sympathy for kids without a father, was a guardian of two, adopted two, step father of two, and four natural, LOL, that is a lot of kids. Had conflicts between the adopted and the natural that were caused mostly by in-laws and relatives, my solution was to pack the family and move far away, that worked unless you have good relatives and in-laws, doesn't take hardly anything to hurt the feelings of a child and make them feel unwanted or different. They are all over 18 now and getting along fine, but was a battle at times. Good luck, wife was talking about adopting another child, always see these needy on TV, but when you inquire, they don't want you to have the child, just your money instead. Said, but true.

It might be a bit less since you want to adopt a specific child who's already a relative but you still have to pay attorney fees for the adoption and visa fees as well.

Diana

Hi Diana, you tell me that I have to pay attorney fees. And please people, don't jump on my neck about this.... but is it absolutely necessary to have an attorney? I know that parents and was wonerding if it's like here, where the parent can give up their rights and give it to us, then of course, go through all the paper work the US requires....

I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE HELP THAT ALL OF YOU BRING HERE! GOD BLESS YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP!!!

Uhmm... I really don't think that any parent can just sign a piece a paper giving their child away and that's that. I seriously can't think of an adoption working out legally without having legal representation but it's best to consult with someone in Colombia so you're better informed.

Diana

BTW,

I just found this in the DOS web site, it may not apply to you but it may give you a heads up.

PLEASE NOTE: Colombian law does not allow for private adoptions. Children may be adopted only through the Colombian Family Welfare Institute (ICBF) and approved adoption agencies.

Every adopted child must have a final adoption decree in order to leave Colombia . Colombian law also requires that both adopting parents be physically present when the adoption is presented to a “family judge.” No exceptions are made to this requirement.

http://www.travel.state.gov/family/adoptio...ountry_366.html

Diana

Thanks Diana, I actually read this at 2 in the morning! jaja. And somewhere I wrote that it could even be more difficult when you want to adopt a family member!???!!

In Colombia, difficult for me to tell the difference between a notary and an attorney, there is quite a difference here. The word apostille was also new to me but did receive a very impressive document from Colombia, as I recall, with the parent giving permission for his child to come to this country the pricetag was in the $1,000.00 range with another 400 to have it translated into English. We needed that for two reasons, first for permission for my wife's daughter to come here, second to appease the USCIS. We had further complications in that the child was in Venezuela, but you won't have those.

Feel you biggest problem will be with delays in the USCIS in processing the I-130 since this isn't a son or daughter, but you will need that permission first before you can even get started with the USCIS. I hired an immigration attorney to handle all the details plus attorneys in Venezuela and Colombia. I did check into adoption, like the others have said, way too involved and complicated.

I can't even remember how this transpired, sister-in-law was killed with a 2 and 1 year old babies, brother was considered unsuitable and somehow the court appointed me as their legal guardian, after a year of taking care of them, went back to the courts to legally adopt them and that went through very quickly. I was also appointed the legal guardian of my two younger brothers ages 10 and 12 when my mother died.

With my step daughter, was legally liable for her under state rules, had to sign for medical treatment, driver's license, and if she didn't go to school, they got after me, but had absolutely no say with the USCIS, go figure.

Important thing is to get your cousin here, legally, get her permanent resident card, and US citizenship, can check with the courts on becoming her legal guardian, take one step at a time. Funny with kids, some people just don't want them, and those that do can't have them. Thought I was done with my step daughter, but to enroll her in college, they wanted my John Henry on the dotted line to make sure they got their money.

Well, from what I was just told I have some people finding out things that I need to know first with Bienestar in Colombia. I think I'm gonna pay a visit to an immigration attorney to find out what the best options are. I have read so many things already. I even read in one of the immigration sites that I can actually bring her here before the final adoption goes through. It was an M249 booklet. I really want this little girl here, she is in dire need of love and attention. I just wondered if there is anyway my husband and I can go to the courts in Colombia and be appointed her legal guardian. Her parents are so quick to relinquish their rights. They told us to our faces.

Thanks Nick for your response. You always go into such details and I appreciate your information it gives me insight as to what to expect and you do give me some hope.

Share with me who had legal custody of your cousin, I never had problems with the IRS, nor with health insurance coverage, based more on household members than anything else, but also worthwhile for you to check into. I-864 carries some weight as you are the legal sponsor. Probably shouldn't mention this, but similar to our Department of State, and with certain forms of the USCIS, you can pay extra for preferential treatment. Did inquire about that, hmmm, most had US bank accounts, transferred a couple of bucks into those and was pleasantly surprised how quickly they ran these papers through their courts. Otherwise, you can wait a very long time.

How about transferring the funds on a Thursday and having all the paper work done the following Friday! LOL, no preferential service with the USCIS, that was a long wait, but at least I could get our application in much earlier.

Hello we are in the same position as you except the child is my cousin who parents have already signed over their rights with the authorities in Jamaica. We had to file a I600A which is still pending with USCIS. I believe the I130 requires that the child have lived with you for 2 years. But not 100% sure. We are now wondering if we need to provide more proof of desertion and abandonment by the parents for immigration to consider her an orphan. THe father wont take care of her nor see here since she was born and the mother doesnt have a job. The aunt is not taking care of her. So we are trying to figure out how we present a case of abandonment that is immigration proof.

I have my story posted as Adopting a Child from Jamaica. We didnt use a lawyer in Jamaica and there was no fee, we just filed our papers with the adoption authorities in Jamaica.

Hello
Do you have the contact information for the lawyer that you used. We might need his services. Thank you.