GENERAL PURPOSE
DeCollores Adoptions Internationall is a nonprofit state licensed agency located
in Lake Charles, Louisiana. DeCollores Adoptions Internationall‘s founders are
no strangers to the international adoption world. Twin sisters, Sandy Arredondo
and Debbie Campbell are adoptive parents themselves of children from Paraguay,
Guatemala, and the United States. They began as a result of thir love and commitment to the orphans, and to the parents who long to share their love and their lives with a child.
SERVICES PROVIDED
Our adoption services provide prospective adoptive families with assistance in collecting required documents and guidance with the INS process required for foreign adoption. DeCollores Adoptions Internationall then locates an appropriate child referral for the adoptive family and coordinates the process until the child can be immigrated to the United States.
DeCollores Adoptions Internationall believes that God calls us, as parents, to
care for and nurture His children because they are His greatest creation, but
sometimes they are born into unfortunate circumstances in which their country
of origin faces poverty and famine, which in turn fills orphanages and foster
homes with beautiful, parentless babies and toddlers. We are committed to providing assistance to these wonderful children. We work endlessly to find loving families who have always hoped and dreamed to share permanent and loving homes for these children of God, which ultimately makes this our highest calling.
DeCollores Adoptions Internationall is also committed to providing extensive
support, security, and empathy to adoptive families on a personal level of compassion and understanding. We will continuously strive hard to provide each family who adopts through our agency; ongoing guidance and support to accomplish these goals, making the entire adoption experience a reward of love and happiness that last a lifetime!
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CHILDREN
Depending on the country program, DeCollores Adoptions Internationall refers children from infant on up for adoption. All of the children have either been relinquished for adoption or abandoned. Most of the children are generally healthy.
TIMING OF PLACEMENTS
Timing depends on each country and how “paper ready” the family is when they
apply with DeCollores Adoptions Internationall. Please note that changes in the
foreign adoption programs sometimes occur quickly. Information on timing, costs and other specifics that families receive when they are inquiring may change by the time home study documents and USCIS approval are completed.
STEPS TO GET PAPER READY
1. Receive information about DeCollores Adoptions Internationall adoption programs and have an interview by phone or in person. We will answer all your questions about the adoption process and will provide you with any information you might need to make a decisionabout your adoption journey (no charge).
2. Once you have decided to start your adoption journey, register with us by completing and sending the family information sheet to DeCollores Adoptions Internationall 2615 Paul White Road, Lake Charles, LA 70611.
3. Arrange for a home study: If you are a resident of Louisiana or Mississippi DeCollores Adoptions Internationall can provide contact with a licensed social worker. If you are not a resident of this area your home study may be done by any agency or social worker that is licensed in the state in which you live. This should be someone that is familiar with an international home study.
4. File your I-600A form with your local USCIS.
5. Begin gathering, notarizing, certifying, and authenticating the documents required for your dossier, which are needed by the foreign country you have chosen to adopt from. You can and should begin gathering these documents immediately.
6. Once your dossier is completed the agency will forward it to the foreign
country you chose to adopt from.
7. REFERRAL OF YOUR CHILD!!! When you receive your referral, and depending on the country’s regulations, you will receive e-mailed photos of a child. You will also receive a medical statement and blood test results as well as birth certificate. You have 2 weeks for consideration of referral (unless extenuating circumstances involving the child's best interests require a more expedited decision). A referral
of a child is considered from the time information about the child has been given to you.
8. DeCollores Adoptions Internationall coordinates your case, keeping you informed of all progress and updates as we receive them.
9. DeCollores Adoptions Internationall will provide you with travel information as well as family references.
WHAT ARE THE COSTS?
The costs incurred by the adoptive family fall into the following categories: A. The cost of a home study. The fee can vary depending on the social worker handling your case. The local social workers we work with charge $800 to $1,500 depending upon if they have to travel (this is subject to change without notice).B.US Program Service Fee (agency fee) for placement and coordination services pertaining referral of one child depends on the country you chose to adopt from. C. The cost for authenticating documents (birth certificates, reference letters, etc.) with local, state, and embassy levels for use in the foreign country. The cost may vary depending on the country you chose to adopt from. It is best to call to check the cost before mailing.
D. The Foreign Country Program Service fee . The fee varies depending on the country you chose to adopt from. The foreign country fee generally includes foster care and/or orphanage donations, professional legal services, foreign coordinator fees, routine medical care and exams, and legal expenses in the foreign country. Please refer to information for each individual foreign country program.
E. Out of pocket expenses, such as travel and lodging, U.S. Immigration and
Naturalization Service, passport, visa, and translation fees.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
DeCollores Adoptions Internationall will provide families with travel information and will assist you in making travel arrangements, hotel reservations and shuttle rides to the hotel. Depending on the foreign country program, we will arrange for the child to be united with you by our staff and translator, and make sure you never feel alone.
