Introduction of Adoption
While anyone can choose to care for a child in need for short or long-term periods, such as a foster care situation, adoption is a different situation that requires a much different commitment. Adoption is the legal act of permanently placing a child with a parent or parents other than the birth parents. In this process, the parental rights of the birth parents are permanently terminated. The adoptive parents then assume full legal responsibility for the child. The child, in turn, gains the same legal rights as that of a child born to the adoptive parents.
Adoption means that the connection between the child and the caregiver is legal and binding on both parties, not just convenient. It makes it a crime for the caregiver to abandon the child. It also makes it legal for the adoptive parents to make decisions that seriously influence the child's destiny: what type of religious education will occur; what schools the child will attend; methods of discipline that will be used, etc. A casual caregiver would not be subject to the same penalties under the law.
Adoption involves a great deal of paperwork, as well as the assistance of lawyers, social workers, and judges to finalize the process. It is a permanent arrangement, just like a natural parent-child relationship. However, for most families, adoption is ultimately an act of love and the desire to enrich their family and the life of the child who becomes a part of that family.
Nepal adoptions require two trips, though only one parent is required to travel. The first trip lasts about 5 business days. It involves meeting the child, getting documents signed at the US Embassy, and submitting the dossier to the District Administration office. Once the file is approved by key Nepalese government departments (about 3 to 4 months later), the parent(s) travel a second time, for about 15 business days, to sign papers, receive the adoption certificate and visa, and bring the child home. Most of the children are available for adoption due to poverty or because they have been born to unwed mothers. Usually, very little background information or health history is available on the children, and birthdates are often estimated. Each child will undergo a medical exam prior to adoption in which they will be screened for HIV and Hepatitis B. The Nepal dossier is relatively straightforward to prepare, with all documents requiring only notarization. The current projection for a referral is about 6 to 8 months from the completion of the dossier
Reguirements:-
# Parents must be married for at least 4 years
# Single women may also apply
# Adoptive parents must be at least 30 years difference from the adoptive child's age
# Single woman must be between the age of 35 and 50.
# The maximum age for an applicant is 55
# All couples must prove infertility
# Couples who already have a child may only adopt a child of the opposite sex
from their first child
# Childless parents can adopt siblings (although siblings are rarely available)
Time Frames:-
Receiving a referral may be immediate after Home Study is approved in Nepal.Travel for 1st trip takes place about 1 month after referral has been accepted and dossier is received in Nepal.Travel for 2nd trip to receive child is about 7-8 months after first trip
Children:-
# 2 years to 15 years of age at the time of referral
# Sibling groups are rarely available
# Two unrelated children cannot be adopted together
# Waiting children 3 years old and up are available immediately!
What’s Involved in Adopting a Child From Nepal?
Assuming you meet all the qualifying criteria required of adoptive parents by the Nepalese government, adopting a child from Nepal is a fairly simple and straightforward process:
Once your homestudy and dossier are complete, they are forwarded to Nepal for approval.
You receive a child referral.
You accept the referral.
You travel to Nepal to sign the first set of papers in Kathmandu.
Once the file is approved by key Nepalese government departments, you return to Nepal a second time to sign papers, receive the adoption certificate, have documents translated, secure a passport for your child, apply for travel documents, have a medical exam of your child performed, and visit the U.S. Embassy to obtain your child’s visa.
If you prefer, you may make one trip instead of two and simply stay in Nepal until all the paperwork is completed (usually takes about three to five weeks total).
