Ins and Outs of International Adoption

Tips for international adoptions and older parents:

• Plan for financial needs. Remember that you will need to plan for retirement at the same time you plan for your child's education.
• Engage your family and friends. How will they accept the child and support you in raising it?
• Anticipate future caregiving needs. Will you be caring for older parents at the same time you will be raising children?
• Research country requirements and agencies. They vary greatly, and you want to work with an agency you can trust.
• Consider adopting older kids or children with special needs. Sometimes older parents are competing with younger couples to adopt children.
• Educate yourself on parenting and adoption. You can find books, magazines, Web sites, and classes geared to adoptive parents.
• Connect with other adoptive parents. Learn from their mistakes and successes, and bring together children adopted from the same cultures.
• Expect the unexpected. The rules and policies can change without notice, and you cannot be in control of everything.
  

Useful online tools:

• Adoptive Families magazine and Web site
• Adoption.com
• Adoption.org
• U.S. Department of State guide to international adoption
• U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service intercounty adoption process instructions