Adoption Voices

This adoption opportunity is available through our affiliation with Buckner and its adoption division, Buckner Adoption & Maternity Services, which has been placing children from Ethiopia since 2007. 

Please note that we will continue accepting applications from families who are interested in adopting a child who is at least 4 years or older.

History

Family Requirements
 
About the Children

Ethiopia Adoption Laws

Ethiopia Adoption Alerts

Adoption Process

Adoption Costs

Waiting Children Program

Hague FAQ for New Adoptive Families

Post-Adoption Services 

Humanitarian Aid in Ethiopia

Contact Ethiopia Case Manager

A recent UNICEF report stated that more than 4.5 million of Ethiopia's children are orphaned due to poverty and illness.  This means that more than one child in 10 is an orphan. Additionally, the maternal mortality rate for pregnant women is very high -- 1 in 14 women will die in childbirth.  Buckner International has supported Bright Hope ministry in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, since 2000.  In 2007, Buckner assumed the organization and has since then expanded the services to at-risk children and families within the local community.

[up]

• Heterosexual married couples between the ages of 25 - 50 years old are eligible to adopt.  There should be no more than 40 years age difference between the parents' age and the age of the child whom they are adopting.

• Couples must have been married a minimum of 2 years.  Second marriages must be a minimum of 5 years.

• No more than 15 years age difference between husband and wife

• Families may not have more than 5 children under the age of 18 already living in their home to be able to adopt

• U.S. citizens in all 50 states are eligible to adopt from this program

[up]

• Single children and sibling groups are available for adoption
• Children are generally ages 8 months - 10 years at the time of arrival in the U.S.
• Older children ages 3 to 9 years old are also available for adoption along with some children with special needs
• Children receive excellent medical care while living in the orphanage
• Good medical records are also kept on each child receiving care

[up]

[up]

October 7, 2011...U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE has issued the following notice regarding processing of I-600 form, petition to classify orphan as immediate relative     

August 5, 2011...U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE has issued the following
Adoption Alert: 
Ethiopian government officials have confirmed that several orphanages in the Southern Nations state are closed due to revocation of their licenses to operate by Ethiopian authorities. (read full text here) 
SPECIAL NOTE: None of the orphanage closures outlined in the above Adoption Alert have an impact on Buckner/Dillon's adoption work in Ethiopia.

March 16, 2011...Updated Ethiopia Adoption Notice (read more)

March 11, 2011...USCIS Q&A Regarding Adoption Processing in Ethiopia

March 9, 2011...U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE has issued the following
Adoption Alert:
Citing the need to work on quality and focus on more important strategic issues, the Government of Ethiopia's Ministry of Women, Children, and Youth Affairs (MOWCYA)  will reduce to a maximum of five the number of adoption cases it processes per day, effective March 10, 2011.  Under Ethiopian adoption procedures, MOWCYA approves every match between prospective adoptive parents and an Ethiopian child before that case can be forwarded for a court hearing.  The U.S. Embassy is working with Ethiopian government officials and adoption agencies to learn more about this change in procedures.  We will continue to share information as it becomes available. 

Given MOWCYA's current caseload, the U.S. Embassy anticipates that this change could result in an overall decline in case processing of some 90 percent.  If this change is implemented as proposed, we expect, that parents who have begun the process of adopting from Ethiopia but have not yet been matched with a child could experience significant delays.  It is not clear if this change in procedures would have any significant impact on cases in which MOWCYA has already approved matches. 

Prospective adoptive parents should remain in close contact with their adoption service provider to obtain updates on individual cases. 

The Embassy's Adoptions Unit can be reached at consadoptionaddis@state.gov.

Please continue to monitor http://adoption.state.gov/ for updated information as it becomes available.

[up]
 

• Families complete a home study and then submit their dossier for the Ethiopian government's approval
   

• Wait time for a referral once a family's dossier has been submitted is approximately 6 - 14+ months
   

• Two trips are required to receive the child. 
   

• Both parents must travel together to receive their child.
   

• After acceptance of a child referral, a family can anticipate traveling to Ethiopia in approximately 3 - 6+ months to meet their child and appear in an Ethiopian court hearing to finalize the adoption
   

• The second trip will be approximately 6 - 8 weeks after the court hearing.  Adoptive parents will return to Ethiopia to complete an Embassy appointment and receive their child's visa.
   

• Families are responsible for their own travel arrangements to & from Ethiopia.  Dillon will assist with adoptive parents' arrangement of in-country lodging and will arrange all in-country travel through our Buckner contacts.
   

• The majority of families will travel individually, however, there is a possibility of two families traveling simultaneously.
   

• Families will have the opportunity to visit the orphanage where their child lived and meet his/her caregivers and friends
   

• Families will have opportunities for sightseeing and shopping to learn more about their child's culture and birth country
   

• Register the child's adoption in the U.S. after completing 3 post-placement visits with the family's caseworker, which usually takes 12 months
   

• Provide annual post-placement reports to Ethiopia until the adopted child's 18th birthday

  SPECIAL NOTE on US CITIZENSHIP:  Since both parents will travel to receive their child and complete the adoption in Ethiopia, the child will become a U.S. citizen upon entering the United States and will enter the U.S. on an IR-3 visa.

[up]

Specific fees are only due after a particular service has been rendered in the adoption process and are considered non-refundable after payment has been received.  All fees are subject to change and services are charged at the rate that is current at the time of billing.

ESTIMATED ETHIOPIA PROGRAM ADOPTION COST:  $24,450 - $29,195
(Estimate includes agency, international, and travel fees ONLY.)

Other fees and expenses families will incur during the adoption process include:

• home study and post-placement services,

• USCIS fees,

• refundable deposit,* and

• out-of-pocket expenses related to the family's state of residence and the country adopting from.  

Dillon International has relationships with licensed home study providers across the U.S. and can assist families living outside our service area in locating a licensed agency near them for these services.  For families living in Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and southern California (counties of Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial), Dillon International will provide their home study and post-placement services.  Dillon International's home study & post-placement fees for non-Hague countries is $2,900 and for Hague countries, it is $3,150 (in California these fees are slightly higher).

For a complete breakdown of expected fees and services for Dillon's Ethiopia program (through our affiliation with Buckner), please see the Explanation of Fees and Services in Dillon's adoption application packet which can be downloaded from our website.

aaa

*Each family adopting with Dillon International will also be required to pay a $500 Refundable Deposit which will be returned in a lump sum after the family provides Dillon with the following:
1) proof of a will
2) proof of their child's U.S. final adoption decree/ registration
3) copies of their child's in-country adoption documents (exception for Korea)
4) proof of their child's Social Security Number
5) proof of their child's U.S. Certificate of Citizenship
6) submission of all post-placement reports required by their child's birth country
Families must provide this documentation within three (3) years after their child arrives home in order to receive their refund.

[up]

• Dillon International believes that post-adoption support fosters an overall positive adoption experience for both adoptee and adoptive family

• Our long-term experience has shown us that adoptees develop a better sense of identity, purpose, and boost in their self-confidence from an understanding and appreciation of their birth heritage

• The agency provides a variety of activities and events to allow an adoptee and his/her family to celebrate his/her birth heritage

• Dillon International also provides counseling and assistance to young adult adoptees who want to search for additional background information about their adoption or their birth family

• For more information on specific heritage events, visit the post-adoption section of Dillon's website

[up]

Dillon International is committed to improving the lives of Ethiopia's children whether they are available for adoption or not.  Through our affiliation with Buckner, Dillon's OrphanCare International is now able to assist in providing aid to both orphaned children and the local Ethiopian community through Buckner-established programs such as:

• A baby home which cares for up to 22 infants and toddlers

• A foster care program

• A training program for street youth in Addis Ababa

• Basic skills training program for disadvantaged women

• Distribution of seeds for crops plus vitamins and food to over 300,000 farmers in the Oromia region

Dillon's OrphanCare International is ONLY able to work with the established programs in the countries currently listed on our website.  Because of limited resources we are not able to respond to new requests for aid.

For more information on how Dillon and Buckner are working together to improve the lives of children in Ethiopia and in other countries, please visit Dillon's humanitarian aid website: www.orphancareintl.org and click on Ethiopia.

[up]

About Us  l  Privacy Policy  l  Terms of Service  l  Impacting Lives Report  l  Annual Report  
Copyright (c) 2011  DILLON INTERNATIONAL, INC. All contents of Dillon's website are copyrighted and protected under the United States and other copyright laws. All other rights reserved. Dillon International, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and is classified as a public charity under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.
For website questions or comments, please email Dillon's webmaster or call 918.749.4600.