How Does The Adoption Process Work?

The process outlined below describes a typical IAG adoption. The length of time required to complete an adoption will vary depending on the child preference specifications and the availability of the children who are eligible for adoption. Flexibility is the key to an expedited placement.

All prospective parents are first required to complete a homestudy. The homestudy must be performed by a licensed social worker or by a representative from a licensed agency. IAG is now able to complete homestudy services throughout the state of Pennsylvania for prospective adoptive parents. The homestudy generally takes 6 - 8 weeks, depending on the length of time parents take to complete the necessary paperwork. Please consult with IAG prior to making a commitment to have your home study prepared since our regions will not accept home studies from certain agencies.

After completing the above, the agency requires all prospective parents to be interviewed personally to assure that both parties are compatible and that prospective parents understand the complexities that often accompany international adoption.

If the prospective parents are accepted into the program, a referral will be made by the appropriate government offices in the Russian Federation to prospective foreign families whose dossiers have been registered with the appropriate adoption officials. The referral process varies between Russia and Guatemala. See the Guatemala Program section for more details. IAG can assist families with the dossier registration and the entire adoption process.

After obtaining a referral, prospective families travel to Russia. Again, because of the difference in the referral process, the travel arrangements are different for adoptions from Russia and Guatemala.

Adoptions from Russia require two trips; the first lasting 4 to 5 days and the second lasting 5 to 6 days. Adoptions from Guatemala require one trip lasting 3-6 days. IAG assists in all travel, visa and document preparation and translations. Parents are escorted throughout the entire trip(s). Both parents are required to travel to Russia and generally do so with two or three other families. One parent may be able to travel to Guatemala to bring home the child, but it is highly recommended that both parents meet the child in Guatemala prior to the finalization in the country.

Adoptions from Russia require prospective parents to finalize the adoption at a court hearing. Following the hearing, the judge may waive or impose a mandatory 10 day waiting period during which time a birth parent could file an objection to the adoption. Generally, this period is waived based on the prior release signed by the birth parent(s) but the period could be imposed based on the decision of the judge. Adoptions from Guatemala currently do not require a court hearing (see Guatemala Program for details).