Adoption Associates, Inc: Domestic Infant and International Adoption Agency

Ethiopia has been doing adoptions for several years with European countries and the United States. Ethiopia was fourth on the list of countries from which children are adopted by Americans for the years 2007 and 2008. AAI has been licensed in Ethiopia since February 2006.

Adoptive parents, either married or single, must be 25 to 54 years old and couples must be married for at least two years. Parents where at least one spouse is age 49 or younger will be permitted to adopt an infant. Parents age 50 to 54 may adopt a child age five years or older.

Although this is a topic the Ethiopian government has addressed, there have been no new laws put into place regarding single women not being eligible to adopt from Ethiopia. There is the risk that at some point this may change; however, Ethiopia currently does not have restrictions for single women.

Yes, couples must have been married for a minimum of one year. All parents must be 25 years or older to adopt from Ethiopia. At least one parent must be under 50 years old when the court proceedings take place in order to adopt an infant. If both parents are 50 years or older they would be eligible to adopt a child over the age of five if at least one parent is under age 54 when the court proceedings take place. Single females may also adopt from Ethiopia.

Yes, adoptive parents may have other children already in their family. Adoptive parents, however, may only have adopted from two other countries in order to adopt from Ethiopia.

Yes, it is possible to adopt sibling groups or unrelated children, especially older children. Adopting more than one child at a time requires only one dossier, so there is no additional paperwork, and it is much less costly to adopt two children at once than to complete two separate adoptions.

It is recommended that families take an additional $300-400 with them when they travel. This will be for tips and other nominal charges, such as entrance to the museums and orthodox churches. If families travel to other regions of Ethiopia, an additional cost will be incurred.

No, it will be translated into the Amharic language when it arrives in Ethiopia and that fee is outlined in the fee schedule.

Yes. The prospective adoptive parents will write a letter to the Ministry of Women, Youth and Children’s Affairs (the branch of the Ethiopian government that oversees adoptions) requesting permission to adopt a child from Ethiopia. The letter will be included with the dossier and will give information about the adoptive family. The letter will also state why the family wants to adopt a child from Ethiopia and how they will maintain the child’s culture and heritage.

Ask yourself these questions and be very honest in your answers. If you can answer the majority of these statements below with a YES, you are ready for an international adoption experience.

• I am goal oriented. Once I make up my mind to do something, I almost always accomplish it.
• I feel I handle stressful situations well. I’ve found ways to reduce my stress level before I “blow up.”
• I consider myself to be a patient person in situations that others find trying.
• I have a good sense of humor. It helps me keep things in perspective.
• Differences interest me. I find it rewarding to try new things. I like travel, meeting new people, trying different foods, etc.
• Challenges make me determined to succeed and I do not give up easily.
• When faced with a problem I become a problem solver. My motto is, “where there is a will, there is a way.”
• My friends, family, and coworkers would say that I am a loyal person.
• I am realistic in my expectations of myself and others. When things don’t go as I’ve planned, I can adjust.
• Even though my family and friends sometimes let me down, I can overlook their shortcomings and accept them as they are.
• I am usually an optimistic person. I like to look on the bright side of things.
• I like to do things my way but can accept the fact that some things are out of my control.
• I have a lot of support in my life from family and friends.
• I am pro-active. I value the advice of others and seek help when I need it.

The length of the process will depend on your preferences in regards to age and gender. You typically receive a referral within about three to twelve months after your dossier is sent to Ethiopia. Once you accept your referral, you will travel to attend the court hearing. You will then travel to bring your child home. The length of time from acceptance of referral and bringing your child home is usually about five months.

Yes, children are permitted to travel with adoptive parents. The trip may be a bit difficult for some, especially if they are young, but may be a wonderful experience as well. Please note that there will be additional travel expenses as a result. We recommend that you talk this through with your consultant when planning your travel.

Yes. AAI is currently working with orphanages in and around Addis Ababa. Most of the orphanages operate on limited budgets, and, therefore, they greatly appreciate donations. Donations of formula are especially needed. Other items appreciated are diapers (cloth and disposable), clothing and shoes for children of all ages, and medicines.

If you are interested in donating to an orphanage in Ethiopia, please contact AAI or visit our donation page for more information.

You will stay in Ethiopia 5 - 8 nights on your first trip and 3 - 4 nights on your second trip. You will also have one day traveling to Ethiopia and one day traveling home. During the time that you are in Ethiopia, you will have many opportunities for sightseeing.

You will stay in a lodge that is approved by our facilitator in Ethiopia. It will be in a safe area and surrounded by restaurants and stores. The lodge has an internet connection, laundry service, and the cost is reasonable.

Infants as young as six months of age at the time of referral are able to be adopted. There are also toddler, pre-school age, and older children, up to the age of 15, that are available for adoption.

For the most part, they are either a) economic orphans, b) completely abandoned, or c) orphaned due to the death of one of their parents. When one birth parent or birth family member is still alive, we will try to arrange for you to meet him or her during your trip to Ethiopia.

The children in the orphanages receive excellent care. Infants and small children are out of their cribs and with the caregivers as much as possible. Older children have a great deal of interaction with the caregivers and with each other.

The children have been tested for HIV on at least two occasions. Some children are tested when they enter the orphanage, but all children are tested by our pediatrician at the time of the referral medical evaluation. They are also tested again by the U.S. Embassy doctor before the child’s visa is issued.

Yes. The process for adopting an HIV positive baby is very similar to the process of adopting a “healthy” child. Prior to Jan 2010 families needed to file additional paperwork (request for a waiver) at the embassy because an HIV positive child was considered inadmissible. They would then wait for the waiver to be issued, which took about 10 days, before they would be approved to bring their child home. As of Jan 2010 an HIV positive child is not considered inadmissible. The only real difference is that your home study and immigration approval would need to indicate that you are approved for a special needs child.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is not common among Ethiopian children, mostly due to the economic conditions of the country.

Yes. When you receive the referral of a child, the referral will include as much social history as we have available to us, a medical report and pictures. The social history may include birth parent information, why the child is an orphan, and how long the child has been in the orphanage. The medical evaluation is performed by our pediatrician on staff and tests for HIV, Hepatitis B and VDRL are completed.

Yes! AAI has a site that allows you to create your own adoption-themed journal and post updates about your adoption journey that your family and friends can respond to with their own comments. Best of all, this service is free to families adopting through AAI.

Families adopting from China, Ethiopia or Russia can customize their journal by choosing a country-specific background. These themes feature children’s artwork created with various types of artistic mediums or international artifacts and will give your adoption journal an international flair. Generic backgrounds are also available for families adopting from other countries.

Have photos that you would like to share? When you create a journal, you will be able to post an unlimited number of pictures to your journal for your family and friends to enjoy without ever leaving their homes. Because all journals are password-protected, you’ll be able to rest easy in the knowledge that only those who have your password will be able to view your postings. Once your journal is set up, simply share the site link and password with friends and family that you would like to keep updated about your adoption journey.

To start your journal today, visit http://www.adoptionjournals.org, or ask your international consultant for more information.