International Adoption

Senator Lieberman's Constituent Service Center regularly receives the following questions regarding international adoption. If your question is not answered here, please send an email so that his staff may address your concern.

• I want to begin adopting a child from a foreign country. How can the United States Government help me?
• I am encountering complications or problems with the country from which I am adopting a child. Can Senator Lieberman help me?
• The country that I am adopting from has suspended international adoptions. Is there anything the Constituent Service Center can do to help me?

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Q: I want to begin adopting a child from a foreign country. How can the United States Government help me?

Prospective adoptive parents can access the best information on adopting children abroad from the Department of State Office of Children's Issues. The Department of State provides extensive information about the adoption processes in various countries and the U.S. legal requirements to bring a child adopted abroad to the United States. The Office of Children's Issues in the Bureau of Consular Affairs provides brochures describing the adoption process in numerous countries. In addition, it provides recorded information on international adoption for several countries on a twenty-four hour basis through its recorded telephone messages at 1-888-407-4747 and at Bureau of Consular Affairs.

If you have questions, please call the Office of Children's Issues at (202) 736-9090. You may also fax that office at (202) 736-9133, or write to:

Office of Children's Issues
2100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Suite 2100
Washington, D.C. 20522

Q: I am encountering complications or problems with the country from which I am adopting a child. Can Senator Lieberman help me?

In order to determine whether or not Senator Lieberman can help you, please write a letter or fax to Senator Lieberman's Hartford Office detailing the exact problem you are having and all the steps that you have taken thus far in your adoption process. Also include as much information about the child you are adopting as you can.

Q: The country that I am adopting from has suspended international adoptions. Is there anything the Constituent Service Center can do to help me?

First, check the Department of State or call the Department's information line (202) 736-9090 to see if there is an announcement that can answer your question. If this does not answer your question, please send us an email to explain what steps you have taken in your adoption process, including as much information as possible. Also include as much information on the child you are adopting as is available. A staff member will contact you as soon as possible if additional material or information is required.

 

The Joint Council is a non profit advocacy service that works on behalf of children in need of permanent families and for ethical practices within intercountry adoptions. The Joint Council is an excellent resource for parents looking to adopt children from abroad. Their homepage is located at http://www.jcics.org.

An overview of rule changes which took effect at the implementation of the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Inter-Country Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention) can be found here. The U.S. Department of State issued a Guide for Prospective Parents in October of 2006 which may be useful to you. You may find instructions for the Hague Adoption Process here, including what forms to file, which countries are Hague countries and a list of accredited adoption agencies. If you have questions about the materials on this page, you may contact the Office of Children's Issues at:

U.S. Department of State
Office of Childrens Issues
SA-29
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520

E-Mail:

Askcl@state.gov
AdoptionUSCA@state.gov

Phone:

1-888-407-4747 (From the U.S. or Canada)
1-202-501-4444 (Outside the U.S. or Canada)

Fax:

1-202-736-9080