Adopting from the Dominican Republic

How To Adopt Adoption Process Dominican Republic

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  Written by Suzanne Gee on 02 May 2016

The Dominican Republic is a country occupying the Eastern portion of the island of Hispaniola in the Carribbean.  Haiti occupies the western third of the island.  

Children available for adoption from Dominican Republic have a wide range of special needs, from developmental delays to children who are HIV+.  Older children and sibling groups are also waiting for their forever families.  While waiting, children are cared for in both foster homes or orphanges.  The children are often abandoned or found working in the streets due to the poor economic situation of their parents   Dominican children are of Hispanic descent, or are often bi-racial as there is a large Haitian minority in the country. Most of the children will have brown eyes, light brown or dark brown skin, and black or brown hair.  Some children may be of pure African or Haitian ethnicity. 

Adopting from the Dominican Republic might be a good option for your family!  Here is some more information about the program:

Why is it such a good program?

• It is very ethical and regulated.
• There is an incredible need. Many children are abandoned either at birth or later because of parent’s inability to provide
• Families will be able to adopt children as young as 1 year old.

How long do I need to wait to adopt a healthy child?

• Ages 1-3: 1.5 years
• Ages 3-5: 1 year
• Ages 5+: Less than a year

Are there waiting children?

• Yes, there are children ages 7 and up, especially sibling groups who need families. We are currently advocating for a healthy sibling group of 3, two brothers and a sister, ages 5-8.
• There are waiting children that are HIV+ who need immediate homes, ages one and up.
• Children with certain developmental delays of all ages.

How long do I need to stay in the country?

• The Dominican Republic requires one long trip, up to 4 months. Both parents have to spend 4-5 weeks with the child during the cohabitation period.
• The reason for a long trip is that after the bonding time with the parents the child cannot go back to the orphanage or with the foster parents. One of the parents or a family member has to care for the child until court, and all the follow up procedures of obtaining adoption and birth certificates, medical checks, and visas are completed.

Notwithstanding it is a long trip, it is a very unique opportunity to adopt a child or children ages one and up and an opportunity to bond with the child, get to know the country, and enjoy their wonderful people and beautiful country.

Adopting a child is one of the biggest decisions you will make. We understand that for some families a long stay would be hard to do but we strongly believe many families will create this opportunity and will deal with this inconvenience in order to be able to become parents to a child for a lifetime. Families are welcome to bring their children with them, or grandparents and other family members are welcome as well!

How does the process work?

It starts with applying to an agency and completing a home study. After the home study is completed, You will apply to Immigration Services. You will then submit all the necessary paperwork to the country after your Immigration approval is done. Families will then travel within a couple of months after the documents are registered in Dominican Republic.