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Hi, Soppies is right - there are very few direct placement adoption - the social worker we worked with in Durban (a large port city for those unfamiliar with it - I had never heard of it!) said there were only about 10 independent adoptions done a year. She had couples who had been waiting for over 2 years, I'm sure that they were not happy with the idea of an American couple adopting twins (who are white), but as the SW says Birthmothers have (and should keep) the right to choose who raises their children.
I found that the S.A. adoption laws and U.S. (in Virginia anyway) were very very similar. Our social worker there was able to use our homestudy as written with no changes. I did all the INS/VISA myself, she handled the court appearances etc, I also registered the adoption in S.A., and had the "pleasure" of visiting 4 different home affairs offices.
I know most of the children adopted are from orphanages, there is a 60 day period after the Birthparents sign to change their mind with no recourse, so many orphanages do not place children until that 60 days is up, we brought the boys home at 16 days, so it was 76 days total before they were legally able to be adopted.
Having done an independent international adoption (which I wouldn't trade for ANYTHING), it is probably not something that will ever be common. I was in South Africa for 4 months and 1 week - not exactly "normal" travel time (the last 2 months had to do with their Birthfather). BUT on the plus side I got to see alot of the country and bring home lots of pictures of the boys in the country they were born in. I also have their abridged OBC's - I was not allowed to get the unabridged, and their unabridged ABC's are handwritten....it was a very different experience!
michelle
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