[pkthomas]

It is February 16, 2011. I wanted to let anyone interested in adopting from Bulgaria to be informed of the present apparent wait time for a healthy child. I am not an expert, I am just in the process and these are my observations. I am certain some people (who sometimes are secretly affilated with an adoption agency) will disagree with me.
Because Bulgaria adoptions came to a near halt until recently, they have over a thousand dossiers waiting to be referred children. Every couple of weeks they come out with a general list of referrals given. This list is of about 15-20 children. A lot of those referrals have either special needs or are listed as "features in health status."
Currently for healthy children, they are only on the 2006 dossiers for children up to 3 years old, 2006 dossiers for children up to 4 years old, 2008 dossiers for children up to 5 years old, 2008 dossiers for children up to 6 years old, 2009 dossiers for children up to 7 years old and 2010 dossiers for children up to 8 years old. I personally haven't seen any referrals for healthy children under that 3 year mark, but I am not saying they do not exist.
Add in the six months to get your dossier prepared and sent to Bulgaria and then another 2 months to get your dossier registered with the Ministry of Justice in Bulgaria and you will have a rough time frame.
I keep hearing that Bulgaria is going to really get things moving soon, but after seeing only three healthy referrals given out this week in Bulgaria, I don't know when that is going to happen.
This could obviously all change and I certainly hope it does. I want people looking into adopting from Bulgaria to get the current adoption time frame, unlike I am seeing on some adoption agency websites or the untrue short time frame I was told.

[donnabc]

wow, sounds like a long time for NSN.

[Abdulina]

I have to agree that for healthy children, Bulgaria is going to have a VERY long wait time. We are being submitted VERY soon for 3 special needs children. All older. For those on the special needs list, there is still a wait though not as long. For us, we should have already gone on trip one by now but major, major immigration delay/ complication (have a daughter that was almost 18yo). I personally would not believe claims either for a quick referral. For the past year I've heard how things are going to start moving along. They are moving yet not nearly like other countries in EE. If adopting from Bulgaria, be prepared to wait. This btw, is our longest wait time for an adoption...ever. We have 7 kids, all internationally adopted. I thought the 9 months we waited for Yana & alex was long. Not even.

[kjpiazza]

Thank you so much!

[Filmflower]

Hi pkthomas, my husband and I are looking at adopting from Bulgaria from Canada. Are the wait times for a child under 3 still as bad as you posted last year? We were quoted 2-2.5 years wait.

[socialkat78]

Expect at least that long, if not longer based on the way referrals are being issued. If you are willing to adopt a child off the waiting child list, then it will be a shorter wait.

[Filmflower]

Our agency had said the Ministry of Justice in Bulgaria were matching about 10 children a week with families around the world. It does seem like with recent reforms in 2009 that things are improving in Bulgaria, while still slow, things don't seem as bad as Russia is getting with their new 30 day appeal period or Kazakhstan's new Hague reforms causing additional delays for families and agencies having to get re-accredited under Hague policy.

[socialkat78]

The thing that is still slowing them down is that they are still matching dossier from 2009 and just beginning 2010. The exception is for families who are willing to adopt older children or children with moderate to severe special needs. The wait is still going to be at least 2 years if not 3 for the referral of a healthy toddler (that is once you are registered with the MOJ). Domestic adoptions for non-Roma kids are increasing in Bulgaria and the government has programs that the Roma are participating in that prevents their children to be available for adoption at younger ages. Not trying to be negative, but want families to go in with open eyes....this will be a longer wait, but these are also amazing kids.

[cburga]

Does any one know if there has been any change in the wait times for Bulgaria?

[Abdulina]

We just came back 6 months ago. Wait times are getting better but for healthy toddlers, still awhile. Some are changing their parameters to help things along. Here is a blog that gives that info about dossiers and such:
The Road Less Traveled

If you search the blog, you'll see the meetings posted. ON some of them, she gives how long it took and the wait statistics. They're worth the wait. BTW, as for the medical info, you may want to take w/ a grain of salt. Example of my kids now home from Bulgaria.

Boy-- dx'd w/ epilepsy, delays, known to steal,lie, beg in the streets, takes anti-psychotics & a few other dx's. He is home now. VERY sweet boy who is 11yo. Smart, no epilepsy, never on anti-pyschotics, extremely healthy. Found out he was a little "soccer star" of sorts over there and won tournaments! Only home 6 months and can read and knows English now.

Our daughter that just turned 10yo. Said to be very mentally retarded, wets the bed, strabismus, etc. Made her sound very unappealing in many areas. She is extremely bright. Knows English. Only needed glasses, does not wet the bed. VERY healthy.

Our daughter that just turned 5yo. Was said to be VERY delayed. Missing part of her brain. and the list could go on w/her. She is the light of our lives! She is missing her corpus callosum but really no big deal. Sounds worse than it is. I wrote a post about her today: 10 in 2010--The Journey of a Lifetime. Tells you her progress.

Very, very daunting medicals and I have 3 very healthy kids on my hands now. All orphanage kids will have issues. I am not downplaying that at all. Just saying that many can overcome most if not all the issues once home. Meet the child first before coming to the conclusion. There are some situations though that if you know for a fact you can't handle, don't accept. Know also though, medicals over in EE are much, much different than yours or mine here stateside. Good luck to all on finding your children. Bulgaria IS worth the wait.

[cburga]

Thank you Stephanie! I am trying to decide if I should wait for Bulgaria or adopt from Russia so your response is helpful since you have experience with both.
Your children sound amazing....if your son was a soccer star in Bulgaria he could be a super star here! Hope he keeps playing!!!
Thanks again!!! Francine

[socialkat78]

Cburga, couldn't send you a message since your inbox is full.

[cburga]

Sorry...I'm new at this. I just deleted some messages. Should be good now.

[tdcloer]

The timeline we've gotten from one agency for Bulgaria, healthy child, up to the age of 3 is as follows:

4 - 6 months to complete paperwork, homestudy, etc, and get the dossier sent to Bulgaria

12 - 24 months to wait for referral

5 - 7 months from referral to finalization

Based on that we're expecting ~3 years, but have spoken with another family that said it took them about 4. Does that timeline sound in line with what people are hearing or have experienced?

[Filmflower]

Hi tdcloer, my husband and I are looking for a child 3 and under from Bulgaria too. We have been told it could be about 3 years for a referral, but no one really knows the wait, it's really up to what children are available 3 and under and what special needs you are willing to accept.

We're at the stage of submitting our homestudy to our province for the Letter of Approval, which can take up to 6 weeks to come back. I would say it would take more like 6 months to get all your documents, PRIDE training and homestudy done (or if you've done that, about the same time for a homestudy update and renewing all your documents).

So 6 months, about 3 years and once you get a child match you travel to the country for 5 days, wait 3 months for the courts to finalize while you're back home and then go back to pick up your child and finalize documents about 7 days. This is if everything runs like clockwork. So I'm ball parking about 4-5 years total process.

Well worth it in the end though! If you think about how long some people have to wait to get a child match from China (about 7-9 years!) plus the extra admin time, this is much shorter.

Hope your journey is a good one to Bulgaria to meet your child!