[belleiniowa]

Hi, my husband have family living in the Phillipines and about a year ago, one of them told us about a friend looking for an adoptive placement. We couldn't help and it turned out fine as she was able to place with another family member, but I have thought about it since. How would you go about adopting from the Phillipines, could you do it in a simalar manner to our open adoptions here in the US? I know there are laws, dossiers, and INS issues, but do you need to go through an adoption agency? Or could you have your homestudy done and work directly with a lawyer there and another here? Adoption agencies charge so much more for child placement fees and such, if you found the child and wanted to have ongoing contact directly with birth families, isn't there a better way? Thanks for any help.

[jessibird]

I am not sure exactly because I am just starting the process of International Adoption as well, however if you PM me I can give you the name of our angency who does Phillipines adoption if you are interested.

[sak9645]

There is a very clear description of the process for adopting from the Philippines on the website of the U.S. State Department. Here is the web address:
Intercountry Adoption Philippines.

1. As the website indicates, most U.S. citizens, including citizens of Philippine ancestry, must adopt through the Inter-Country Adoption Board (ICAB) in the Philippines. You can go to the ICAB website at Inter-Country Adoption Board (ICAB) - Home.

Philippine law requires those Americans to use a licensed American agency that ICAB has accredited. The ICAB website has a list of agencies that have accreditation. This agency will ensure that the Americans meet the requirements of the Philippine and US governments.

The American family is not allowed to contact pregnant women or women who have children whom they cannot support. ICAB will oversee the referral of a child who has already been relinquished or abandoned, and who is already in the care of the government.

Once a referral has been made and accepted, the parents will go to the Philippines and bring their child home under a decree of guardianship. After a six month period of post-placement supervision by the adoption agency, the family finalizes the adoption in the U.S., and a copy of the final decree is sent to the Philippines.

2. Americans who have been residing in the Philippines can adopt without going through ICAB or a U.S. agency, and can identify a child on their own, if they have resided in the country for at least three years immediately before filing a petition to adopt a child with the Philippine Court. The Court will process and finalize the adoption.

However, if the child does not meet the definition of an "eligible orphan" under the terms of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act -- for example, if he/she was adopted directly from a married couple -- he/she will not be eligible for a visa to enter the U.S. until the parents have had legal and physical custody of the child for two years.

3. Under certain circumstances, an American of Filipino heritage can adopt a relative's child, under a special set of ICAB rules. The child must be related to the American "within the fourth degree of consanguinity", as defined in the law of the Philippines. (An American agency should be able to determine if a particular child qualifies for this route to adoption.) The child must also qualify for an adoption visa, by being an "eligible orphan" under U.S. law; otherwise the new parents will not be able to bring him/her into the U.S. unless they live overseas with him/her for two years.

In general, the Philippine adoption process can be long and somewhat complicated. Both the Philippine government and the U.S. government scrutinize all paperwork very carefully, since there have been many attempts to adopt and immigrate children in violation of U.S. and Philippine law.

Sharon