[lilmom613]

Has anyone adopted from Costa Rica? or happen to know anything about the Costa Rican adoption process?

[Quesita]

I've never heard anything about adoptions from Costa Rica. Costa Rica has a much stronger infrastructure than other countries in Central and South America, and the extreme poverty, discrimination/ marginalization of certain populations, displacement of refugee populations, and other factors that might lead to large numbers of children in need of families are much less common in Costa Rica.

I looked up some info, and only one child was adopted from CR in 2008. And it might have been a relative adoption.

Costa Rica Adoption - International, Agencies, Programs, Information, Costs -

May I ask why you are interested in Costa Rica?

[sak9645]

Here is what the U.S. government has to say about adoption from Costa Rica, which is a Hague-compliant country.

Costa Rica


Sharon

[vegaslilqt]

If you hear any more about this let me know! My husband and I would eventually like to live there.

[lilmom613]

I was looking at Hague accredited countires. I'm actually leaning towards Bulgaria through Adoption Ark. Waiting on my DH. Havent decided on an agency yet any help would be great.

[terryc0102]

My husband I adopted our son from Costa Rica. We might be that 2008 adoption one of the other replies mentioned. The courts down there approved our adoption in 2007, but we had to wait until Jan. 2008 for the consulate to issue his visa/IR-3.
It is difficult to adopt from CR. I think we got lucky because my husband is from there. So, we were able to get information from several sources. It could only be handled as a private/direct adoption. If you don't live there you cannot go through orphanages, etc. You must locate the child and then proceed. I think that is why we were lucky - my in-laws, etc. had all sorts of contacts.
Please, feel free to contact me if you want more information.

[farris.laura]

Hi to everyone! I am new to this website so bare with me. I was adopted in Costa Rica by a Caucasian American family in January 1972. I was only 2 weeks old and was adopted out of the orphange in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Many decades later I realize this was a very difficult adoption for my adoptive parents. Let me give you some insight on what I do know. It is a very long a tedious process. I don't know if the laws have changed since the 70's. Although my parents got me in 1972 the adoption did not become finalized until 1984. I did not become a US Citizen until 1986! Between 1972 and 1984 my parents had to make several trips back to Costa Rica, because of paper work and probably other things as well. All's I know it was a long an hard process to become final. On top of making several trips back to my birth place, they also had to make several trips to the Costa Rican Embassy in Washington DC.

If you are considering that is great, just be prepared for a long an exhaustive process. By all means don't be discourged!

[journeytolily]

I just saw recently that an adoption agency is starting a pilot program in Costa Rica. Apparently, since the US is now a Hague country, CR is willing to work with US parents.

[adoptlove66]

I just read on rainbow kids that Costa Rica is now open to the US for adoption.

[kentucky708]

It can take months to years. if you go thru pani it can be up to four years. if you do a private adoption thru lawyers then not nearly as long. if you don't have residency in costa rica, you are more than likely you can't adopt here. i tried private adoption here and had the baby here 3 months and the mother changed her ming after 3 months and came back to get the baby and it broke my heart. also with private adoptions you have to worry about other family members applying for the baby as well and they will get priority over you. be careful and good luck. i've been trying for four years and still not suceeded even with owning a hotel.

[sak9645]

I know of one highly reputable agency that has started a pilot program in Costa Rica. Most of the available children are 5 and over, and the agency warns that any pilot program has a certain degree of risk with regard to time frame and so on. The in-country stay is likely to be at least 6 weeks.

Sharon

Sharon

[anilorak13ska]

sak - I think you're talking about the same agency through which I found the pilot program in Costa Rica. Just wanted to bump and find out if there's any new info on this country. The agency guesstimates a 3-12 mo wait from dossier to referral, but I know it being a pilot program not sure how reliable that is. The alternative for us is Colombia, with a pretty much guaranteed 3-4 year dossier to referral wait. We sort of want to risk it with Costa Rica if there's a chance it can go quicker.

We can't afford to be simultaneously in both the Costa Rica and Colombia program, and we're trying to find a way not to have to wait that long!