[junikoro]

Hey, I am a senior and am doing a project about international adoption. I am trying to figure out what the biggest problem is that people have when adopting from foreign countries.

Please share with me your biggest problem.
thanks.

[mlb]

Choice of agency. Our agency sucked (though others had great experiences with them) and that effected everything else; wait time, problems with dossiers, lack of support, material expiring as they hold on to it. Good luck with your paper.

[kretzklan]

Dealing with a foreign government - heck, even our own government. They do not do things on the time frame that we expected...our case did not matter in the bigger scheme of things. Often the Russian government would shut down for a lengthy holiday break and we would just be waiting...
It's hard when you have no control over much of anything!

[babystork]

If your agency turns out to be inexperienced or unethical.

[angelkisses0102]

Unethical agency...and being uneducated by said agency as to what to expect when adopting a post institutionalized child.

[junikoro]

thanks for all your replies. we're trying to narrow down our options and you've definitely helped. if anyone else has any problems they had, please continue sharing.

[kretzklan]

I didn't realize you are adopting. I thought you were just doing a project. Good luck either way!

[Bunnygirl]

Dealing with governments is the biggest problem -- and not just the foreign ones!!! We switched from China to Vietnam when the wait-time tripled/quadrupled & everything at the Vietnam end has gone smoothly so far but the USDOS & USCIS seem intent on making everything as difficult as possible. Fortunately, we're some of the lucky ones and we've FINALLY gotten our I-600 approval so that we can travel!

Definately govt. agencies are the biggest pain, they're bad enough at the city level but once you get to the federal level you begin to have a new understanding of the sort of things that citizens of the former Soviet Union had to live with!

[Jessi_76]

The most difficult thing about international adoption is the financial aspect - the planning to make it work, and the stress that it causes. The feeling that it is out of your control as you wait for the foreign (in our case, Russian) government to pick apart your paperwork and assign children to you is also daunting as they have so many regulations. The US Government can be difficult too if either spouse has ever had an arrest.

Our agency is absolutely wonderful, so we have no qualms whatsoever on that end, thankfully.

Good luck!

[junikoro]

Thanks guys. We finished our paper and are now making our 40 minute powerpoint. ugh. does anyone have an opinon on celebrity advantages for international adoption? Input from "real people" would be sweet to have in our presentation.

[jenniferccollins]

These days, adopting overseas isn't as easy as it used to be. Agencies go out of business. Countries close their doors to international adoptions. I'm a reporter doing a story about international adoptions and the struggles that parents are facing in adopting overseas. If you have a story to share please call at 213.621.4648 or email jcollins@marketplace.org

Thanks.

[junikoro]

k well, we finished our entire project and got an A. yay. so send any replies to our reporter up there ^.

thank you.