[lil_hobo]

Hi there,

I have been working on adopting 2 little girls from Honduras, and the laws in the country will currently require me to work with an agency that is price gouging us (the ONLY agency) so we are beginning to consider trying to get the girls into the USA, at least temporarily, on student visas....

Anyone have contacts on dealing with SMALL children coming into the USA on student visas?

Their orphanage is closing, so we are hoping to get them home soon... and maybe work to adopt them in the future or through other means...

Thanks Stefanie

[spitzlvr]

How young? Are they old enough to be in school?

[BrandyHagz]

I am going to PM Sak - one of the members here with a lot of info on Imigration laws and what not...I'll ask her to come here and answer your question.

I believe, as the law reads, that brining children to the US with the intent to adopt on another kind of Visa is illegal and can result in some legal issues for you.

Anyway, I will PM Sak and hopefully she can come here and post regarding this issue.

[lil_hobo]

Answers

1. The girls are almost 10 and 8... they are in 2nd and 3rd grade now.

2. At this point, we aren't LOOKING to adopt them thru illegal means in the USA, just to get them here with us SAFE... and possibly pursue a LEGAL adoption thru their country when the laws hopefully change for the better or another (non-price gouging) agency becomes available...

Thanks
Stefanie

[Jackobanzi]

I remember reading your other post about the price gouging. I'm in West Africa, in a country NO agency, not even a price gouging one, works with, but I also live here...so I'm doing this independently. I've got a local lawyer here (I think you said you have one in Honduras) and a lawyer who will help me when I move back to the US.

Other than that, I'm working with the embassy here (I bet the embassy in Honduras would help you) and doing all the paperwork myself. Can you not do this for Honduras? Do their laws say "Adoption only happens through X agency"? PM me if you think there might be a way to work around them (taking on LOADS of paperwork responsibility, by the way) and want some help figuring it out.

BTW, the student visa thing seems quite iffy and scary to me...especially since they're young kids. Are student visas even given for kids who aren't in university?

Whatever you do, good luck.

[lil_hobo]

hi there, thanks for your response...

Unfortunately ALL adoptions in Honduras MUST go through an approved agency... so without an agency, there is no adoption. The authorities in the country seem unwilling to budge on this (it IS in the law, and necessary in order to bring the child OUT of Honduras)...

As for the student visas, it isn't highly publicized whether small kids are able to get student visas. From what I have read on some of the immigrations sites, children CAN come on student visa (of course with LOTS of paperwork and expenses and a sponsor etc) IF they go to an approved PRIVATE school.

I have been working on this research for a long time, but as I said, the information is pretty limited... and the immigration hotline people are confused/unwilling to answer when I called them today.

Thanks, I am always open to helping with paperwork, if you need guidance for your own process, PM me!
Stefanie

[sak9645]

Getting student and medical visas for any foreigner, young or old, is not easy. Your best bet is to contact a reputable American immigration attorney, who can tell you about the current climate and whether it's worth pursuing this route.

And remember that if you get these children into the U.S. on student or medical visas, the law will require them to return home. If you want to adopt them, you will still have to go through their country of citizenship.

I am going to send you a PM about a reputable adoption agency that works in Honduras. I do NOT think it is the one you have consulted. It is ethical and highly experienced.

Sharon