[orphanagemom]

Hi,
I'm new to all this, but our adoption is done now, and we go to the Philippines in a few weeks to pick up our daughter. Whatever you do, do not go through an attourney to adopt. ICAB in the Philippines wil not put it through. They will simply discard it, and you will not hear back from them. You absolutely have to go through an adoption agency. We checked all of them out, and were told by the people at the orphanage we are adopting from that there are only 2 or 3 that they even like to work with. Good luck!

[LindaO]

Actually, it's more specific than 'who they like.' Adoptions thru ICAB are allowed only thru Approved agencies. Always ask a prospective agency about this. You can view the list of approved agencies at ICAB's web site: http: //www. skyinet.net /~ icaba
(remove spaces to have correct addy) Click on ForeignPartners. The agencies listed can usually serve families iliving in any states.

Best wishes on your upcoming trip. When you walk up the steps into the foyer of ICAB, look at the wall directly in front of you and have your camera ready. You will receive a "personal" welcome!

[johnny]

I don't recall seeing anything except for the building to the right of the path and maybe the driveway and trees, but we were looking for people.

Johnny

[LindaO]

I'm referring to the wall directly in front of you as you enter ICAB's front door. Don't want to spoil the surprise for a scheduled family with more info.

[orphanagemom]

Thanks!
We can't wait to go. We might possibly be getting to see our little one before we go to the office. We'll be getting there friday night, and we're going to the orphanage to take a bunch of books, vitamins, a few "silky" blankets for the babies, and some money on Saturday, so we will probably get to see her then. Our situation is a little different though, my husband was adopted from this same orphanage, and went back to see where he was from about a year and a half ago, and we have been helping out ever since. We email on a weekly, and sometimes daily basis with the nuns that care for the children there, and we've had updates on our daughter each week, as well as updates on what exactly they were doing with our adoption during the waiting periods. It has been an incredible experience to know exactly what goes on. We have even been able to call a few times to talk with them. Our daughter, however, won't stay on the phone long enough to say hi. She is only two!

[LindaO]

hmmm,
"Usually" the child's icab sw (not orphanage sw) will meet you and escort you to receive your child the day after you arrive. That's why icab asks your agency for your trip iteniary/hotel before you travel. The visit to icab is a courtesy visit for the icab sw to see how you are before traveling home.

However, your situation may be unique, so probably best for you to your agency what to expect!

again, Congratulations and best wishes!

[orphanagemom]

Hi,
Just to update everyone, we will go pick up our daughter in 1 or 2 weeks. We just talked to the Sisters at the orphanage, and we will be staying there for the 2 weeks of our visit!!! We are staying a little longer than needed because we want to help out at the orphanage, and play with all the little angels too! We are so excited, and they told us all about what our little one has been doing this week - usually we get an email, but this time we called. While we are there, we will get to share the story of my husbands adoption as well as our own with the directors at ICAB, and we will be going back next year to be guests at the Global Conference.

If I can be of any help at all to anyone starting their adoptions, my number one bit of advice - and this comes from the Directors of the orphanage as well, is to make sure you go through an accredited AGENCY. Not a social worker or an attorney, as the ICAB will not put your adoption through. If anyone wants to know details on who we went through, please pm me, I'd love to share info. There are only three that they "prefer", and they gave the names of them to my husband when he visited. We simply went through the one that knew all the answers! Good luck to all.
Jen

[pebbz]

please provide an update for us on your trip to the Philippines! and also i would like to know what agencies they "prefer". thanks a bunch!

Marian

[PinayMom]

i am new to the group and i need a piece of advice from everyone.

my husband and i (both US citizens) is currently residing in the philippines. we are in the process of adopting an orphan child domestically through DSWD and the local courts. after the adoption be finalized and all, we are planning to go back to the states with the new child for her to go through readoption. this would be a benefit for her so she can obtain a US adoption decree which would be recongnized in the whole of the US, and also get a citizenship.

would it be a problem getting a visa from immigrations? what type of visa would it be?

i need your advice...

[LindaO]

<<<after the adoption be finalized and all, we are planning to go back to the states with the new child>>>

PI strongly enforces child protection, therefore there are special docs for any PI child to leave the country. Have you spoken to ICAB to make certain you will receive these docs? Contact info is found at their website:
http:// www.skyinet.net/ ~icaba (remove spaces)

You will also find the procedures, at the ICAB website, for nonPI to adopt an identified PI child.

[johnny]

The US Embassy in Manila is really difficult to deal with if you process on your own. LindaO is correct. Both ICAB and the US Embassy are about the rules and any child leaving the Philippines for adoption falls under the jurisdiction of ICAB. Because you are a Philippine resident and adopting domestically, the jurisdiction of the child falls under (Children’s Welfare) DSWD and (ICAB) DSWD will not help you without an order coming directly from the court. They won't even accept a copy of your case coming from Children’s Welfare.

So if you can get ICAB to help you, jump through all the hoops, roll over and sit up and beg when they tell you to. Your lawyer really needs to understand the process well, so if he/she was not recommended to you by Children’s Welfare or ICAB then you might want to think twice and be very cautious about anyone that says this is an easy case.

Because you are not Filipino citizens, you will be required by the court to submit criminal clearance and legal capacity to adopt from your home country. The US Embassy will require a homestudy that is signed off by a licensed US agency. The “best way” under the current rules of getting these requirements done is to file the I600A and coordinate through ICAB. The rules probably won’t change by the time you are ready to file the I600 petition so this process will remain your best option. I would suggest that you forget that your process is domestic and go the Inter-Country adoption route with it’s definitions since the domestic requirements have changed in the last two years to include home country requirements of feigners anyway. The process will get easier if Inter country adoption reform happens sooner than your case is completed. Expect your case to last 2 ½-3 ½ years going the domestic route. If you can avail of dual citizenship then it’s to your advantage because of the residency rule. Dual citizenship is open to former Filipinos or to those that are recognized.

Assuming the child you are adopting is qualified as an orphan and you adopt in the Philippines then you will not have to readopt because the child will can avail of US citizen upon meeting the final decree requirements under the Child Citizen Act of 2000. BTW, if no one has told you yet you are required to have three years residency before you can file the adoption petition domestically. This requirement can only be waved if you are related to the child within the 4th degree. If you have filed a petition before you have meet this requirement, you case will be thrown out and you will have to re-file once you have completed the requirement.

HTH,

Johnny

If you really need the help PM me.

[PinayMom]

i understand the inter-country adoption has to go through ICAB. but, in my situation i did a domestic adoption since we currently reside in the philippines. we have complied all the necesary documents, information such as homestudy, interviews etc... for the processing of the domestic adoption. infact, we are in the matching stage which will take place a week from now. our intention is to get the new child a visa for us to take a trip to visit the US after the adoption is final (which is another 6 to 8 months from the time of placement).

do you know if i need to apply for the I-600 or I-600A? Or is it a different kind of visa/petition? i understand that I-600A is the Advance Processing (before you locate a child). But for instance, you already located a child, do you need to still submit an I-600A, or just I-600 alone? and if so, how long does this take for the processing and approval?

[sak9645]

... which could tell you the best way to proceed.

Sharon

[orphanagemom]

Hello,
This is James. My wife and I recently adopted our daughter from the Philippines out of the same orphanage that I was adopted from 31 years ago. In the process we have been able to establish a trusted relationship with the director of ICAB. In many of our discussions with these individuals a great deal of the confusion on what to do has been clarified. I agree with Johnny, when he says in a nut shell, to establish a good relationship with ICAB. This government entity can be extremely beneficial in helping couples eliminate some of the redundancy that happens so often in international adoptions to the Philippines with regards to the process (meaning the run around). They can't solve every issue that arises but they indefinately can set individuals on the correct path according to their circumstances.

On a side note. My wife and I hope to finish up a process model built on the standards for adopting children from the Philippines out the U.S. The model includes every aspect and involves every entity in the adoption process with a decomposition (detailed breakdown) of every regulation that has to be implemented within said process.
We have identified several areas that can be normalized (steps that can be reduced or possibly eliminated depending) and still maintain the full integrity of the process as a whole. The hope is to reduce the time and the cost of adoptions, which will in turn remove these two main deterents from the perception of PAPs (Perspective Adoptive Parents) with the hope of increasing the interest and application of said PAPs and therefore place more children into homes. Granted we are a long way from this model being complete, and even further from it being approved or implemented, but as an adoptee from the Philippines, now an adoptive father from the same institution, and a fund-raising supporter for the institution from which myself and my daughter came, I believe that there is great potential for getting involved at every level of the adoption process to play a part in its improvement for the benefit of the children as the result. I have benefited from being adopted and I am sure that our daughter will as well.

My wife and I will speaking at the 3rd International Conference for Adoptive Parents of Filipino Children on the benefits of adoption. We extend an invitation to all that would like to participate in the event. I personally feel that partipation in the conference is a great way to get involved.

Anyway enough of my babbling.
Johnny, thank you for your note. It was very informative.

James

[stampinjac]

hi i stumbled somewhere here that you have some docs available on adoption to the philippines. i could really really use your help. please contact me.. my email add is stampinjac@hotmail.com i would really appreciate it.