[Bunnyhop]

Hi Joy
We are a Canadian family and had hoped to adopt from SA. Our Canadian consulate finally said that they would not allow SA kids into Canada. I know a Canadian family that adopted twin and it took then a few years to get them out of SA and into Canada. I am not sure how SA in doing with implementing the Hague convention.... but when we were hoping to adopt they were just starting. We ended up adopting from Liberia. It was very simple and quick. A infant adoption takes 2 weeks in Liberia. I am not sure how that would work for an Austrailian famiy as you have more srestrictive adoption rules than we do. (Canada is also a Hague country.)
I am sorry that I do not have better news for you - I just know for Canadians it really isn't possible right now.
Carol

[MkMw]

Not knowing when you went through your adoption...I can tell you that S.A. decided not to cooperate with countries who hadn't signed Hague - sometime in early 2003 I think. We adopted our sons there in July 2002, I think the U.S. still has not signed- but I'm not sure.

I know our next adoption will be domestic (U.S.) or not at all. I was there for 4 months and a week. Can't do it again.

[Bunnyhop]

Sorry - Yes I should have given a time frame on our SA adoption attempt. We were looking at doing the adoption in 2003. Our problem wasn't the SA government but the Canadian immigration. Most of the adoptions at theat time anyway were being done wilt a guardianship order and then the adoption order was granted in your home country. This is good enough for us when we adopted from the USA but the Canadain Immigration in SA did not like this. That is where the problems happened.
It is 2006 now and I really don't know how things are working. When we went to adopt again our Canadian social worker/adoption agency had just finished getting these kids out of SA and were clear that they were not going to do another adoption from SA. Much too long to complete immigration.
I can probably dig up the name of the lawyer who is doing the guardianship orders but I can not recommend him as I know of no one who has used him. (The Canadain adoption agency that we used had a social worker from South Africa on staff and even then could not set up a program.)
Carol

[Rubi]

Sorry, I didn't read all the posts...But am I the only one living in SA? We stay here...been born here and adopted 2 lovely boys RSA.....

[KarynB]

Hi Rubi!

So great to see someone who lives in SA on here!

This is a VERY quiet forum - the last post was in 2006!

Anyways - where abouts are you? We live in Canada with our two SA boys and our bio daughter- but are most likely going to be in Cape Town for 2010 while I study at UCT. I'd SO love to chat with you about your experiences with adoption and living in SA - are you South African citizens?

Hope to chat more soon...Karyn