Haiti
The Haiti Adoption Program is a long-established program; Hand In Hand began assisting with Haitian adoptions in 1990. The ongoing economic crisis in Haiti has meant an increase in the number of children in crèches, or orphanages, in need of homes.
Prior to Haiti becoming a party to the Hague Convention on adoption, Hand in Hand worked with two crèches in Haiti. In September 2016, Hand in Hand was re-accredited to work in Haiti under the Hague Convention process. The Central Authority for adoption in Haiti is the Institut du Bein-Etre Social et de Recherches (IBESR) in Port-au-Prince. This is the office which approves families to adopt and matches families to children. Only IBESR can make the determination that a child is in need of and qualified for adoption and only IBESR can match a child to a family.
WHO CAN BE ADOPTED?
Age at time of match: toddler to 15 years old.
Sibling groups are available.
All children are of African descent.
Healthy children and children with special needs (defined by IBESR as children with challenges including behavior disorders or trauma, physical or mental disabilities, and those who are six years or older and/or members of a sibling group).Do you have a relative in Haiti you would like to adopt? We have successfully helped many families in the U.S. adopt a relative still living in Haiti. Contact us to see how we can help.
WHO CAN ADOPT?
At least one spouse must be at least 30 years old (single applicants must be 35 years old) . No prospective adoptive parents over the age of 50 (relative adoptions excepted).
Prospective adoptive parents may be unmarried, married, or in common law relationships. Haitian procedures do not allow adoptions by same-sex couples regardless of their marital status.
Couples must be living together and married (or in common law relationship) at least five years.
Single heterosexual women accepted.
Potential adoptive parents must be habitually resident in a country other than Haiti (like the United States) in order to qualify for inter-country adoption.
Nurturance period of 2 years from time of finalization of a previous Haitian adoption before submitting a new application to adopt from Haiti.
Travel Requirements:
Adoptive parents must travel twice. Trip 1: Bonding (both parents must travel) trip of at least 15 days. Trip 2: After visa approval, 5 days.
Your child’s adoption is finalized in Haiti. Children receive a U.S. visa and become citizens upon arrival in the U.S.
TimeFrame
Average time frames range from 18 months to 3 years.
