Adopting from the Dominican Republic: A Complete Guide

Adopting from the Dominican Republic: A Complete Guide for U.S. Families

By: Adoption.com Staff | Date: 5/14/2026

The Dominican Republic is one of a small number of Caribbean nations with an active Hague Convention intercountry adoption program. It is a stable, well-run program that places children with U.S. families each year. The central authority is CONANI, the Consejo Nacional para la Niñez y la Adolescencia, which oversees both the administrative and the judicial phases of every intercountry adoption.

One thing families should know right away: the Dominican Republic requires both parents to live in the country with their child for a bonding and cohabitation period before the adoption can be finalized. This is not a short visit. It is a meaningful commitment of several months. For families who can make it work, it is also one of the most remarkable parts of the journey.

Children available from the Dominican Republic range from toddlers to teenagers. Sibling groups are a strong part of this program. The country has a diverse, warm, and deeply family-centered culture, and children come home to their families as full citizens of both their heritage and their new home.

This guide covers who can adopt, how the process works, what it costs, and how to raise a child with a strong connection to the Dominican Republic.

Why Families Choose the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic’s Adoption History

The Dominican Republic ratified the Hague Convention on September 22, 2006. The Convention entered into force there on March 1, 2007. All intercountry adoptions from the Dominican Republic to the United States follow the full Hague process.

Dominican adoption law is governed by the Dominican Code of Fundamental Protection and Rights for Children and Adolescents, Law 136-03. The adoption process has two distinct phases. CONANI handles the administrative phase. The Court of Children and Adolescents in the jurisdiction where the child lives handles the judicial phase. The Dominican authorities will not allow a child to leave the country until both phases are fully complete and the adoption is final under Dominican law.

The program is small but steady. It has been placing children with U.S. families for many years and has a clear, consistent process. Families who go through it often describe the extended in-country stay as one of the most transformative experiences of their lives.

Children Eligible for Adoption

Children eligible for intercountry adoption from the Dominican Republic range from approximately age 2 to 14. Both boys and girls are available. Children enter CONANI’s care primarily through abandonment, relinquishment, or removal by child welfare authorities due to neglect or poverty. Dominican children reflect the country’s beautifully diverse heritage, with Spanish, African, and Taíno roots. Many children are of mixed heritage, and some are of Haitian descent given the large Haitian community in the Dominican Republic.

Sibling groups are a meaningful part of this program. Families open to keeping siblings together can often be matched more quickly. Children with identified medical or developmental needs are also available.

CONANI gives priority for children under age 4 to families of Dominican descent. For all other families, the program primarily serves children age 2 and older, with many children being between the ages of 2 and 7 at the time of referral. Older children and sibling groups are also available and are an urgent need.

Domestic adoption is always considered first. Children are referred for intercountry adoption only after domestic placement options have been fully explored.

Is Adopting From the Dominican Republic Right for Your Family?

Who Can Adopt From the Dominican Republic?

The Dominican Republic has specific eligibility requirements that differ from many other programs. The age range for applicants is firm, and the minimum marriage length is longer than most countries require. The extended in-country stay is a real logistical consideration that all families must plan for carefully. The requirements below reflect CONANI’s current standards. Always confirm current eligibility with your adoption service provider before beginning the process.

Age: Both applicants must be between 30 and 60 years old. You must be at least 15 years older than the child at the time of application.
Marital status: Married heterosexual couples only. Single applicants and unmarried couples are not eligible. Both spouses must apply jointly.
Length of marriage: Couples must have been legally married for at least five years.
Divorce history: Applicants with a history of divorce are considered on a case-by-case basis, with stability of the current marriage assessed.
Same-sex couples: Dominican law does not recognize same-sex marriage. Same-sex couples may not apply.
Children already in the home: No specific restriction, though family stability and capacity to parent are assessed.
Health: Both applicants must be in good physical and mental health. No serious chronic or life-threatening conditions.
Income: Families must meet the standard USCIS requirement of 125% of U.S. poverty guidelines. No additional minimum income is specified, though financial stability is required.
Education: A high school diploma is required.
Background: A clean criminal and child welfare record is required.
Citizenship: At least one applicant must be a U.S. citizen.
In-country stay: Both parents must be present in the Dominican Republic for the required cohabitation and bonding period: 60 days if adopting a child age 12 or under, or 30 days if adopting a child over age 12. After the cohabitation period, one parent may return home while the other remains to finalize the adoption in court. Both parents must return to travel home with the child.

Requirements are subject to change. Always confirm current eligibility criteria with your adoption service provider before beginning the process.

Travel Requirements

The Dominican Republic has one of the most significant travel commitments of any international adoption program. Families should plan carefully before applying.

Both parents must travel to the Dominican Republic to begin the cohabitation and bonding period. This period lasts 60 days for children age 12 and under, and 30 days for children over age 12. During this time, both parents live with the child in the Dominican Republic.

After the cohabitation period, one parent may return home. The remaining parent continues to live in the Dominican Republic while the legal proceedings move forward, typically for an additional three to four months.

Both parents must return to the Dominican Republic at the end of the process to travel home with the child. Total in-country time for the parent who stays throughout is typically four to six months.

Families should think carefully about what this means for work, other children in the home, finances, and logistics. Some families use this time to work remotely or enroll children in American schools in the Dominican Republic. Your adoption service provider can help you think through the planning.

Travel requirements may change. Your adoption service provider will give you the most current guidance when you begin your process.

Explore Adoption from the Dominican Republic

Total costs are among the lowest of any international program. And while children wait, they’re cared for in nurturing foster homes with dedicated case managers. It’s a Hague-governed program built on real child welfare. A free consultation is the first step.

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Explore Adoption from the Dominican Republic

Get My Free Consultation

Explore Adoption from the Dominican Republic

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The Dominican Republic International Adoption Process

The Dominican Republic follows the full Hague Convention process and has both an administrative phase with CONANI and a judicial phase in the Court of Children and Adolescents. The adoption must be fully finalized in the Dominican Republic before the child can travel to the United States. Your adoption service provider will guide you through every stage.

Step 1: Choose a Hague-accredited adoption service provider

Your first step is choosing a U.S. agency that is Hague-accredited and authorized by CONANI to facilitate adoptions from the Dominican Republic. Your ASP will also work with a Dominican attorney, who plays a central role in the court process.

Learn how to choose an international adoption agency →

Step 2: Complete your home study

Before you can apply, you must complete an adoption home study. This includes required training hours and a thorough assessment of your family’s readiness to parent. Your home study must comply with all Hague Convention requirements.

Learn more about the adoption home study →

Step 3: Apply for USCIS approval (Form I-800A)

Because the Dominican Republic is a Hague Convention country, you will file Form I-800A with USCIS. USCIS reviews your home study and supporting documents and issues an approval determining that you are suitable and eligible to adopt from a Hague country.

Step 4: Submit your application to CONANI

Your agency submits your completed home study, I-800A approval, and required dossier documents to CONANI. All documents must be translated into Spanish. CONANI reviews your application and determines whether you are eligible to adopt under Dominican law. If approved, your family is placed on the waiting list.

Step 5: Referral

CONANI matches children with waiting families. When a child is identified for your family, you receive a referral that includes the child’s background, medical and psychological history, and other information. You have time to review the file and may have it reviewed by an independent pediatrician. You then provide a written acceptance or decline.

Step 6: USCIS provisional approval (Form I-800)

After accepting the referral, your agency files Form I-800 with USCIS, petitioning to classify your child as a Convention adoptee. USCIS issues a provisional approval. The case is then forwarded to the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo for an Article 5/17 Letter confirming the U.S. will issue a visa.

Step 7: CONANI issues the Act of Consent and Certificate of Suitability

CONANI and the prospective adoptive family sign an Act of Consent, and CONANI issues a Certificate of Suitability. This completes the administrative phase and moves the case into the judicial phase.

Step 8: Travel to the Dominican Republic and cohabitation

Within approximately six weeks of referral acceptance, you travel to the Dominican Republic to begin the cohabitation and bonding period with your child. Both parents must be present. This period is 60 days for children age 12 and under, or 30 days for children over age 12. During this time, you live with your child and your family’s bond is observed and documented.

Step 9: Judicial phase and court hearing

After the cohabitation period, the Dominican attorney files the formal adoption application with the Court of Children and Adolescents. The court reviews the case and issues a Final Order of Adoption. This judicial process typically takes three to four months after the cohabitation period ends. One parent may return home during this time, but the other must remain in the Dominican Republic throughout.

Step 10: Obtain your child’s documents and visa

After the final adoption decree is issued, the child’s new birth certificate is prepared with the adoptive parents’ names. A Dominican passport is obtained for the child. You then complete the immigrant visa process at the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo. Your child will receive an IH-3 immigrant visa, and under the Child Citizenship Act, they will automatically become a U.S. citizen upon entering the United States.

Step 11: Post-adoption reporting

CONANI requires post-adoption reports for five years after the child enters the United States. Reports are due at 6 months, 12 months, and then annually at years 2, 3, 4, and 5, for a total of seven reports. Compliance is required and is taken seriously. Your agency will help you stay on schedule.

Costs and Timelines

How Much Does Adopting From The Dominican Republic Cost?

Total costs vary by agency and by individual circumstances. Attorney fees in the Dominican Republic alone range from approximately $5,000 to $8,000. Agency fees, home study costs, dossier preparation, USCIS fees, and the extended in-country stay add significantly to the total. Families should budget carefully for four to six months of housing, food, and living expenses in the Dominican Republic for at least one parent.

Typical cost categories include:

Agency professional services fees
Home study fees, including required training
USCIS filing fees (Form I-800A and I-800)
Dossier preparation, translation, and authentication
CONANI processing fees
Dominican attorney fees (approximately $5,000 to $8,000)
Extended in-country housing and living expenses (four to six months for at least one parent)
Travel costs (flights, including return trips for both parents)
Post-adoption reporting fees
Miscellaneous costs such as passport and visa fees

Adoption grants, loans, and employer assistance programs may be available to help offset costs. Cost estimates are for information only and are subject to change. Contact your adoption service provider for current fee schedules.are for informational purposes only and are subject to change. Contact your adoption service provider for current fee schedules.

How Long Does the Process Take?

The Dominican Republic process has two phases that add up to a significant total timeline. From application to homecoming, families should plan for approximately two to four years.

For families open to waiting children, including older children, sibling groups, or children with identified needs, a referral may come within one to two years of dossier submission to CONANI. For families seeking a younger, healthy child, the wait for a referral is typically longer.

After referral acceptance, the in-country process (cohabitation period plus court proceedings) typically takes four to six months. This is the committed, non-negotiable portion of the timeline.

All timelines are estimates and can be affected by CONANI processing, court scheduling, and USCIS timelines. Your adoption service provider will give you current estimates based on active cases.

Life After Adoption: Raising a Child From the Dominican Republic

Supporting Your Child’s Cultural Identity

The Dominican Republic is a country shaped by centuries of Spanish, African, and Taíno heritage. It is a place of extraordinary music, deep family bonds, vibrant food, and a proud national identity. When you adopt from the Dominican Republic, your child brings all of that with them.

Language

Spanish is the official language of the Dominican Republic. Children coming home from the Dominican Republic will speak Spanish. Keeping your child connected to their language is one of the most important things you can do for them. Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world and one of the most widely spoken in the United States. Spanish classes, bilingual education, and Spanish-speaking communities are accessible across the country. Many families find that Spanish language learning together becomes a joyful, ongoing family practice.

Culture

Music is at the heart of Dominican identity. Merengue, the national dance, pulses with energy and joy and has been a cultural symbol of the Dominican Republic for generations. Bachata, born in the rural communities of the Dominican Republic in the mid-20th century, was recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2019. These are not just musical styles. For Dominicans at home and abroad, merengue and bachata are a living connection to homeland, family, and belonging. Playing Dominican music at home, taking a merengue or bachata class together, and celebrating Dominican music artists are simple and meaningful ways to honor your child’s heritage.

Distinct Identity

Dominican family life is warm and communal. The concept of family extends well beyond the immediate household to include extended family, godparents, and close neighbors. Carnival in February, Semana Santa in spring, and Independence Day on February 27 are key moments in the Dominican calendar. Dominican food, including dishes like la bandera, sancocho, mangu, and tostones, is beloved and can be found in Dominican restaurants and through home cooking across the United States.

Community

The Dominican American community is large and active, especially in New York, New Jersey, Florida, and Massachusetts. Community organizations, Catholic parishes, cultural festivals, and Dominican-American community events offer your child real, living connection to their heritage. This is not optional for transracial families. It is a core part of raising a child who knows and loves who they are.

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FAQ

Is the Dominican Republic currently open to U.S. adoptive parents?

Yes. The Dominican Republic’s intercountry adoption program is active and open to eligible U.S. families. The program has placed children with U.S. families consistently for many years. Speak with your adoption service provider for current program status and availability.

Can single parents adopt from the Dominican Republic?

No. The Dominican Republic only accepts applications from married heterosexual couples who have been married for at least five years. Single applicants are not eligible.

Can same-sex couples adopt from the Dominican Republic?

No. Dominican law does not recognize same-sex marriage, and same-sex couples may not apply.

How long do I have to stay in the Dominican Republic?

Both parents must be present for the cohabitation and bonding period: 60 days for children age 12 and under, or 30 days for children over age 12. After the cohabitation period, one parent may return home while the other stays in the Dominican Republic through the court process, typically another three to four months. Both parents must return at the end to travel home with the child.

Is the adoption finalized in the Dominican Republic?

Yes. The adoption must be fully finalized in Dominican court before the child can travel to the United States. There is no IH-4 visa pathway from the Dominican Republic. Your child will receive an IH-3 visa and will automatically become a U.S. citizen upon entering the United States.

What age children are typically placed through the Dominican Republic’s program?

Children range from approximately age 2 to 14. Many children available through the program are between ages 2 and 7 at the time of referral. Sibling groups and older children are also available. CONANI gives priority for children under age 4 to families of Dominican descent.

How does the Hague Convention apply to Dominican Republic adoptions?

The Dominican Republic is a Hague Convention country. All intercountry adoptions follow the Hague process, including use of a Hague-accredited U.S. adoption service provider, USCIS Forms I-800A and I-800, and an Article 5/17 Letter from the U.S. Embassy before the adoption proceeds.

What language will my child speak when they come home?

Children from the Dominican Republic speak Spanish. Planning for ongoing Spanish language support after homecoming is important both to maintain your child’s connection to their heritage and to support their transition.

How long do post-adoption reports continue?

CONANI requires post-adoption reports for five years after the child enters the United States. Reports are due at 6 months, 12 months, and then annually at years 2, 3, 4, and 5, totaling seven reports. Your agency will help you meet these requirements.

Start Your Dominican Republic Adoption Journey

The Dominican Republic is a program for families who are ready to commit fully, including an extended stay in a beautiful country with their child before bringing them home. The children waiting there are warm, resilient, and ready for a family.

If you are ready to take the first step or want to learn more, Gladney’s international adoption team is here to help.

This page was last reviewed in April 2026. Program information is verified against the U.S. Department of State, CONANI, and current accredited agency program materials. For the most current official information, visit travel.state.gov and search “Dominican Republic intercountry adoption.” Requirements are subject to change. Always confirm current eligibility criteria with your adoption service provider before beginning the process.