Nicole White

Thank you for sharing Originally Posted By KimI've noticed in nearly every post at this forum there is names of agencies being dropped.I don't know if this will be of any help to any of you.. but since $$$$$ seem to be of importance to many people wishing to adopt, and it often prevents people from pursuing adoption, I feel an obligation to come forward and assure you that you DO NOT need an agency to adopt internationally.. although it is OBVIOUSLY less chaotic or complicated when you have an agency behind you, taking care of the details.We completed our own adoption in Panama with only a Panamanian attorney. The only pitfall we have run into w/regard to not using an agency is that we cannot qualify for the Federal Employees Adoption Reimbursement Program. But we do qualify for the tax return (up to $5000).The battle we (those of us adopting in Panama) entered into with the Dept. of Finance did, however, lead the govt. to begin supporting the reimbursement even when a U.S. Adoption Agency was not involved, due to the HAGUE CONVENTION AGREEMENT:[url="http://travel.state.gov/hague_foreign_docs.html"]http://travel.state.gov/hague_foreign_docs.html[/url]This agreement includes various countries, and assures U.S.Citizens that all foreign legal documents bearing the Apostilla Stamp (so easy get) will be treated as if it were handled by a U.S. Court.If you are adopting in Central America (or Mexico/South America), I URGE YOU TO OBTAIN AN APOSTILLA STAMP on your finalized adoption decree and new birth certificate.You will get the stamp from either the Secretary General's Office of the court house where you are doing the adoption from or from the Foreign Ministry Office in that city.Anyway... We never used an agency. The only purpose of the agency is to link you up w/the orphanage or children's home and assist w/the homestudies and INS documents.We did it all ourselves, and found it all to be quite simple, although tedious and lengthy at times.Our adoption cost $2500. Period. That was the attorney fee!We had to get certain documents certified, translated, etc etc... and of course they had varios expenses, however, it was minimal and didn't break our checkbook.We would have paid ANY amount, of course, to adopt our daughter. HOWEVER... we are not rich by ANY means, and had we gone through an agency and been forced to pay $20,000-$30,000, there's no way we could have done it.I have found that the U.S. Embassies in the Central American countries can provide names of local attornies who handle adoptions. Not to mention you can find them online as well. Do all the work you can from home (authentification of documents.. marriage license/birth certificates, homestudy, and translations), and from that point your money will be spent on the attorney, telephone bills, and travel to the country.I had no idea how much people were paying for international adoptions until I returned to the States (I lived in Panama for 3 years, working at a local orphanage for 2 of those years). It's outrageous. I know how much having a child to love means to people, and I'm sure I would spare no effort to adopt in such a situation, but there are unwanted children ABOUND all over the world... and I can venture to guess that an agency isn't always required.Best Wishes to Everyone out there trying to adopt internationally.... :)~Kim[/quote]