Wanting To Adopt Nieces In The Philippines!

Thank you Julianna for your response and time. I will go to my local Childrens' Services and get the info. that I need. My school and work schedule varies every semester. I'm planning to spend a great amount of time with my nieces and willing to change my schedule around. My mom is willing to help me. I hope I can bring them here while I'm doing my homestudy. Anyway, wish me luck and I'll keep you posted. My journey begins......I hope it will be good! :) Lino

Dear Lino, I read your query and there is a possibility for you to go through the inter-country adoption of your nieces. However, it is necessary that the eligibility for an adoption placement is made for these children as well as your eligibility and suitability as a Porspective Adoptive Parent. It is not that becasue these chidlren are your relatives, adoption is a go-go-go thing. There are procedures that have to be complied with. I suggest you browse through the Philippine government's website on inter-country adoption and find out how to go about your plan of adopting your nieces. Here's the website: [url]http://www.skyinet.net/~icaba/.[/url] Hoe I was of help. Marivir

Thanks for the info. Marivir. I will do that, and gather all the info. and requirements I need. I'll keep you posted. Lino

Hope all is going well with you and I wish you many blessings throughout this journey you are about to embark on.... You didn't say whether or not you lived in the U.S. or the Philippines but I'm imagining the nieces live in PI, correct? This is important because believe it or not there are different kinds of adoptions depending upon where you live and where your nieces live... IF YOU LIVE IN PI YOURSELF, (as well as the nieces) that would be considered a DOMESTIC PRE-IDENTIFIED CHILD adoption, (relative-family member) or IF YOU LIVED OUTSIDE PI, possibly the U.S. (but the nieces still live in PI) then it would be considered an INTER-COUNTRY ADOPTION of a pre-identified child, a relative. THAT IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT BALLGAME! There is only ONE AGENCY THAT CAN GIVE YOU THE EXACT INFORMATION AND THAT IS THE "ICAB". That's the Inter-country Adoption Board located within the Philippines that handles ALL intercountry adoptions. I believe the post above gave the ICAB'S web address. Also I agree with their advice to look at the Philippine board. When you're looking at the website for the ICAB, there's alot of great information but be careful to read under your appropriate situation-- whether it's domestic (IF YOU YOURSELF LIVE IN PI) or read under INTER-COUNTRY (if you yourself live here in the U.S.)...sometimes they kind of run together so be careful when reading the requirements that you stay within your particular situation... Also, if you'd like, you can call Holt International Children's Services located within the U.S. They are nationally accredited to handle inter-country adoptions and they handle PI adoptions and can give you good information. Their website is: [url]www.holtinternational.org.[/url] Not to discourage you, but Holt's information on the Philippines says under "single" applicants: "Women: considered only for relative adoptions and children over 5." (I don't know if you're married or not.....) Maybe it doesn't matter since their relatives of yours....worth checking into... This was information from March so maybe something has changed since then. I do know that one thing in your favor is that you and your mother are related to these children. If you weren't, you pretty much possibly COULD NOT adopt these particular children, for the Philippines does not encourage adopting PRE-IDENTIFIED children. They only grant these kinds of adoptions to relatives, which you are (SO THAT'S GREAT!!!) but please check on the "women/single applicant" requirement. If you go to the ICAB'S website, there is an email address for the ICAB as well and you can email the ICAB directly and have THEM answer your questions since they are THE GOVERNING BOARD which will decide yes or no that you can adopt these children. I highly suggest you speak with the ICAB directly otherwise you'll get everything BUT the right information if you call local agencies and local state agencies in the U.S if they don't work with Philippine adoptions directly.....(our local ways are different than PI's adoptions....) Just a word to the wise....my husband and I are smack in the middle of an adoption from PI and it's been 4 months and THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of dollars later and we're JUST NOW GETTING THE RIGHT INFORMATION because we were misled by counsel within the Philippines and counsel here in the U.S! and I wouldn't wish this on anyone!!! So, that's why the long reply here....just trying to save you time and lead you to the place that CAN answer all your questions. Another big thing is the children will have to be deemed adoptable, meaning that there will be great effort made to make sure that this is in the best interest of the children to be seperated from their parents.....The DSWD in PI will have to deem them as adoptable....and that will take a process too and that will have to happen first, they have to be deemed adoptable before anyone (you or your mother) can adopt them....it's kinda like you can't put the cart in front of the horse....don't be hurt when it doesn't sound like people want to give you these children right quick...it's just the process.... There's steps to this process but it can be done!!! It's going to be a journey for you to do this, but if this is the desire of your heart, then press on.....it will be lengthy process but worth it! Best of blessings to you and your family and we will keep your family in our prayers! Blessings! Melody and Peter ;)