Any Info (:

My husband and I have been looking into adoption for a while, but everything we have seen has an age requirement of 25, (I am 21 and he is 24). Does anyone know of any countries or agencies that are more lenient. I also wonder if both parents have to be 25 or if we can get away with one. Any information would be so amazing! We just want to give our love to a little one (: We aren't specific about the country, but we do know we would like to adopt from Africa.. I really just want to know whether or not I will have to wait 4 years... Guess I will just keep researching! Thanks!

I or we my husband and I feeI that your situation due to age is not Agency Related. Your situation due to age is US Immigrations Related. Which is most likely what most Agencies ' stem ' their Adoption policies from. A lot is also income based. Realistically, for everyone. Immigration would criticize could a young couple afford a $30,000 Adoption?? There are also multiple components to International Adoption not just choose an Agency!! I or we would look at or consider State Foster Adoption!! Juli

Asia is a 30 year old minimum age!! Juli

Sorry, but the USCIS sets a minimum age of 25 only for singles. Married couples do not have to be 25 to be eligible to bring an adopted child to the U.S. Some U.S. homestudy agencies may not accept people under 25, and many countries do not accept people under 25. The Democratic Republic of Congo technically permits adoption by people 18 and older; however, there is currently a moratorium on exit permits for adopted children, enacted by the Congolese authorities because of allegations of fraudulent documents. Because it is not clear how long it will take to review all cases currently in process -- the Congolese are saying at least a year -- it is not a good time to begin an adoption from the DRC. South Africa, which has recently implemented the Hague Convention, accepts families where the spouses are at least 18. The South African government has recently authorized two American agencies that are also Hague accredited to begin processing adoptions;they are listed on adoption.state.gov, and I'd suggest that you talk to one or both. You will not be able to adopt without a Hague accredited agency. My only warning to you is that whenever a new program gets started, even with an experienced agency, there can be a variety of issues that can affect the timetable, etc. To look at other countries in Africa and elsewhere, and view their age requirements, adoption.state.gov, which is the website of the U.S. State Department, is the best source. Sharon

I. beg to differ with the previous post? My Husband and I have a 10 year age difference between us. We have been denied. Due to Immigration's Income Requirements, and were requested to wait until they could be combined as a Married Couple?? Adoption is not always ' Black and White !! ' Juli

The U.S. does not have prevent couples from bringing an orphan to the U.S. if there's a ten year age difference between the parents; you have been misinformed. And the only country I know of that has sometimes given problems to couples with a large age difference is South Korea.As I mentioned before, under U.S. immigration law, married couples can bring an adopted child to the U.S., regardless of age; singles must be at least 25. Now, that's just immigration. As far as adoption, that depends on the foreign country's laws primarily, and most countries want both married and single people to be at least 25, although there are quite a few exceptions. Some countries also have higher minimum age requirements, like China, which requires both spouses to be at least 30 before they submit a dossier.If you are not married, but in a relationship, you will not be able to adopt as a couple; one partner will have to adopt as a single, and foreign countries tend to be most comfortable with the applicant being female, if they happen to allow single parent adoptions -- some don't. So even if you are in a relationship, you may not be able to bring in an orphan as your adopted child, if you are under 25 and unmarried. Now, if you live with your partner and he contributes to the upkeep of your home and will be helping to raise your child, his income will have to be included in your homestudy, and can be counted towards the USCIS income requirements.It sounds to me as if the issue in your case was income. From the U.S. perspective, a family must earn at least 125% of the poverty line income for a family of its size, in order to be allowed to bring an orphan into the U.S. as an adopted child. This amount is very, very low. A single, childless person adopting one child will have to earn at least $19,663, in 2015, counting the child to be adopted. A married, childless couple adopting one child will have to earn at least $24,738.Now, some foreign countries have higher income requirements, and may also have requirements regarding your net worth (what you earn minus what you owe) or assets. And many U.S. agencies want to see higher incomes, especially for people living in high cost areas of the U.S., like New York or California, because they know that even $30,000 is low when a couple in one of those areas has to pay the cost of housing, food, and so on, especially after paying all the costs of doing an international adoption, such as airfares to the foreign country.I'm sorry that you had a negative experience when you tried to adopt; however, U.S. adoption and immigration policies are very clear and transparent. Some foreign countries have laws that are a little fuzzy or open to interpretation, however.Sharon