Adopting from Albania

As you hold American citizenship, you could go through the American process, if you are eligible. Since Albania and the U.S. have both ratified the Hague Convention on international adoption, you would have to use an American placement agency that is both Hague-accredited and approved by the Albanian government; at this time, there are only two such agencies, the names of which you can find on the U.S. State Department's adoption website, at [url=http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_info.php?country-select=albania]ALBANIA | Intercountry Adoption[/url]. You will not be allowed to adopt without an agency.Do check on the immigration requirements that France has, if you plan to bring your child home to France. Don't adopt if you will not be able to get a visa for your child to enter France. Unfortunately, in many countries, families have adopted internationally without considering that, unless the laws permit immigration of an orphan, they have legal and moral responsiblity for a child but cannot bring the child home.Also check on citizenship requirements for those countries whose citizenship you want your child to have. If you use the U.S. process, and obtain a Hague visa, you may be able to obtain U.S. citizenship for your child without going through the full naturalization process, though a trip to the U.S. will be needed.Because adoption and immigration are complex legal processes, there are significant costs involved. You will need to have a homestudy, for example, by a social worker entitled to conduct one. You will need a Hague-accredited and Albania-approved placement agency. You will need USCIS approval, and that has costs. The Albanian government will have fees, and there will be various fees for documents, court costs, and so on. Most agencies will also want up-front payment for post-placement report fees required by the foreign country.Bethany, one of the two American agencies approved by Albania, has a list of the costs for Americans adopting, on its website. If you back out the travel costs, you will get a sense of what your fees will be like. Normally, Bethany is a little on the high side, but because of the complexity of adopting when a third country -- France -- is involved, it is likely that your fees will be at least in that ballpark, and maybe higher. In general, Eastern European adoptions have some of the highest fees in the world.Sharon

As you hold American citizenship, you could go through the American process, if you are eligible. Since Albania and the U.S. have both ratified the Hague Convention on international adoption, you would have to use an American placement agency that is both Hague-accredited and approved by the Albanian government; at this time, there are only two such agencies, the names of which you can find on the U.S. State Department's adoption website, at [url=http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_info.php?country-select=albania]ALBANIA | Intercountry Adoption[/url]. You will not be allowed to adopt without an agency.Do check on the immigration requirements that France has, if you plan to bring your child home to France. Don't adopt if you will not be able to get a visa for your child to enter France. Unfortunately, in many countries, families have adopted internationally without considering that, unless the laws permit immigration of an orphan, they have legal and moral responsiblity for a child but cannot bring the child home.Also check on citizenship requirements for those countries whose citizenship you want your child to have. If you use the U.S. process, and obtain a Hague visa, you may be able to obtain U.S. citizenship for your child without going through the full naturalization process, though a trip to the U.S. will be needed.Because adoption and immigration are complex legal processes, there are significant costs involved. You will need to have a homestudy, for example, by a social worker entitled to conduct one. You will need a Hague-accredited and Albania-approved placement agency. You will need USCIS approval, and that has costs. The Albanian government will have fees, and there will be various fees for documents, court costs, and so on. Most agencies will also want up-front payment for post-placement report fees required by the foreign country.Bethany, one of the two American agencies approved by Albania, has a list of the costs for Americans adopting, on its website. If you back out the travel costs, you will get a sense of what your fees will be like. Normally, Bethany is a little on the high side, but because of the complexity of adopting when a third country -- France -- is involved, it is likely that your fees will be at least in that ballpark, and maybe higher. In general, Eastern European adoptions have some of the highest fees in the world.Sharon

As you hold American citizenship, you could go through the American process, if you are eligible. Since Albania and the U.S. have both ratified the Hague Convention on international adoption, you would have to use an American placement agency that is both Hague-accredited and approved by the Albanian government; at this time, there are only two such agencies, the names of which you can find on the U.S. State Department's adoption website, at [url=http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_info.php?country-select=albania]ALBANIA | Intercountry Adoption[/url]. You will not be allowed to adopt without an agency. Do check on the immigration requirements that France has, if you plan to bring your child home to France. Don't adopt if you will not be able to get a visa for your child to enter France. Unfortunately, in many countries, families have adopted internationally without considering that, unless the laws permit immigration of an orphan, they have legal and moral responsiblity for a child but cannot bring the child home. Also check on citizenship requirements for those countries whose citizenship you want your child to have. If you use the U.S. process, and obtain a Hague visa, you may be able to obtain U.S. citizenship for your child without going through the full naturalization process, though a trip to the U.S. will be needed. Because adoption and immigration are complex legal processes, there are significant costs involved. You will need to have a homestudy, for example, by a social worker entitled to conduct one. You will need a Hague-accredited and Albania-approved placement agency. You will need USCIS approval, and that has costs. The Albanian government will have fees, and there will be various fees for documents, court costs, and so on. Most agencies will also want up-front payment for post-placement report fees required by the foreign country. Bethany, one of the two American agencies approved by Albania, has a list of the costs for Americans adopting, on its website. If you back out the travel costs, you will get a sense of what your fees will be like. Normally, Bethany is a little on the high side, but because of the complexity of adopting when a third country -- France -- is involved, it is likely that your fees will be at least in that ballpark, and maybe higher. In general, Eastern European adoptions have some of the highest fees in the world. Sharon

Let me just add that I'm not sure whether one of the agencies on the State Department list is still in business. You may want to email the U.S. State Department for an update. There may be some additional agencies now.Sharon

Let me just add that I'm not sure whether one of the agencies on the State Department list is still in business. You may want to email the U.S. State Department for an update. There may be some additional agencies now.Sharon