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How to Adopt from Estonia
Source: Wikipedia.org.
This page is for steps 1-4 of How to Adopt from Estonia. For step 5-6 please read How to Adopt from Estonia Part 2.
WARNING: Estonia is party to the Hague Adoption Convention. Do not adopt or obtain legal custody of a child in Estonia before a U.S. consular officer issues an "Article 5 Letter." Read on for more information.
Adoption Authority
Estonia's Adoption Authority Ministry of Social Affairs (Sotsiaal Ministeerium)
The Process
Because Estonia is party to the Hague Adoption Convention, adopting from Estonia must follow a specific process designed to meet the Convention’s requirements. A brief summary of the Convention adoption process is given below. You must complete these steps in the following order so that your adoption meets all necessary legal requirements.
NOTE: If you filed your I-600a with Estonia before April 1, 2008, the Hague Adoption Convention may not apply to your adoption. Your adoption could continue to be processed in accordance with the immigration regulations for non-Convention adoptions. Read about Transition Cases for more information.
- Choose an Accredited Adoption Service Provider
- Apply to be Found Eligible to Adopt
- Be Matched with a Child
- Apply for the Child to be Found Eligible for Adoption
- Adopt the Child (or Gain Legal Custody) in Estonia
- Bring your Child Home
1. Choose an Accredited Adoption Service Provider:
The first step in adopting a child from Estonia is to select an adoption service provider in the United States that has been accredited. Only these agencies and attorneys can provide adoption services between the United States and Estonia. We provide a list of Accredited Adoption Service Providers on our website.
Adoption Hope International is currently the only registered U.S. adoption agency working in Estonia. The address and website for Adoption Hope International is:
Adoption Hope International, Inc.
284 Shoreward Drive Myrtle Beach, SC 29579 Internet: Adoption Hope International
2. Apply to be Found Eligible to Adopt
After you choose an accredited adoption service provider, you apply to be found eligible to adopt (Form I-800A) by the U.S. Government, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Read more about Eligibility Requirements.
Once the U.S. Government determines that you are "eligible" and "suitable" to adopt, you or your agency will forward your information to the adoption authority in Estonia. Estonia's adoption authority will review your application to determine whether you are also eligible to adopt under Estonia's law.
3. Be Matched with a Child:
Once prospective adoptive parents have been approved to adopt, the Ministry places them on a list and begins the process of locating a suitable match Once a match is found, the Ministry notifies the prospective adoptive parents (through the adoption agency).
According to the Estonian Family Law only those children whose parents are deceased or whose parents have had their parental rights taken away may be adopted. There are few such children and long waiting lists of Estonian families who by law take precedence. Consequently, identifying a child for adoption can be lengthy (several years or more) as the number of children that can be adopted by foreigners is quite limited (only about 20 children a year). Since foreign parents with Estonian background are given preference over foreigners with no Estonian heritage, prospective adoptive parents should explain their ties to Estonia.
The Ministry of Social Affairs cautions that prospective adoptive parents should not visit orphanages to locate a child since it is unlikely that the child they choose will be permitted to be adopted by foreigners. According to the new adoption law, international adoptions may be processed through an adoption agency in the parents’ home country which has signed an agreement with the Ministry.
4. Apply for the Child to be Found Eligible for Adoption:
After you accept a match with a child, you will apply to the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for provisional approval to adopt that particular child (Form I-800). USCIS will determine whether the child is eligible under U.S. law to be adopted and enter the United States.
After this, your adoption service provider or you will submit a visa application to a consular officer at the U.S. Embassy. The consular officer will review the child’s information and evaluate the child for possible visa inelegibilities.
If the consular officer determines that the child appears eligible to immigrate to the United States, he or she will send a letter (an “Article 5 Letter”) to the Estonian Central Authority. Do not adopt or obtain custody of a child in Estonia before a U.S. consular officer issues the Article 5 Letter.
Remember: The Consular Officer will make a final decision about the immigrant visa later in the adoption process.
Back to Adopting from Estonia