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How to Adopt from Moldova

Bender Fortress.
Source: Wikipedia.org.

Adoption Authority

Moldovan Adoption Authority

The Ministry of Social Protection, Family and Child Adoption Department

The Process

Because Moldova is party to the Hague Adoption Convention, adopting from Moldova must follow a specific process designed to meet the Conventions 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 Moldova 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. Learn more.


  1. Choose an Accredited Adoption Service Provider
  2. Apply to be Found Eligible to Adopt
  3. Be Matched with a Child
  4. Apply for the Child to be Found Eligible for Immigration to the United States
  5. Adopt the Child (or Gain Legal Custody) in Moldova
  6. Bringing your Child Home


1. Choose an Accredited Adoption Service Provider:

The first step in adopting a child from Moldova 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 Moldova. Learn more.


When adopting in Moldova, prospective adoptive parents are required to use an adoption agency that is also accredited in Moldova. Please find the list of accredited adoption providers in the Contacts section. A registered adoption agency, through its Moldovan representative, forwards the foreign prospective adoptive parents file to the Adoption Department (See the list of required documents below.) The Adoption Department in turn forwards the file to the Education Directorate in the district where a prospective adoptable child resides.


2. Apply to be Found Eligible to Adopt:

After you choose an accredited adoption agency, you apply to be found eligible to adopt by the U.S. Government, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Learn how.


Once the U.S. Government determines you eligible and suitableâ to be an adoptive parent, your information will be forwarded to the adoption authority in Moldova. Moldovas adoption authority will review your application to determine whether you are also eligible to adopt under Moldovan law.


3. Be Matched with a Child:

If both the United States and Moldova determine that you are eligible to adopt, and a child is available for intercountry adoption, the central adoption authority will provide you with a referral for a child. You cannot identify a specific child that you would like to adopt prior to the adoption authority providing this referral.


The local Inspector for the Protection of Children's Rights in the district, together with a physician and the director of the orphanage, examines the file and matches the family with an eligible child. The prospective adoptive parents are then provided with complete, official information about the child, including health and family background. The Moldovan representative sends the prospective adoptive parents this information including photographs or a video of the child. The representative will also send answers from the Moldovan authorities to all additional questions the prospective adoptive parents may have about the child. The prospective adoptive parents have the option to refuse a prospective adoptive child. If they do so, they must inform the Moldovan authorities in writing of their decision.


If the prospective adoptive parents agree to accept the child, they send a letter to the Adoption Department through their agency's representative, acknowledging that they are aware of any specific health or other problems, and accept the child. The orphanage receives a copy of the letter from the Adoption Department.


4. Apply for the Child to be Found Eligible for Adoption:

After you accept a match with a child, you will apply to the U.S Government, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for permission to adopt that child. USCIS will determine whether the child is eligible under U.S. law to be adopted. Learn how.


In addition, a Consular Officer at the U.S. Embassy must review the child's information and determine that the child appears to be eligible for a visa. As part of this process, the Consular Officer may require to see the Panel Physician's medical report on the child. Learn more.


If the Consular Office determines that the child appears eligible to immigrate to the United States, he/she will send a letter (called the Article 5 letter) to the Moldovan adoption authority.


If approved, the Directorate of Education will forward a Notice of Approval of Adoption to the Adoption Department. The Adoption Department will then decide whether to approve the adoption. Although prospective adoptive parents do not need to travel to Moldova to meet the prospective adoptive child at the time of the acceptance of the match, both parents must appear in court in Moldova to finalize the adoption.


5. Adopt the Child (or Gain Legal Custody) in Moldova:


Remember: Before you adopt (or gain legal custody of) a child, you must have completed the above four steps. Only after completing these steps, can you proceed to finalize the adoption or grant of custody for the purposes of adoption in Moldova.


The process for finalizing the adoption (or gaining legal custody) in Moldova generally includes the following:


  • Role of The Adoption Authority: To begin the adoption process, a registered adoption agency, through its Moldovan representative, forwards the foreign prospective adoptive parents file to the Adoption Department. The Department in turn forwards the file to the Education Directorate in the district where a prospective adoptable child resides. Once a child has been selected the prospective adoptive parents send a letter to the Adoption Department through their agency's representative, acknowledging that they are aware of any specific health or other problems, and accept the child. The orphanage receives a copy of the letter the Department. The districts Directorate of Education must then approve the prospective adoption and provide full information on the adoptive parents and the adoptive child to the Adoption Department. If approved, the Directorate of Education will forward a Notice of Approval of Adoption to the Department. The Adoption Department will then decide whether to approve the adoption. Although prospective adoptive parents do not need to travel to Moldova to meet the prospective adoptive child at the time of the acceptance of the match, both parents must appear in court in Moldova to finalize the adoption.
  • Role of The Court: The approved adoption file proceeds to the court system through the districts Inspector for the Protection of Children's Rights. Once prospective adoptive parents satisfy the Moldovan adoption requirements, a judge must grant a final adoption.
  • Time Frame: An adoption can take six to nine months to complete from the time a child is matched with prospective adoptive parents until the completion of the adoption.
  • Adoption Fees: There is a Government fee of 1,500 EUR for each adopted child and cost of airfare for adoption-related travel. Separate attorneys fees can vary greatly. The U.S. Embassy in Moldova discourages the payment of any fees that are not properly receipted. Donations or expediting fees, which may be requested from prospective adoptive parents, have the appearance of buying a baby and put all future adoptions in Moldova at risk. In the adoption services contract that you sign at the beginning of the adoption process, your agency will itemize the fees and estimated expenses related to your adoption process. Learn more.
  • Documents Required: The adoption application should contain:
1. Name, year, month, and day of birth of prospective adoptive parent(s). Address and state of residence of the parent(s) is also required;
2. Name, year, month, and day of birth of child to be adopted. Residence of the child to be adopted;
3. Information regarding the biological parents and siblings of the prospective adoptive child.
4. Request to change name and place of birth, and register the adoptive parents as the birth parents on the childs new birth certificate;
5. Copy of prospective adoptive parent(s) birth certificate;
6. Doctors Certificate of Eligibility to Adopt;
7. Employment certificate, including occupation, years of service, and income;
8. Authenticated copy of Deed of Sale for a home, or lease agreement for residence;
9. Approval by the prospective adoptive parents Government and permission for the adopted child to reside in the United States.


6. Bringing Your Child Home

Now that your adoption is complete (or you have obtained legal custody of the child), there are a few more steps to take before you can head home. Specifically, you need to apply for three documents for your child before he or she can travel to the United States: Birth Certificate You will first need to apply for a new birth certificate for your child, so that you can later apply for a passport. Your name will be added to the new birth certificate.

Adoptive parents can change the childs name and request a new birth certificate, listing their names as parents, at the Moldovan Civil Registry Office. Afterwards, the parents need to apply for a passport.


1. Moldovan Passport

Your child is not yet a U.S. citizen, so he/she will need a travel document or Passport from Moldova. Adoptive parents can apply for a passport for the child at the Moldovan passport office.

2. U.S. Immigrant Visa

After you obtain the new birth certificate and passport for your child, you also need to apply for an U.S. visa from the United States Embassy for your child. After the adoption (or custody for purpose of adoption) is granted, visit the U.S Embassy for final review and approval of the childs I-800 petition and to obtain a visa for the child. This immigrant visa allows your child to travel home with you. As part of this process, the Consular Officer must be provided the Panel Physicians medical report on the child if it was not provided during the provisional approval stage. Learn more.

An orphan investigation (Form I-604, Report on Overseas Orphan Investigation) is required in all orphan adoption cases (including transition cases) and serves to verify that the child is an orphan as defined by U.S. immigration law. A consular officer at the U.S. Embassy in Moldova will conduct this investigation.

In order to be prepared for the I-604 interview at the U.S. Embassy in Chisinau, adoptive parents must have their U.S. passport and the following documentation and the corresponding English language translations:

1. A certified copy of the child's original Moldovan birth certificate;
2. The child's new birth certificate;
3. The letter of recommendation on the adoption from the Adoption Department;
4. The final decree of adoption;
5. The child's Moldovan medical report;
6. Proof of the childs orphan status; and ,
7. A statement from the orphanage that the child has not been visited by anyone, including known or suspected relatives, for at least the last six months.

The I-604 adoption interview is an opportunity for a consular officer in Moldova to see the locally generated documentation on each adoption and to review the information with the adoptive parents.

The consular section of the U.S. Embassy in Chisinau is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon for immigrant visas. Please email the Embassy at Chisinau-CA@state.gov to schedule an appointment for the I-604 interview in advance.


To learn about the Child Citizenship Act please read The Child Citizenship Act of 2000.

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