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Who Can Be Adopted from Indonesia

Pura Tanah Lot temple in Bali.
Source: Wikipedia.org.

In addition to U.S. immigration requirements, Indonesia has specific requirements that a child must meet in order to be eligible for adoption:


Relinquishment: PAPs need to obtain the following statements:

  1. Letter of voluntary relinquishment from the child’s biological parent(s) or legal guardian(s);
  2. Statement from PAPs stating that the adoption is in the child’s best interest and is for his/her protection;
  3. Statement from the prospective adoptive child, in cases where the child is able to express his/her opinion as determined by the Department of Social Affairs;
  4. Letter of submission from the child’s biological mother or legal guardian to either a hospital, local police or a local community, followed by handover of the child to a social welfare organization in Indonesia. Note: The letter must be written on Indonesian stamped duty paper (special paper which is used in Indonesia for legal documents or statements); and
  5. Handover letter of the child from a social welfare organization to Yayasan Sayap Ibu.

Abandonment: The prospective adoptive child must be in the care of a registered and authorized social welfare organization that has been licensed by the Department of Social Affairs to process intercountry adoptions. All U.S. PAPs should contact either the Department of Social Affairs or Yayasan Sayap Ibu in Jakarta Province for more information on these organizations.

Yayasan Sayap Ibu Jalan Barito II No. 55 Kebayoran Baru Jakarta Selatan

Age of Adoptive Child: The adoptive child must be under 18 years old and fall into one of three categories:

  1. Children under six years old are priorities, (i.e. neglected children who are in an urgent situation and require special protection);
  2. Six years old to 12 years old, on the condition that there are compelling reasons based on social reporting stating that the neglected child is in an emergency situation; and
  3. 12 to 18 years old (neglected children who need special protection).


Sibling Adoptions: No requirements.

Special Needs or Medical Conditions: No requirements.


Waiting Period or Foster Care: Once all required documents have been submitted to Yayasan Sayap Ibu, officers of Yayasan Sayap Ibu and the Ministry of Social Affairs will conduct a home visit. If the PAPs are deemed to be qualified, the Minister of Social Affairs through the Director of Children’s Social Services will issue a Child Custody Consent Decree to the PAPs. PAPs must then sign a six-month foster care agreement so that the child can be taken to the PAPs’ residence in Indonesia. (Note: The child must be a least three months old before he/she can be taken home). The entire process, from the time the PAPs submit their documents until they can take their adopted child home, generally takes around six to nine months.


Caution: PAPs should be aware that not all children in orphanages or children’s homes are adoptable. In many countries, birth parents place their child(ren) temporarily in an orphanage or children’s home due to financial or other hardship, intending that the child return home when this becomes possible. In such cases, the birth parent(s) have rarely relinquished their parental rights or consented to their child(ren)’s adoption.

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