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| − | {{#eimage:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/Coat_of_arms_of_Ecuador.svg/400px-Coat_of_arms_of_Ecuador.svg.png|410x579px|thumb|'''The official coat of arms.'''<BR/>Source: Wikipedia.com. }}
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| − | '''''This page if for steps 5-6 of [[How to Adopt from Ecuador]]. To learn about steps 1-4 please read [[How to Adopt from Ecuador]].'''''
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| − | '''5. [[Adopt]] the Child in [[Ecuador]]'''
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| − | '''''REMEMBER: Before you [[adopt]] a child, you must have completed the above four steps. Only after completing these steps, can you proceed to finalize the [[adoption]].'''''
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| − | The process for finalizing the [[adoption]] in [[Ecuador]] generally includes the following: ## Role of The Court: The courts in [[Ecuador]] issue [[adoption]] decrees. The Childhood and Adolescence Court, Juzgado de la Niñez y Adolescencia, must grant permission for the child to depart the country if only one member of the couple is present in [[Ecuador]] to travel with the child.
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| − | *'''Role of [[Adoption]] Service Providers:''' The Government of [[Ecuador]] requires that prospective [[Adoptive Parents|adoptive parents]] work through an accredited or approved U.S. [[Adoption Service Provider|adoption service provider]] that has signed an Agreement with the Government of [[Ecuador]]. The agency can give you an estimate of the cost of an [[adoption]] in [[Ecuador]]. A list of these agencies may be obtained in person from the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Quito or Consulate General in Guayaquil.
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| − | *'''Time Frame:''' The [[adoption]] process in [[Ecuador]] generally takes between nine and sixteen months to complete. Adopting families must first contact an Ecuadorian-approved U.S. [[Adoption Service Provider|adoption service provider]] that will provide general instructions about intercountry [[adoption]] procedures, and will assist prospective [[Adoptive Parents|adoptive parents]] with the preparation and filing of preliminary U.S. immigration documentation. This process generally takes approximately three months (USCIS Form I-800A). An additional six months to one year is needed for further adjudication once these documents are forwarded to an agency or lawyer in [[Ecuador]].
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| − | *'''[[Adoption]] Fees:''' The cost of adoptions varies with different [[adoption]] service providers. 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.
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| − | *'''Documents Required:''' Certifications, notarizations and apostilles must be completed in the United States before the prospective [[Adoptive Parents|adoptive parents]] travel to [[Ecuador]] or the application for [[adoption]] is submitted. Translations can be completed in [[Ecuador]]. Documents must be apostilled in the United States. The prospective [[Adoptive Parent|adoptive parent]](s) must present the following documents to the American [[Adoption Service Provider|adoption service provider]] which will represent them in [[Ecuador]]:
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| − | :::::1. Certified copies of birth certificates of prospective [[Adoptive Parent|adoptive parent]](s);
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| − | :::::2. Certified copy of marriage certificate and proof of termination of prior marriages (death certificates/divorce decrees), if applicable;
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| − | :::::3. Certified copy of the state law that regulates the [[adoption]] of minors (especially foreign minors) in the [[Adoptive Parent|adoptive parent]]'s(s') state of U.S. residence;
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| − | :::::4. [[Home Study|Home study]] report on the [[Adoptive Parent|adoptive parent]](s) and institutional criteria on the suitability of the [[Adoptive Parent|adoptive parent]](s) from the entity performing the [[Home Study|home study]] (all these documents are part of the I-800A);
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| − | :::::5. Certificate of no criminal record for each [[Adoptive Parent|adoptive parent]] from a local police department (an FBI report is acceptable in lieu of local police record);
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| − | :::::6. Verification of employment and salary;
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| − | :::::7. Notarized [[adoption]] authorization letter from the [[Adoption Service Provider|adoption service provider]] to the family certifying that the family is duly prepared to [[adopt]] an Ecuadorian child;
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| − | :::::8. Certificate of physical and mental health of prospective [[Adoptive Parent|adoptive parent]](s); and
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| − | :::::9. Photocopies of the passports of the prospective [[Adoptive Parent|adoptive parent]](s).
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| − | The [[adoption]] hearing will take place three or four days after the judge schedules the meeting to verify signature(s). The judge will review the parent's(s') qualifications, including psychological and financial situations. After the hearing, prospective [[Adoptive Parent|adoptive parent]](s) and the judge sign the minutes. The judge will issue the final [[Adoption Decree|adoption decree]] unless the judge identifies false statements or documents.
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| − | The [[Adoption Decree|adoption decree]] becomes final three days after issuance. At this point, the [[Adoptive Parent|adoptive parent]](s) can obtain a new birth certificate for their child from the Civil Registry Office. The new birth certificate will include the name(s) of parent(s) and any change of name for the child. With the new birth certificate, the parent(s) (or the [[Adoption Service Provider|adoption service provider]] on their behalf) can obtain an Ecuadorian identity card and Ecuadorian passport for the child.
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| − | '''6. Bring Your Child Home'''
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| − | Now that your [[adoption]] is complete, 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:
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| − | ::1. Birth Certificate
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| − | 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. In [[Ecuador]], parents apply for the child's new birth certificate at the Civil Registry Office. Once the judge has issued a final [[Adoption Decree|adoption decree]], parents may apply for the birth certificate.
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| − | ::2. Ecuadorean Passport
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| − | Your child is not yet a U.S. citizen, so he or she will need a travel document or passport from [[Ecuador]].
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| − | ::3. U.S. Immigrant Visa
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| − | After you obtain the new birth certificate and passport for your child, you also need to apply for an U.S. visa from the U.S. Consulate General in Guayaquil for your child. After the [[adoption]] is granted, visit the Consular Section for final review and approval of the child's 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 Physician's medical report on the child if it was not provided during the provisional approval stage. [http://adoption.state.gov/adoption_process/how_to_adopt/health.php Learn more].
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| − | All immigrant visa cases for [[Ecuador]] are processed at the U.S. Consulate General in Guayaquil. Since each case is unique, it is possible that the staff of the Consulate General will request additional documents after a preliminary review of the application of the prospective [[Adoptive Parent|adoptive parent]](s).
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| − | Back to [[Adopting from Ecuador]]
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