Difference between revisions of "How to Adopt from Egypt"

Revision as of 21:36, 30 October 2014

Giza and the Great Sphinx.
Source: Wikipedia.org.

1. Choose an Adoption Service Provider

The first step in fostering a child from Egypt is usually to select a licensed agency in the United States that can help with your adoption. Adoption service providers must be licensed by the U.S. state in which they operate. Learn more about choosing the right adoption service provider. Not all orphanages release orphans to be fostered at one's home. Adoptive parents are encouraged to seek the advice of the Ministry of Social Affairs about orphanages which release orphans to be fostered in the foster family's home.

2. Apply to be Found Eligible to Adopt

To bring a fostered child from Egypt to the United States, you must apply to be found eligible to adopt (Form I-600A) by the U.S. Government, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Learn how. In addition to meeting the U.S. requirements for adoptive parents, you need to meet the requirements of Egypt as described in the Who Can Adopt section.

3. Be Matched with a Child

If you are eligible to adopt (foster), and a child is available for intercountry adoption, the central fostering authority in Egypt will provide you with a referral to a child. Each family must decide for itself whether or not it will be able to meet the needs of a particular child and provide a permanent family placement for the referred child.

4. Adopt the Child (or Gain Legal Custody) in Egypt

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

ROLE OF THE ADOPTION AUTHORITY: All prospective parents are required to apply to the Ministry of Social Affairs to qualify to become foster parents. To begin the process, foster parents need to submit the following documents:

1. A copy of the marriage decree;

2. Employment status and proof that they will be able to financially support a child (proof of income);

3. Proof that one of the parents is infertile;

4. Proof that one of the foster parents is an Egyptian citizen.

A social worker from the Ministry of Social Affairs will visit the parents to make sure that the foster family will be able to provide all types of support to the child. Once all documents are complete, they will be sent to the Ministry of Social Affairs Committee for adjudication. If all conditions are met, the Ministry of Social Affairs will issue an approval or denial. Foster parents are notified and then are free to visit an orphanage and choose a child.

The foster family will sign a contract with the orphanage showing that the orphanage is officially releasing the child to the foster family and that the foster family will allow a social worker from the Ministry of Social Affairs to visit the child on a regular basis to determine whether the foster parents are able to care for the child properly. (If the parents are planning to move the child permanently to the U.S., they should discuss this in detail with the Ministry of Social Affairs in advance.)

ROLE OF THE COURT: Christians wishing to adopt in Egypt should seek legal counsel from an Egyptian attorney in order to receive the most updated information regarding the proper procedures and documentation for adopting or acquiring custody of an Egyptian orphan.

ROLE OF ADOPTION AGENCIES: There are no adoption agencies in Egypt. Attorneys and/or prospective adoptive parents handle the cases themselves.

ADOPTION APPLICATION: All prospective parents are required to apply to the Ministry of Social Affairs to qualify to become foster parents. A social worker from the Ministry of Social Affairs will visit the parents to make sure that the foster family will be capable to provide all types of support to an infant. Once all documents are complete, they will be sent to the Ministry of Social Affairs Committee for adjudication. If all conditions are met, Ministry of Social Affairs will issue an approval or denial. Foster parents are notified and then are free to visit an orphanage to choose a child. The foster family will sign a contract with the orphanage showing that the orphanage is officially releasing the child to the foster family and that the foster family will allow a social worker from the Ministry of Social Affairs to visit the infant on a regular basis to determine whether the foster parents are able to care for the child properly. (This issue should be discussed in detail with the Ministry of Social Affairs in advance, if the parents are planning to move the child permanently to the U.S.). Christians wishing to foster in Egypt should seek legal counsel from an Egyptian attorney in order to receive the most updated information regarding the proper procedures and documentation for fostering or acquiring custody of an Egyptian orphan.

TIME FRAME: The time frame is typically impossible to predict. To satisfy the requirements of the Egyptian family law and be awarded legal custody or permission to foster an orphan at home with an approval to remove the child for immigration is a long and difficult process. However, once a child has been identified, an I-600A application for advance processing of orphan petition has been approved by the U.S Citizenship of Immigration Services (CIS) office having jurisdiction over the prospective parents' place of residence, and prospective parents have satisfied Egyptian law and been awarded legal custody, the immigration process takes between 1-2 weeks.

ADOPTION FEES: The U.S. Embassy in Egypt discourages the payment of any fees that are not properly receipted, "donations," or "expediting" fees, that may be requested from prospective fostering parents. Such fees have the appearance of "buying" a baby, this is criminalized by the 2008 Child Law, and may put all future fostering in Egypt at risk.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED: To begin the process, foster parents need to submit the following documents:

1. A copy of the marriage decree;

2. Employment status and proof that they will be able financially to support a child (proof of income);

3. Proof that one of the parents is infertile (can not give birth);

4. Proof that one of the foster parents is an Egyptian citizen.

NOTE: Additional documents may be requested.

5. Apply for the Child to be Found Eligible for Adoption

After you finalize the fostering process (or gain legal custody) in Egypt, the U.S Government, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) MUST determine whether the child is eligible under U.S. law to be adopted (Form I-600). Learn how.

6. Bring Your Child Home

Now that your fostering process 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 several documents for your child before he or she can travel to the United States:

1. 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. Please note: Sharia's law does not allow for an orphan to take the family name of a non-biological parent. Christians may request that the child's name be changed during the fostering process. However, we strongly advise the prospective foster parents to seek legal advice from an Egyptian Attorney before trying to change the child's name in Egypt. Foster families can obtain a birth certificate for the child from the Egyptian Passport Office.

2 Egyptian Passport

Your child is not yet a U.S. citizen, so he/she will need a travel document or Passport from Egypt. Once prospective parents have satisfied the requirements of Egyptian law and are awarded legal custody with the right to remove the child from Egypt for immigration from the Ministry of Social Affairs, the prospective parent may apply for an Egyptian passport for the child from the Egyptian Passport Authority.

3. 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 child's I-600 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. Learn more.

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

Back to Adopting from Egypt

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{#eimage:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6c/Egypt.Giza.Sphinx.02.jpg/800px-Egypt.Giza.Sphinx.02.jpg|410x579px|thumb|'''Giza and the Great Sphinx.'''<BR/>Source: Wikipedia.org.}}
-'''''This page focuses on steps 1-4 of How to [[Adopt]] from [[Egypt]].  For steps 5-6 please read [[How to Adopt from Egypt Part 2]].'''''
 '''1. Choose an [[Adoption Service Provider]]'''
@@ Line 21: / Line 20: @@
 The process for finalizing the [[adoption]] (or gaining [[Legal Custody|legal custody]]) in [[Egypt]] generally includes the following:
 *'''ROLE OF THE [[Adoption|ADOPTION]] AUTHORITY:''' All prospective parents are required to apply to the Ministry of Social Affairs to qualify to become [[Foster Parents|foster parents]]. To begin the process, [[Foster Parents|foster parents]] need to submit the following documents:
 ::::1. A copy of the marriage decree;
 ::::2. Employment status and proof that they will be able to financially support a child (proof of income);
 ::::3. Proof that one of the parents is infertile;
 ::::4. Proof that one of the [[Foster Parents|foster parents]] is an Egyptian citizen.
 A [[Social Worker|social worker]] from the Ministry of Social Affairs will visit the parents to make sure that the foster family will be able to provide all types of support to the child. Once all documents are complete, they will be sent to the Ministry of Social Affairs Committee for adjudication. If all conditions are met, the Ministry of Social Affairs will issue an approval or denial. [[Foster Parents|Foster parents]] are notified and then are free to visit an [[orphanage]] and choose a child.
@@ Line 34: / Line 36: @@
 *'''ROLE OF THE COURT:''' Christians wishing to [[adopt]] in [[Egypt]] should seek legal counsel from an Egyptian attorney in order to receive the most updated information regarding the proper procedures and documentation for adopting or acquiring [[custody]] of an Egyptian [[orphan]].
 *'''ROLE OF [[Adoption Agencies|ADOPTION AGENCIES]]:''' There are no [[Adoption Agencies|adoption agencies]] in [[Egypt]]. Attorneys and/or prospective [[Adoptive Parents|adoptive parents]] handle the cases themselves.
 *'''[[Adoption|ADOPTION]] APPLICATION:''' All prospective parents are required to apply to the Ministry of Social Affairs to qualify to become [[Foster Parents|foster parents]]. A [[Social Worker|social worker]] from the Ministry of Social Affairs will visit the parents to make sure that the foster family will be capable to provide all types of support to an infant. Once all documents are complete, they will be sent to the Ministry of Social Affairs Committee for adjudication. If all conditions are met, Ministry of Social Affairs will issue an approval or denial. [[Foster Parents|Foster parents]] are notified and then are free to visit an [[orphanage]] to choose a child.  The foster family will sign a contract with the [[orphanage]] showing that the [[orphanage]] is officially releasing the child to the foster family and that the foster family will allow a [[Social Worker|social worker]] from the Ministry of Social Affairs to visit the infant on a regular basis to determine whether the [[Foster Parents|foster parents]] are able to care for the child properly. (This issue should be discussed in detail with the Ministry of Social Affairs in advance, if the parents are planning to move the child permanently to the U.S.). Christians wishing to foster in [[Egypt]] should seek legal counsel from an Egyptian attorney in order to receive the most updated information regarding the proper procedures and documentation for fostering or acquiring [[custody]] of an Egyptian [[orphan]].
 *'''TIME FRAME:''' The time frame is typically impossible to predict. To satisfy the requirements of the Egyptian family law and be awarded [[Legal Custody|legal custody]] or permission to foster an [[orphan]] at home with an approval to remove the child for immigration is a long and difficult process. However, once a child has been identified, an [[I-600A]] application for advance processing of [[orphan]] petition has been approved by the U.S Citizenship of Immigration Services (CIS) office having [[jurisdiction]] over the prospective parents' place of residence, and prospective parents have satisfied Egyptian law and been awarded [[Legal Custody|legal custody]], the immigration process takes between 1-2 weeks.
 *'''[[Adoption|ADOPTION]] FEES:'''  The U.S. Embassy in [[Egypt]] discourages the payment of any fees that are not properly receipted, "donations," or "expediting" fees, that may be requested from prospective fostering parents. Such fees have the appearance of "buying" a baby, this is criminalized by the 2008 Child Law, and may put all future fostering in [[Egypt]] at risk.
 *'''DOCUMENTS REQUIRED:''' To begin the process, [[Foster Parents|foster parents]] need to submit the following documents:
 ::::::::1. A copy of the marriage decree;
 ::::::::2. Employment status and proof that they will be able financially to support a child (proof of income);
@@ Line 46: / Line 60: @@
 '''NOTE:''' Additional documents may be requested.
+'''5. Apply for the Child to be Found Eligible for [[Adoption]]'''
+After you finalize the fostering process (or gain [[Legal Custody|legal custody]]) in [[Egypt]], the U.S Government, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) MUST determine whether the child is eligible under U.S. law to be [[adopted]] (Form [[I-600]]). [http://adoption.state.gov/adoption_process/how_to_adopt/childeligibility.php Learn how].
+'''6. Bring Your Child Home'''
+Now that your fostering process is complete (or you have obtained [[Legal Custody|legal custody]] of the child), there are a few more steps to take before you can head home. Specifically, you need to apply for several documents for your child before he or she can travel to the United States:
+::1. 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. '''''Please note: Sharia's law does not allow for an [[orphan]] to take the family name of a non-biological parent.''''' Christians may request that the child's name be changed during the fostering process. However, we strongly advise the prospective [[Foster Parents|foster parents]] to seek legal advice from an Egyptian Attorney before trying to change the child's name in [[Egypt]]. Foster families can obtain a birth certificate for the child from the Egyptian Passport Office.
+::2 Egyptian Passport
+Your child is not yet a U.S. citizen, so he/she will need a travel document or Passport from [[Egypt]]. Once prospective parents have satisfied the requirements of Egyptian law and are awarded [[Legal Custody|legal custody]] with the right to remove the child from [[Egypt]] for immigration from the Ministry of Social Affairs, the prospective parent may apply for an Egyptian passport for the child from the Egyptian Passport Authority.
+::3. 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 child's [[I-600]] 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/us_visa_for_your_child/health.php Learn more].
+To learn more about the Child Citizenship Act please read [[The Child Citizenship Act of 2000]].
 Back to [[Adopting from Egypt]]