Adopting from Honduras

Honduras Adoption Alert

Alert: The Honduran Adoption Authority, Instituto Hondureño de la Niñez y la Familia (IHNFA), has Resumed Normal Operations (October 25, 2012)

This alert updates the alert published on October 17, 2012 regarding the temporary closure of the Instituto Hondureño de la Niñez y la Familia (IHNFA), due to a labor strike. U.S. Embassy Tegucigalpa confirmed that as of Friday, October 19, 2012, the strike ended and IHNFA is operating normally. Prospective adoptive parents with cases currently pending with IHNFA are encouraged to seek updates on their cases from their adoption service provider.

Alert: The Honduran Adoption Authority, Instituto Hondureño de la Niñez y la Familia (IHNFA), is Currently Closed due to a Strike (October 17, 2012)

As of October 2, 2012, employees of the Instituto Hondureño de la Niñez y la Familia (IHNFA) are on strike and IHNFA is closed. The IHNFA is Honduras’ Child Welfare Authority and as such, it oversees adoptions. IHNFA provides referrals to prospective adoptive parents and approves adoption applications. At this time, due to the strike, the IHNFA is not performing these functions. It is unclear how long the strike might last. Please note that the Honduran Family Court is operating normally at this time.

The U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa is monitoring the strike. Department of State and USCIS officials in Tegucigalpa will continue to accept and adjudicate complete Form I-600 adoption petitions and immigrant visa applications.

Please monitor adoption.state.gov. We will provide more information as it becomes available. Prospective adoptive parents are also encouraged to seek clarification on their individual cases from their adoption service provider.

Hague Convention Information

Honduras is not party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention). Therefore, when the Hague Adoption Convention entered into force for the United States on April 1, 2008, intercountry adoption processing for Honduras did not change.

The adoption process in Honduras is currently in flux. Policies regarding eligibility requirements for prospective adoptive parents, residency requirements, and time frame are under review by the Honduran Family Court (IHNFA). Any change on the family code regarding all the above must be done by the Congress, not the family court, they can only give their opinion. This has been under review for more than 8 years, they have been studying many law projects, and however, it remains the same.

Who Can Adopt

To bring an adopted child to the United States from Honduras, you must be found eligible to adopt by both the U.S. and Honduran governments. The U.S. Government agency responsible for making this determination is the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Learn more.

The Honduran Institute for Family and Children (IHNFA) is the Honduran government agency responsible for handling adoptions in Honduras.

Residency

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Age of Adopting Parents

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Marriage

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Income

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Other

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Who Can Be Adopted

Honduras has specific requirements that a child must meet in order to be eligible for adoption. You cannot adopt a child in Honduras unless he or she meets the requirements.

Only children under 14 years of age can be adopted and need to be adopted through IHNFA. Children older than 14 only have to go through the family courts.

In addition to these requirements, a child must meet the definition of an orphan under U.S. law for you to bring him or her home back to the United States. Learn more about U.S. immigration requirements.

After Adoption

SOURCE

Intercountry Adoption, Bureau of Consular Affairs. U.S. Department of State Country Information