After Adoption Albania

Obtaining Travel Documents

The final court decision and the child's travel documentation cannot be issued until 13 days after the court date. The child must remain in Albania during these 13 days, although s/he may reside with the adoptive parents during that time. Please remember: when traveling to the U.S. with your newly adopted child, since the child is an Albanian citizen, s/he will need to obtain a transit visa from the embassy of the country of transit in order to be permitted to travel through. The country of transit cannot issue this transit visa until the child is issued a passport. In many cases the transit visa application may take several days or more to process. (Note: this procedure is separate from the U.S. immigrant visa process.) Therefore, prospective adoptive parents should be prepared to arrive in Albania a day or two before the court date and to remain afterwards for approximately three weeks.

What does Albania require of the adoptive parents after the adoption?

Discuss any possible post-adoption requirements with the adoption agency you choose.

What resources are available to assist families after the adoption?

Many adoptive parents find it important to find support after the adoption. Take advantage of all the resources available to your family -- whether it's another adoptive family, a support group, an advocacy organization, or your religious or community services.

Here are some good places to start your support group search:

Adoption Services Support Groups for Adopting Persons [1]

North American Council on Adoptable Children [2]

NOTE: Inclusion of non-U.S. Government links does not imply endorsement of contents.