Who Can Adopt from Botswana

A girl gathering food in the Okavango Delta.
Source: Wikipedia.org.

In addition to U.S. immigration requirements, you must also meet the following requirements in order to adopt a child from Botswana:

Residency

While prospective adoptive parents are not required to be permanent residents of Botswana in order to adopt, officials of the Department of Social Work within the Ministry of Local Government will verify work and residency documents before placing a prospective adoptive parent's name on the adoption “wait list.” When matched with a prospective adoptive child, prospective adoptive parents must foster the child first.

Age of Adopting Parents

No person under the age of 25 may adopt a child, either either individually or jointly with their spouse.

Marriage

A married couple, widower, widow, unmarried, separated, or divorced person may adopt a child in Botswana.

Income

Even though there are no set income requirements, social workers will verify that prospective parents have adequate financial resources to care for a child.

Other

While Botswana society is broadly tolerant, the penal code contains provisions that are widely understood to penalize same sex relations and there are no laws that protect the LGBT community from discrimination. The U.S. Embassy is unaware of any successful adoptions of children from Botswana by same sex couples from the United States. Same sex couples contemplating adopting a child from Botswana should seek legal advice in Botswana.

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