How to Adopt from Cote d'Ivoire Part 2

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This page is for steps 3 to 4 of How to Adopt. For steps 5 and 6 please visit How to Adopt from Cote d'Ivoire Part 3.

3. Be Matched with a Child

If you are eligible to adopt, and a child is available for intercountry adoption, the central adoption authority or other authorized entity in Côte d’Ivoire will provide you with a referral. Each family must decide for itself whether or not it will be able to meet the needs of and provide a permanent home for a particular child. The child must be eligible to be adopted according to Côte d’Ivoire’s requirements, as described in the Who Can Be Adopted section. The child must also meet the definition of orphan under U.S. immigration law.

Once the application is approved and a child is identified for adoption, the committee issues to the prospective adoptive parent(s) an authorization to take the child from the orphanage for a mandatory medical examination. The prospective adoptive parents are responsible for paying the medical fees which are currently $400. Upon the completion of the medical examination, the adoptive parent(s) are required to confirm in writing their intent to adopt. Once their confirmation is received, the committee will issue an authorization to the orphanage to release the child for foster care to the adoptive parent(s). However, the release is also subject to the payment of a compulsory financial contribution to the orphanage for the upkeep of the other abandoned children. The amount set for foreign adoptive parents whether living in country or abroad is currently $ 616.

4. Adopt or Gain Legal Custody of Child in Côte d’Ivoire

The process for finalizing the adoption (or gaining legal custody) in Côte d’Ivoire goes through the Court of First Instance.

Once the child is officially placed in foster care, the adoptive parent(s) may submit a request for legal adoption to the court. Although, the law states that it is only upon the completion of a six-month period that the judge may receive a request for and grant a full adoption, in practice, the court is more lenient with international adoptions considering various constraints as factors in the decision.

There are two types of adoptions in Cote d'Ivoire: the simple adoption (Adoption Simple) and the full adoption (Adoption Plénière). The simple adoption is roughly equivalent of a guardianship order and does not sever parental rights. The full adoption is a permanent, irrevocable severing of ties with the biological parents and creation of a legal parent-child relationship with the same rights as a biological child. However, please note that only a full adoption is considered a valid adoption for U.S. immigration purposes.

Upon receipt of the request for legal adoption, the court will review the facts surrounding the adoption, the documents supporting the request and may verify the biological parents’ consent if applicable. When satisfied, the court schedules a date for the hearing to issue the official adoption judgment. At the same time, the judge makes a decision on the name of the adopted child and authorizes the birth certificate to be amended to reflect the name of the adoptive parent(s) as the new legal surname of the child.

Please note that if the child is not an orphan, the biological parents are required by law to consent in writing to the adoption. The written consent must be attached to the application for adoption along with the other supporting documents.

NOTE: Prospective adoptive parent(s) are advised to fully research any adoption agency or facilitator they plan to use for adoption services. For U.S.-based agencies, prospective adoptive parents may wish to consider contacting the Better Business Bureau and/or the licensing office in the U.S. state where the agency is located or licensed.

The documentary requirements for processing adoptions before the court are the following:

• A written request for legal full adoption from the adoptive parent(s);
• Birth certificates of the adoptive parent(s);
• Marriage certificate for legally married couples;
• Proof of income (pay slips or other proof);
• Medical certificate confirming sterility, if this is the basis for adoption;
• The official certificate issued by the local Department of Social Welfare authorizing foster care.
• A U.S. home study may be useful, if translated into French;
• Consent for adoption, in writing, with the signature(s) of the biological parent(s), if known, duly attested by a Notary Public.
• Time Frame: The legal process generally may be finalized within a year.
• Adoption Fees: The adoption process involves administrative fees associated with the medical examination, as well as for court procedures. The administrative and medical fees are described in section 2 (c) and section 3. The court fees consist of $ 59.00 to register the case at court. Additional fees involve the purchase of a revenue stamp of $1.60 for issuance of the birth certificate, and the payment of a $ 75.00 application fee for an Ivoirian passport.

NOTE: Additional documents may be requested. If you are asked to provide proof that a document from the United States is authentic, we can help. Learn how.

Authentication of Documents: You may be asked to provide proof that a document from the United States is authentic. If so, the Department of State, Authentications Office may be able to assist.

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