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Poland Adoption
Growing Your Family Through a Poland Adoption
Children of all ages, including sibling groups and some with special needs, are available for adoption from Poland. According to Polish law, children being adopted by foreigners must be considered hard to place in a Polish family. The Poland adoption program is open to both married and single applicants who are at least 25 years old. To adopt a child under the age of 4, the applicant(s) must be no older than 44.
Children available for a Poland adoption are those whose parents have died, relinquished their parental rights, or had those rights terminated by the courts. The children live in orphanages which are far superior to those in the former Soviet Union, Romania, or the Baltic states. There is often information available regarding the child's background and medical history. Two medical exams are conducted before the child is allowed to immigrate to the United States. Interestingly, if the child is over the age of 13, his or her consent is required before the adoption can be finalized.
Both parents (if married) are required to travel to Poland for one stay of approximately three weeks. From the time of initial application for a Poland adoption to the time you bring your child home is usually about 18 months. Polish law requires the presence of both parents for at least part of the court procedure, which involves two hearings. Parents are required to meet the child before the adoption. After the final hearing and the approval of the adoption, there is a 21 day waiting period before the adoption is finalized. (This waiting period can be shortened to 14 days by the judge.) Once the final court decree has been issued, the parents can apply for a Polish passport for the child and begin the visa process. In 2004, there were 102 Polish children adopted by Americans.
A Poland adoption is finalized in the Polish courts. Once the child is home with the family, post-placement reports with photos are required once a year for three years, and every three years from then on until the child reaches majority.