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Adopting from St. Lucia
Source: cia.gov.
Source: cia.gov.
Source: cia.gov.
Source: Wikipedia.org.
Source: flickr.com.
Source: Wikipedia.org.
Source: flickr.com.
Source: flickr.com.
Notice: As of July 14, 2014, all individuals and agencies facilitating international adoptions must be in compliance with the Intercountry Universal Accreditation Act.
The information contained on this website is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional legal advice. Always seek the advice of a licensed and qualified professional. While the content of this website is frequently updated, information changes rapidly and therefore, some information may be out of date, and/or contain inaccuracies, omissions or typographical errors.
Contents
About St. Lucia
The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries, was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally ceded to the UK in 1814. Even after the abolition of slavery on its plantations in 1834, Saint Lucia remained an agricultural island, dedicated to producing tropical commodity crops. Self-government was granted in 1967 and independence in 1979.
Hague Convention Information
St. Lucia 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 St. Lucia did not change.
In order to adopt St. Lucian children, persons who are not citizens of St. Lucia must reside in St. Lucia for at least six continuous months immediately prior to the adoption.
Who Can Adopt
To bring an adopted child to United States from St. Lucia, you must be found eligible to adopt by the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government agency responsible for making this determination is the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). To learn more please read about Who Can Adopt from St. Lucia.
Who Can Be Adopted
St. Lucia has specific requirements that a child must meet in order to be eligible for adoption. You cannot adopt a child in St. Lucia unless he or she meets the requirements outlined below.
In addition to the requirements set by St. Lucia, a child must meet the definition of an orphan under U.S. law for you to bring him or her back to the United States.
How to Adopt
Adoption Authority
St. Lucian Adoption Authority
The St. Lucian Ministry of Health oversees intercountry adoption matters.
The Process
The process for adopting a child from St. Lucia generally includes the following steps:
- Choose an Adoption Service Provider
- Apply to be Found Eligible to Adopt
- Be Matched with a Child
- Adopt the Child in St. Lucia
- Apply for the Child to be Found Eligible for Adoption
- Bring Your Child Home
To learn more about this process please read about How to Adopt from St. Lucia.
Traveling Abroad
Applying for Your U.S. Passport
A valid U.S. passport is required to enter and leave St. Lucia. Only the U.S. Department of State has the authority to grant, issue, or verify U.S. passports. Getting or renewing a passport is easy. To learn more please read about Traveling Abroad in St. Lucia.
After Adoption
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:
Child Welfare Information Gateway
North American Council on Adoptable Children
Adoption Services Support Group for Adopting Persons
Contact Information
U.S. Embassy accredited to St. Lucia
U.S. Embassy P.O. Box 302 Bridgetown BB 11000 Bridgetown, Barbados Tel: 246-227-4000 Fax: 246-431-0179
St. Lucian Adoption Authority
Ministry of Health Division of Human Services and Family Affairs Contact Clementia Eugene, Director at that office for more information Tel: (1) 758-452-7204
Embassy of St. Lucia
3216 New Mexico Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20016 Tel: (202) 364-6792
Office of Children's Issues
U.S. Department of State CA/OCS/CI SA-17, 9th Floor Washington, DC 20522-1709 Tel: 1-888-407-4747 E-mail: AskCI@state.gov or Adoption USCA@state.gov Website: U.S. Department of State
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
For questions about immigration procedures, call the National Customer Service Center (NCSC)
1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833)
SOURCE
Intercountry Adoption, Bureau of Consular Affairs. U.S. Department of State Country Information[1]