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How to Adopt from Papau New Guinea

Main entrance of the parliament building in Port Moresby.
Source: Wikipedia.org.

Adoption Authority

Papua New Guinea's Adoption Authority

The central authority responsible for adoptions in Papua New Guinea is the Office of Child Welfare in the Department for Community Development.


The Process

The process for adopting a child from Papua New Guinea generally includes the following steps:


  1. Choose an Adoption Service Provider
  2. Apply to be Found Eligible to Adopt
  3. Be Matched with a Child
  4. Adopt the Child (or Gain Legal Custody) in Papua New Guinea
  5. Apply for the Child to be Found Eligible for Adoption
  6. Bring Your Child Home


1. Choose an Adoption Service Provider

The first step in adopting a child from Papua New Guinea is usually to select a licensed agency in the United States that can help with your adoption. Adoption service providers must be licensed by the U.S. state in which they operate. Learn more about choosing the right adoption service provider.


There are no adoption agencies in Papua New Guinea. The Office of Child Welfare in the Department for Community Development and its Director assists in adoptions.


2. Apply to be Found Eligible to Adopt

To bring an adopted child from Papua New Guinea to the United States, you must apply to be found eligible to adopt (Form I-600A) by the U.S. Government, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Learn how.


In addition to meeting the U.S. requirements for adoptive parents, you need to meet the requirements of Papua New Guinea as described in the Who Can Adopt section.


3. Be Matched with a Child

If you are eligible to adopt, and a child is available for intercountry adoption, the central adoption authority in Papua New Guinea will provide you with a referral to a child. Each family must decide for itself whether or not it will be able to meet the needs of a particular child and provide a permanent family placement for the referred child. .


The child must be eligible to be adopted according to Papua New Guinean requirements, as described in the Who Can be Adopted section. The child must also meet the definition of an orphan under U.S. law. Learn more.


4. Adopt the Child (or Gain Legal Custody) in Papua New Guinea

The process for finalizing the adoption (or gaining legal custody) in Papua New Guinea generally includes the following:


  • ADOPTION APPLICATION: There is no application form for an adoption. The prospective adoptive parents must write a letter stating their intentions to adopt and address it to the Director of Child Welfare, Department for Community Development at Sanbra Haus, P.O. Box 7354, Boroko, NCD, Papua New Guinea.
  • TIME FRAME:' It takes approximately nine months from the time a child is matched with a family for adoption until the adoption is finalized.
  • ADOPTION FEES: There are no government charges for adoptions of Papua New Guinean children. Attorneys' fees vary and it is advisable to contact an attorney to obtain accurate fee information.
  • DOCUMENTS REQUIRED: The following documents are required to complete an adoption in Papua New Guinea:
1. Birth certificate;
2. Medical reports ;
3. Bank Statements;
4. Marriage certificate, and
5. Family photos. 
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.


5. Apply for the Child to be Found Eligible for Adoption

After you finalize the adoption (or gain legal custody) in Papua New Guinea, the U.S Government, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) MUST determine whether the child is eligible under U.S. law to be adopted (Form I-600). Learn how.


6. Bring Your Child Home

Now that your adoption is complete (or you have obtained legal custody of the child), there are a few more steps to take before you can head home. Specifically, you need to apply for several documents for your child before he or she can travel to the United States:


1. Birth Certificate

You will first need to apply for a new birth certificate for your child, so that you can later apply for a passport. Your name will be added to the new birth certificate.

2. Papua New Guinean Passport

Your child is not yet a U.S. citizen, so he/she will need a travel document or Passport from Papua New Guinea.

3. U.S. Immigrant Visa

After you obtain the new birth certificate and passport for your child, you also need to apply for an U.S. visa from the United States Embassy for your child. After the adoption (or custody for purpose of adoption) is granted, visit the U.S. Embassy for final review and approval of the child's I-600 petition and to obtain a visa for the child. This immigrant visa allows your child to travel home with you. As part of this process, the Consular Officer must be provided the "Panel Physician's" medical report on the child if it was not provided during the provisional approval stage. [https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/Intercountry-Adoption/Adoption-Process/how-to-adopt/medical-examination.html Learn more].


APPLYING FOR A VISA AT THE U.S. EMBASSY IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Please visit the web site for the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea for information on how to schedule an immigrant visa interview.


NOTE: The Consular Section provides visa services only on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Issued visas will generally be ready for pickup in the afternoon of the same day. If the number of applicants or any other circumstance renders this impossible, then passports with visas will be returned the following morning, or as soon as possible after that time.

To learn more about the Child Citizenship Act please read about The Child Citizenship Act of 2000.

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