The Pros and Cons of International Adoption

Adopting internationally has become a more normal trend in the adoption world, but it's not easy. There are benefits and downfalls going in this direction.

When considering adoption there are several different avenues one can take. One of the more recent trends has been looking for a child outside of the United States borders.

There are children, just like in the United States, that need a home. This is an option to consider, however, like anything there are benefits and downfalls in taking this route. One of the things to be wary of is when dealing with another country's child, the United States government cannot get involved. You will be dealing with a foreign court on behalf of its government and the U.S. has no jurisdiction there.

Here is the good part about adopting a foreign child:

- There are not as many children available domestically and broadening your search gives you more options. You are not limited to a certain area and can now open the search worldwide. Many people are going this route as the number of foreign adoptions has increased by three times since 1990. Too many people have been discouraged by the long wait time domestically and are looking internationally for a different path.

- There are countries where children are in desperate need of a better future such as China and Russia. China has a population problem and has mandated rules governing how many children a family could have. This forces a family give up a child more often, which tend to be mostly girls. Russia is a downtrodden country with economic issues and families cannot afford to keep their children. By adopting these children, you are giving them a life they didn't have the opportunity to have before. This is why these two countries are more popular than others to adopt internationally, but these should not be the only two places your search is limited to.

There are children all over the world who need a loving home. By adopting a foreign child, you are helping someone who would not have gotten the benefits you could offer such as a better school system, food to eat or a loving family.

Let's look at the pitfalls to adopting internationally:

- Money. It costs lots and lots of money to adopt a foreign child. There are adoption agencies that charge around $30,000 to get this process done because of the bureaucratic red tape that is involved. The agency is at the mercy of the other country and has to go by its policies. There are rarely instances where the U.S. is able to get involved on the behalf of the family, so if there is a falling out with the potential adoptive child, you might be out luck and money.

- The waiting process could be longer than a domestic adoption. There also might be extensive travel involved. Prospective parents might have to spend time in the foreign country having to miss work and will need to take care of everything is involved with being away for a substantial amount of time.

Before deciding to adopt internationally, prospective parents should do research on the idea.           

There are many resources available on the Internet and from government and adoption agencies. Check out adoption.com and the United States State Department. Both websites offer pertinent information on foreign adoption. You might also want to call adoption agencies that specialize in foreign adoptions. Before going that route, the agency will be able to give you information and explain all the pros and cons to adopting internationally.

In the end, while it could be costly and the wait time astronomical, it will be forgotten while you are holding that beautiful child in your arms.