In general, how long does it take to adopt a child?

Question

I would like to know how long it usually takes from the time you start the process to the time you bring your child home.

Answer 1

Theres a long waiting list for american babies, especially white babies. Other countries its faster, but it could take up to 5 yrs

Answer 2

it completely varies and depends somewhat on where you adopt from and how old a child you want to adopt and if you are willing to take a child with special needs. International adoptions are usually somewhat quicker but, often not much and the baby is never a newborn (the youngest may be 4 months old or so) and could be as old as about 2 yrs depending on what country they are from. That can still take at least a year. A Caucasian American newborn typically takes the longest; I adopted 11 years ago and it took 17 months from the day I first called an agency unitl we brought our son home. Some of the amount of time it takes depends on how quickly you handle things but, the majority is definitely just waiting.

Answer 3

There is no way to give a time limit on adoption, as there are too many facets of adoption, and so many criteria that can change, not only with you, but the process from day to day. Most agencies will tell you that once your homestudy is completed ( a process that can take up to 3 months), your wait for international could be a year and a 1/2, and with domestic, a year to 3 years or more.

In any case, most times you are matched with a child. That includes domestic programs where a birth mother views your scrapbook and letter to her, and chooses you based on a "connection" she feels. Many times you will be included with other potential adoptive parents, so when you are not chosen, it is not a reflection on you, but just what "she" connected to at the time, it can be frustrating, but know one thing.........when you begin the process, a baby will be coming your way. The RIGHT baby for you.

Answer 4

It depends on your stipulations? Does the kid have to be a certain age, or gender, or ethnicity? I know someone who adopted a child in about 6 months and she adopted her wonderful boy from Mexico. I know someone else who has been trying to adopt for about 6 years (she wants a certain kind of kid). I think it's a good process because parents should be willing to love ANY child. But, if you don't have a lot of NEEDS, you can adopt within the year. You need to have proof of income, to be able to show the company that you can provide a loving home etc. and you will be on your way to bringing someone home to join your family. I wish you so much good luck! Thank you for adopting! So many kids need homes! How lucky the child will be to have someone who wants him or her!

Answer 5

The length of the process really varies a lot. We adopted both of our children from Korea, and it took less then 7 months from start to finish in both cases. However, I know others who have adopted from the same country and it's taken almost 2 years for them.

Domestic adoption length can often be even harder to predict since it involves being chosen by a birthmother. On average, I think most adoptions take between 6months to 2 years total.

Answer 6

Step 1: research. A few months, usually, of reading, calling, absorbing information, making decisions.

Step 2: application and homestudy. Sometimes nightmarishly slow, at least it seems that way. Many steps, many hoops to jump through. Up to a year, often less. Sometimes you can do things fast, sometimes you have no control.

Step 3: waiting--for a match, a referral, a birth mother--different types of adoption have different steps here, but there's always a wait. Everyone's experience is different. My personal story: a little over two years.

Step 4: After placement paperwork leading to finalization. Usually another year, but by then it doesn't matter, because you have your baby.

Answer 7

Anywhere from 6 moths to 2 years. The expense can also vary from 20,000 to 90,000 depending on different things like if you go out of the country to adopt, whether you are wanting a newborn or toddler and lawyer fees.

Good luck on your journey of adopting a child, you are doing a wonderful thing.

Answer 8

We did a foster to adopt. From the very beginning (classes and homestudy) to the actual adoption day, it took us almost 2 years. Mind you, we had fostered him because he wasn't adoptable when we received him into our home. The courts still had to relinquish all parental rights from the biological parents. Once he was 'adoptable', it only took us 6 months.

Answer 9

well you have take classes and get certified, then they have to find a child that fits you, and that can take a LONG time. Once they do that it takes about 6 months to finalize the adoption.

Answer 10

It really depends. Our adoption 18 months. Some are days. Depends on the agency.

Good Luck

Answer 11

A long time. I started looking into it (had a homestudy almost done) in 1997 as a single parent. My husband and I went to our adoption training classes in January of '06; finally got our homestudy done in February (we changed workers..ours retired and her replacement was a joke) and now we're approved and waited.