Adoption Requirements In Uganda
What is Adoption? Adoption is the action or fact of legally taking another’s child and bringing it up as one’s own, or the fact of being adopted.
UGANDA ADOPTION REQUIREMENTS
In addition to the USCIS eligibility requirements for prospective adoptive parent(s), Uganda has the following adoption eligibility requirements. If you feel you are not eligible to adopt from Uganda, or you are unsure, please contact us for a free case-by-case consultation regarding your adoption.
Citizenship: One adoptive parent must be a US citizen.
Age: Applicants must be at least 25 years old and 21 years older than the child they plan to adopt. In the case of a married couple, it is sufficient for one spouse to meet these requirements.
Marriage Status: Married couples are eligible to adopt regardless of length of marriage. Consult CAN. Singles may only adopt a child of their same gender.
Previous Children: There are no strict requirements on the maximum number of previous children in the home, however strong preference is given to families with less than five children. For families with five or more children, they cannot all be adopted.
Religion: No country requirements. If adopting from specific orphanages, some may give preference to prospective adoptive parents who are practicing Christians.
Income: There is no minimum income required. However, you must meet the income requirements provided by USCIS for the child to immigrate.
Criminal History: Applicants with any criminal history are not eligible to adopt. Consult CAN regarding any criminal history.
Uganda adoption eligibility requirements are subject to change per Uganda’s adoption laws. CAN updates these guidelines as necessary.
If you would like more information about our program call us call us today at (512)323-9595 or email us.
ADOPTION TIMELINE
The time frame to complete international adoption from the Uganda is currently about 18 to 36 months, depending on the time families take to complete their dossier paperwork, their preferences for age and gender, and country processes. This time frame is subject to change, so please consult CAN for the most current processing times for your adoption from Uganda.
THE PROCESS
1. Application and Approval
To adopt a child, please complete our online agency application. If you have any concerns about eligibility requirements, please contact us before filling out this application. We will review your eligibility to adopt from Uganda based on the guidelines of Uganda’s adoption eligibility requirements once we have received your application. If approved, we will provide you with our agency contract that outlines our fees, services and important information regarding the international adoption process. Upon receipt of your signed contract, CAN will start to provide you with placement services for a child from Uganda.
2. The Paper Chase
Once your agency contract is in place, it is time to start assembling your dossier. This will include a home study, which will assess your readiness for international adoption from Uganda and help prepare you for adoptive parenthood, filing with USCIS for international adoption approval, and gathering your necessary dossier documents. These dossier documents must go through the appropriate notarization and certification. Your dossier will be reviewed and assembled at our headquarters in Austin, TX before being sent to our Ugandan lawyer for review. CAN offers a complete Elite Dossier Service to ease your international adoption process and give you peace of mind.
To ensure that prospective adoptive parents are prepared for their international adoption journey, our agency requires that parents complete 10 hours of adoption training as mandated by the Hague Convention. To satisfy these hours, we have developed an online parent training program that we are proud to include in CAN’s service plan. For an overview of the program, please
3. Identifying a Child
As soon as a child is identified based on your preferences for gender, age and health status, you will be matched. Families may be matched before or after completing the dossier. You will receive a description of the child, including the child’s history and photos with your referral. A private investigation will be conducted on all referrals to more fully vet the child’s social history and adopt-ability. Due to the lack of resources within the country of Uganda, the private investigation must be paid for by the adoptive parents at the time of matching.
After accepting a referral, families will pay monthly care fees to support the child’s care and well-being in-country. These care fees are paid up through the court appointment when the adoptive parents take custody of the child.
4. Picking up Your Child
Once you have been matched with your child, our in-country Representative and Lawyer gather the necessary legal documents in order to file for a court appointment. Travel is determined after this court appointment is set and is typically around a 6 week trip. Our experienced and caring Uganda team will meet you at the Kampala airport, accompany you to all adoption-related appointments, act as your translator, and assist you with your daily activities. Families must visit the U.S. Embassy upon arrival for an adoption-information session.
At the beginning of the trip, you will spend time living near the orphanage or foster home with your child so you have a chance to bond with your child, meet the caretakers, and even volunteer, if appropriate. The adoptive parents, along with any of the child’s key biological relatives, must all attend court. Both adoptive parents must attend the court hearings. After the court hearings and legal guardianship is granted, one parent may leave. Once guardianship is granted, passports are obtained for the child(ren), and the adoptive parents complete the U.S. Embassy process to finalize their adoptive child’s U.S. entry visa. The U.S. Embassy will conduct their own orphan investigation before issuing the child’s U.S. visa.
5. Post Placement Requirements
Parents must file for adoption in a U.S. state court within three months of returning home to finalize the adoption. In addition, three post-placement reports are required at the first, second and third month after you arrive home. These reports demonstrate to the Ugandan government the benefits of international adoption for their children.