6 Requirements, Costs of Adopting a Baby From Philippines

If you are among those who dream of adopting a child but lack information, then read our list of 6 requirements, costs of adopting a baby from the Philippines.

Children are the future of the world, and for some people, they are the sole purpose of life. Most of us have set some goals that we consider to be the most important and we strive to achieve them. Some of those goals usually include getting a good education, finding a great job, getting married, and having children. Not necessarily in that order. So, for many of us, having children is part of the natural course of life and a desire to give the gift of life. They are a blessing and no doubt, once you get them, children change your entire lifestyle. Parents start living, working, and fighting each day in order to provide for their children.

However, while some people are blessed with many children, others struggle to get one. Many parents can’t get a baby naturally but are also not able to afford expensive treatments in order to try and improve their possibilities to conceive. Adoption is one of the solutions that many parents turn to, and it is probably the noblest one, too. Adopting a baby and providing a loving, nurturing home is wonderful and priceless. But adoption is not always easy. In fact, it’s not easy at all. In order to be considered for adopting, parents go through a long application process in order to show that they are fit to adopt a child. And when you do get a baby, it is still difficult because you and your child need to get used to each other, which can be quite challenging sometimes. Considering how a baby can be from a completely different culture, parents must prepare for all the possible questions that might be asked. Often those questions come from people you know, your neighbors, friends, or even strangers in the street. It is important to prepare for the role of a parent as it is not something that can later go away, it is forever.

Adopting an older child may be slightly harder in some ways, as the child may take longer to accommodate to his new environment and new parents. Nevertheless, lengthy processes of adopting a child can be quite exhausting and we are here to help you with that. The requirements may vary from country to country, but if you are looking for the easiest ways to adopt then read our list of 10 Easiest Countries to Adopt From Foster Care.

In order to come up with this list, we did a research on the topic and relied on Intercountry Adoption and Official Gazette to learn more about laws in the Philippines. Here is our list of 6 requirements, costs of adopting a baby from the Philippines.

6. Age

According to the Official Gazette, in order for a foreigner to adopt a child from Philippino, he or she must be of legal age, and must be at least sixteen years older than the child. More precisely, the adopter must be at least 27 years old at the time of application. There is an exception to this rule and it concerns biological parents only. The maximum age difference between the adopter and the child to be adopted must not exceed 45 years.

5. Marital Status

If you are a couple who wishes to adopt a baby from the Philippines, you must be married for at least three years prior to applying and you must apply together, too. If you are a couple who is living together for several years, you must be married for at least one year in order to be eligible to apply. For single parents, the rules are slightly different. They are eligible to adopt children between 6 and 15 years old. Now, let’s see the top four entries on our list of requirements, costs of adopting a baby from the Philippines.

4. Criminal Record

Adopters must not have been convicted of a crime that involves moral turpitude, which is requirement number 4 on our list of requirements, costs of adopting a baby from the Philippines. The person or couple who applies must be of good character and able to take care of a child. Prospective parents must be able to provide support, education, as well as moral values to the child. The Philippine government will contact people who know you as to obtain such information and check whether you are eligible to adopt.

3. U.S. Immigration Requirements

Eager to learn more? Then continue reading our list of 6 requirements, costs of adopting a baby from the Philippines. If you wish to adopt a baby from the Philippines, you must meet the eligibility and suitability requirements. This will be determined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Your first step is to file a form with the USCIS, and they charge a fee of $720 USD. An additional fee of $85 USD must be paid for every member of your household who is older than 18. You can find more information about fees on USCIS official website. Reliable information on how much does the entire process of adoption cost cannot be found, although it is safe to say that the numbers for domestic and international adoptions can go anywhere between $4,000 and $30,000 USD.

The Philippines is party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, which means that intercountry adoptions in Convention countries are done according to the requirements of this Convention.

2. Traveling Requirements

We are continuing our list of requirements, costs of adopting a baby from the Philippines with a requirement number two – in order to leave the U.S. and travel to the Philippines, you must have a valid U.S. passport. Other than that, you might need a visa to travel to the Philippines, which is an official document issued by the country that you wish to visit. Find more information on requirements for obtaining a visa here.

1. Post-Adoption Requirements

The last requirement on our list of 6 requirements, costs of adopting a baby from the Philippines regards the post-placement period. Once the adoptive parents are allowed to take the child to the United States, they enter a six-month post-placement period where bi-monthly reviews of the child’s welfare are conducted by the adoption service in the U.S. After this period is completed, the adoptive parents should file a petition for adoption before the court.