International Adoption from India

Photo of Calcutta, India

Adopt from India

Explore Adoption to begin the journey through the process of helping a child find a forever family.

India Adoption

IFS India Adoptions, IAN and Bob Mardock
For over 25 years International Family Services (IFS) has been a leader in the world of adoption, and for 20 years IFS has enjoyed a prestigious work in India becoming one of the leading India programs in the US. In the fall of 2016 IFS made the decision to focus agency efforts on the growing needs in US domestic adoption and voluntarily withdrew from our Hague accreditation that allowed IFS to manage our own international adoption programs. Thus, IFS no longer offers its India program.

However, because of the excellent decades-long reputation of the IFS India adoption program, soon IFS India adoption specialist, Bob Mardock, IFS Co-founder and President, was asked to join the India adoption management team at International Adoption Net bringing together nearly 40 years of adoption experience, history and success.

From Bob Mardock
It’s a privilege for me to introduce the International Adoption Net India Adoption Program. You will want to read the India Adoption News document that I will be happy to send to you. There you will find an overview of the program as well as fees associated with the program.

How to Get Started
After you have decided you are ready to move forward toward your adoption dream you will want to take the following next steps:

1) Review the International Adoption Net India Program Introduction titled India Adoption News (available upon request) which includes an outline of program fees. Program information can also be reviewed on the IAN web site.

2) Go to the IAN Online Application, fill out the application and submit the $250 application fee. IAN will review your application. On the application it asks: How did you learn about International Adoption Net? Enter my name, Bob Mardock. This will allow me to personally manage your India adoption.

3) Upon acceptance of your application IAN will notify you by email with instructions to complete the IAN General International Family Policy document (contractual agreements, service agreements and policies) and any additional program support documents that may be required.

4) Upon acceptance of your Service Agreement IAN will inform you of your official status as an IAN client in the India program and you will be assigned to me to start your India Adoption.

Home Studies
If you are a resident of Texas, Pennsylvania, or Oregon then IFS will be able to provide home study services for your India Adoption. If you are a resident of California, East West Adoptions (affiliated with IFS) can provide home study services for you. In the states of Colorado and Florida you will want IAN to provide your home study services. If you do not live in any of these states you will need a home study completed by a licensed agency who is Hague accredited. IAN can work with families from all 50 states and US citizens living abroad.

Disclosure – IFS, IAN and Hague Accreditation
International Family Services (IFS) is not affiliated with International Adoption Net (IAN). In late 2016 IFS voluntarily withdrew from Hague accreditation and now focuses on domestic adoption services, home study services, both domestic and international (for international HS – under the supervision of an accredited agency) and other non-international related adoption services. International Adoption Net (IAN) serves as the Hague accredited primary provider for all IAN India adoption cases and supervises all activities providing international adoption services.

Call or email and I will be happy to talk with you about the how IAN’s India adoption program can help you achieve your adoption dreams. If you would like to set up a time to chat by phone please let me know.

Warmly,

Bob Mardock
IAN India Program Coordinator
512-688-5187
bob@internationaladoptionnet.org

More about India Adoptions

In the summer of 2015 the long-anticipated Guidelines Governing Adoption of Children – 2015, were released making India adoptions even more attractive for adoptive families. These guidelines were updated again in January of 2017.

India has substantially increased the number of Specialized Adoption Agencies (SAAs – licensed children’s homes) from which CARA (Central Adoption Resource Authority) may refer children for international adoption. More licensed institutions means more children available for adoption.

CARA has also taken significant steps to streamline the India adoption experience. Persons of Indian heritage – NRI/OCI/PIO (NRI – one parent is a non-resident Indian – a citizen of India holding an Indian passport but legally residing in the US, OCI – at least one parent is registered with the Indian government as Overseas Citizen of India, PIO – Person of Indian Origin) may request the state in India they wish to adopt from and referrals can come from any of the SAAs in that state. Prospective Adoptive Parents with no Indian heritage (India refers to these PAPs as “foreign”) cannot specify a state of preference. Foreign PAPs may be referred children from an SAA anywhere in India.

About the Children

Healthy children and Special Needs children are available. While India has greatly increased the availability of healthy and special needs children for both Indian and non-Indian heritage families, India makes special provision for adoptions to families of Indian heritage. India allows OCI, PIO, and foreign families to adopt healthy children, only after the children have been made available to resident Indian and NRI families for a period of 60 days. Priority for healthy children is given to families in the following order: (i) NRI, (ii) OCI, (iii) PIO, (iv) foreign. Depending on the availability of healthy children, PIO and foreign families should be open to children who are considered special needs. Special needs can include older children (5 and up), siblings of all ages, and children with physical special needs. We are very pleased that there are greater numbers of special needs children for families whose hearts are open to receive a special needs child in need of loving parents. To learn more about special needs adoption contact Bob Mardock at bob@internationaladoptionnet.org.

Children available for adoption in India are of Indian descent. Many are of fairer complexion, some are dark skinned, and all have black hair, dark eyes and beautiful features. Boys and girls range in age from 9 months – 16 years, however, by the time a child arrives in the U.S., the children will usually be a minimum of 24 months old. Government guidelines require all adoptive parents to travel to India to pick up their children. Traveling families are met in New Delhi by IAN India staff.

Registering PAPs on CARINGS (Child Adoption Resources Information and Guidance System)
All Prospective Adoptive Parents are registered on CARINGS (managed by CARA). To be registered PAPs must be under contract with IAN, have an approved home study and completed dossier documents.

Requirements for Perspective Adoptive Parents (PAPs):

  • One applicant must be a U.S. citizen.
  • Up to 2 children in the home are allowed to adopt healthy children. Families with 3 or more children will be required to adopt from the special needs category.
  • PAP(s) must be at least 25 years older than the child they are adopting.
  • Individual PAP age should be no more than 55 years.

Married Couples:

  • Married couples must be married for at least two years and have a stable marital relationship.
  • To adopt a child up until 4 years of age, the combined maximum composite age of the adoptive parents should be less than 90 years at the time of registration with CARA.
  • To adopt a child 4 and up until 8 years of age, the combined maximum composite age of the adoptive parents should be less than 100 years at the time of registration with CARA.
  • To adopt a child 8 and up until 18 years of age, the combined maximum composite age of the adoptive parents should be less than 110 years at the time of registration with CARA. NOTE: USCIS limits the age of an adopted child who can be immigrated to the US to less than 16 years of age. USCIS will allow children 16, 17 and up to 18 years of age if that child is a biological sibling and part of a sibling group (with younger siblings) that is being adopted together at the same time.

Single Persons:

  • Singles should be less than 45 years at the time of registration with CARA to adopt a child up until 4 years of age.
  • Singles should be less than 50 years at the time of registration with CARA to adopt a child 4 and up until 8 years of age.
  • Singles should be less than 55 years at the time of registration with CARA to adopt a child 8 and up until 18 years of age. NOTE: USCIS limits the age of an adopted child who can be immigrated to the US to less than 16 years of age. USCIS will allow children 16, 17 and up to 18 years of age if that child is a biological sibling and part of a sibling group (with younger siblings) that is being adopted together at the same time.
  • Un-married or single men may not adopt a girl child.
Fees & Expenses

Refer to the India Adoption News (upon request) for a complete outline of India adoption fees.

For more information about Adoption Tax Credits and other tax planning information , see http://taxes.about.com/od/deductionscredits/qt/adoptioncredit.htm. NOTE: IFS does not provide tax-planning advice. Prospective adoptive families should consult with their tax or financial planning professionals for additional advice on the adoption tax credit.

International Family Services, Inc. is a non-profit adoption agency and child referral organization under IRS code 501(c)(3). We work domestically (United States) and internationally to identify adoptable children for referral to families from all 50 U.S. states and U.S. citizens living abroad, in coordination with a state licensed home study agency from the prospective adoptive parentís home state. International Family Services is a licensed child-placing agency in Texas, Oregon, and Pennsylvania (including home study services); registered in Illinois.

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