Adoptions have resumed in Haiti! CAS is accepting applications as there are many children waiting to be matched with their forever families! These children were all relinquished prior to the earthquake. If you have any questions contact Allie Weldon.
Read the most recent news about our Haiti adoption program (click here to read).
Quick Reference
Children
Age: 4 months to 9 Years
Parent Requirements:
The parent requirements which are currently in effect were set by the Haitian Government in 1974. New adoption laws have been on the table for more than three years now and earlier this summer the first chamber of the Haitian Government passed these laws. They still must be heard by the second chamber. With national elections scheduled to take place in November it is not anticipated that the second chamber will review this legislation before early winter. At this time CAS, along with most other American agencies, will continue to accept applications from families who meet the current laws of 1974, this is under the recommendation of the orphanage director who we work with.
Age: 35 and up, One parent must be 35 years of age
Marriage: Married, 10 years or Single women and men. Couples may also be approved if they have been married for at least 5 years if they previously lived together for at least 5 years (meaning they have cohabitated for a minimum of 10 years).
No children in the home is preferred; however families with 1-3 children may qualify for a Presidential Waiver from the Haitian government. Families with more than 3 children (in or outside of the home) are not eligible.
Estimated Process Timeline:
From dossier to referral: Up to 6 months
Civil court approval to travel: 12-24 months
Travel: 2 trips, 3-5 days each
Children Available
The children available for adoption from Haiti are of African heritage. Most of the children have a dark complexion, brown eyes and dark hair. Infants and children through 9 years of age are available for international adoption. Children with special needs are also available.
Eligible Applicants
Married couples who have been married for 10 years and single women ages 35 and older can adopt children from Haiti. There is no maximum age limit for adoptive parents; however, adoptive parents 50 and older should be open to a child at least 3 years and older. The family should not have any children in the home. If you do have a child you can request a Presidential Waiver, which may add up to one year to the family’s wait after being matched with a child, this policy changes and cases are evaluated on a case by case basis. Couples may be accepted if they have been married for at least 5 years and cohabitated prior to marriage for a minimum of 5 years.
Program & Process
Carolina Adoption Services is working with the Maison des Anges orphanage. This orphanage is located in Tabarre, on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. The children are well cared for with an average of five children to one caregiver. There are nurses on staff and a pediatrician visits twice weekly. Children who are two and older receive tutoring.
Since the devastating earthquake on January 12, 2010 the children have been residing in a temporary location down the street from the orphanage. The earthquake led to severe destruction of the orphanage facilities and they were later torn down as a result of the significant structural damage. The resourceful orphanage staff arranged for the children to move to a small piece of land, which they had cleared and this will be home for the next year or so. There are two large tents, provided by a Swiss organization, which are set-up on concrete pads. There is a small office building with a kitchen and living facility for the orphanage director and her family. The current facility, and the old orphanage property, are guarded 24 hours a day by professional security staff to ensure the safety of the children and to prevent any supplies (food, medicine, etc.) from being stolen during these dire times.
Carolina Adoption Service’s staff is here to assist families with every step of the dossier. Once submitted, the dossier is sent to our partner in Haiti and a family is matched with a child. Our Haitian staff then submits the dossier to the Institut du Bien Etre Social et Recherches (IBESR), which is the Haitian department of social services, or the central adoption authority. Once the IBESR grants approval, all paperwork is submitted to the Parquet (the public prosecutor’s office), next the dossier is legalized, then sent to the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) and finally to immigration. From submission of dossier until the child is referred takes up to 6 months. You will receive any available information about a referred child. This information consists of a medical, social, developmental and background report along with pictures of the child. Families are welcome and encouraged to visit the child they have been matched with in Haiti while waiting for approval and issuance of the decree of adoption.
Adoptive parents must make two trips to Haiti, each lasting 3-5 days. The second trip will include an interview at the US Consulate in Port-Au-Prince for the child’s immigrant visa. Parents are met at the airport by an in-country representative and are escorted throughout their trip. Parents are welcome, and encouraged, to visit their child on additional trips while waiting for the adoption to be finalized. Haiti’s close proximity to the U.S. and relatively inexpensive flights make it easier for parents to visit as much as possible. The orphanage staff welcomes adoptive families with open arms!
The Country
Haiti is a small island located in the Caribbean, which was established in 1804. This country is approximately the size of Maryland and features two beautiful mountain ranges and two great valleys. Haiti shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic and has a population of approximately 8.7 million people. Haiti is the poorest country located in the Western Hemisphere. The needs of this country are significant. Prior to the earthquake there were more than 400,000 orphans, a staggering number for such a small country.
