These country updates bring you the most current and up-to-date information from our program coordinators. One way of keeping you informed of what is going on in the country.
January 2012
The majority of the government and legal offices in Kenya have been closed since mid-December, but with their re-opening in the new year, we are hopeful that things will continue to move forward at a steady pace. The Kenyan Adoption Committee will resume their monthly meetings in February, and the court systems will reconvene as well. While the expected 12-15 month residency requirement remains the same, we are optimistic that the program will be a smooth, albeit long, one!
December 2011
Our Kenya program remains open to new families! With the addition of two new judges to the Nairobi court system and meetings scheduled on the Kenyan Adoption Committee’s calendar, we are hopeful that the program’s timing will soon shorten. However, we continue to tell families to expect a 12-15 month stay in country in order to complete their adoptions.
We are told by our partner agency in Nairobi that they are beginning to “feel the holiday spirit in the air,” as Kenya is a country that knows how to celebrate! The homes and storefronts of Nairobi are bursting with colorful decorations, song and dance performances are being rehearsed by school children, and menus are being planned. Every community in Kenya is known for a specific holiday delicacy and the markets are bursting with the makings of mukimu, ugali, and pilau!
November 2011
On a happy note, the Kenyan courts have recently added two new judges to their ranks, bringing the total number of judges who process international adoption cases to four. This addition should speed up the legal process in Kenya, though we are continuing to tell families to expect a 12-15 month stay in country in order to complete their adoption.
We continue to stay up to date on the security situation in Kenya, as reports of violence from the Somali border appear in US news media. According to our friends in Kenya, they are “well and safe” and are happy to hear that we are keeping them in our thoughts. They report that the government and police forces in Kenya have been vigilant in dealing with any threats and they are hopeful that there will be little change to the adoption process as a result of the current political situation.
Families are still encouraged to consider adopting from Kenya, as adoptions continue to progress and families remain safe. If you have any questions please contact Mary Beth King.
August 2011
Our Kenya program welcomes new families. For those families with flexible work schedules and the ability to experience life in another part of the world, Kenya may be a great option! Families can expect to be matched with a child approximately 6 months after submitting their dossier to the Kenyan Adoption Committee. They will then be issued a travel date to arrive in Kenya and begin a 3 month period of fostering their child. A court appointment will be issued 8-12 months later, after which time their adoption is finalized in Kenya.
If you are interested in adopting from Kenya, please contact Mary Beth King.
July 2011
Our Kenya program is open! Following the country’s reopening in February, CAS received our renewed license in June, allowing us to once again process adoptions for families interested in adopting from Kenya. The program is unique and requires families to live in country for an extended period, typically upwards of 15 months. Kenya is a beautiful country and has lots to offer waiting families in terms of social and cultural experiences!
We’ve had several families sign on for the program and things are progressing smoothly. We hope to submit our first group of dossiers within the coming months and anticipate having the clearer estimate of the total time frame once this first group has begun.
If you have any questions about adopting from Kenya, please contact Mary Beth King.
June 2011
Our Kenya program is now open, following both the U.S. announcement in February that they would once again begin processing adoption applications from the country, and our agency’s recent renewal of our Kenya license. Kenyan-Americans seeking to adopt a relative must go through the full adoption process. Their 3-month fostering period may or may not be waived. Families interested in adopting from Kenya should be aware that many uncertainties exist related to the time frame for adoption, and at minimum, a 10 month stay in Kenya is to be expected.
September 2010
We are unable to accept any new applications from US citizens who do not currently reside in Kenya, as the US and Kenya continue to disagree over the implementation of the Hague Treaty. As of yet, the Kenyan government does not have a Central Authority in place to process adoptions, as is required by the treaty. Until an authority is named, no adoptions can be approved under Hague regulations.
For US citizens and families living in Kenya with no immediate plans to return to the US, adoption may be possible as they could qualify as Kenyan residents. Those families would then be able to proceed with an independent adoption and subsequent alternate visa for their child, after living in Kenya for a minimum of 2 years after the adoption is completed in the Kenyan court system. Kenyan citizens who reside in the US may also be allowed to apply. If either of these exceptions apply and you are interested in pursuing an adoption from Kenya, please email Mary Beth King.
August 2010
Kenya remains closed to new adoptions, only issuing visas to children whose cases were approved before The Hague Treaty went into effect. We are hopeful that this will change in the future and we intend to keep our license in Kenya. For families currently in our Kenya program, things continue to progress. One of our families recently completing their court appointment in Nairobi and now prepare to return to the US with their beautiful little boy.
July 2010
Our Kenya program remains closed to new families, as the US and Kenyan officials continue to disagree about the country’s implementation of the Hague Treaty. Currently, we can only work with families who obtained immigration approval prior to April 1, 2008. We have several families anxious to hear of the country’s re-opening and we continue to provide updates as we learn more.
One of our in-country families recently appeared before a judge in Nairobi and were granted approval for their adoption! They now await their appointment with the US Embassy, where they will be granted their child’s visa and allowed to return home.
June 2010
Our Kenya program remains closed to new applicants, as Carolina Adoption Services can only work with families who obtained immigration approval prior to April 1, 2008 (when the Hague Treaty was implemented by the US). We are hopeful that this will change at some point and we can once again open our program to families interested in adopting from this beautiful country.
May 2010
Our Kenya program remains closed to new families, due in large part to warnings continuously issued by the US State Department. We currently cannot work with families who do not have immigration approval obtained prior to April 1, 2008 (when the US implemented The Hague Treaty).
For families currently in our Kenya program, things continue to move forward at a relatively steady pace. We have several families living in country, gearing up for a sweltering Kenyan summer and enjoying their time getting to know their children and experience the beauty of their birth country!
April 2010
At this time the Kenya program remains closed, with Carolina Adoption Services not accepting any new applications from families who do not have immigration approval prior to April 1, 2008 (when the U.S. implemented The Hague) due to the warnings posted by the U.S. State Department. We are closely monitoring the situation and will post any news on our website. In early March CAS welcomed home a family with their daughter after they had been living in Kenya for more than a year! For the other families living in Kenya their adoptions continue to progress while they enjoy their time bonding with their children in their birth country.
March 2010
At this time the Kenya program remains closed, with Carolina Adoption Services not accepting any new applications from families who do not have immigration approval prior to April 1, 2008 (when the U.S. implemented The Hague) due to the warnings posted by the U.S. State Department. We are closely monitoring the situation and will post any news on our website. For the families living in Kenya their adoptions continue to progress while they enjoy their time bonding with their children in their birth country.
February 2010
At this time the Kenya program remains closed. Carolina Adoption Services is not accepting any new applications due to the warnings posted by the U.S. State Department. We are closely monitoring the situation and will post any news on our website. We have one family who received a referral of an adorable little boy last month. For the families living in Kenya their adoptions continue to progress while they enjoy their time bonding with their children in their birth country.
January 2010
Kenya remains temporarily closed, with Carolina Adoption Services not accepting any new applicants due to the recent warnings issued by the US State Department. We are monitoring the current situation and will post any updates to our website once they become available.
For our families in process and living in Kenya, things are progressing as they should. We have had one family’s adoption completed by the Kenyan authorities and we are hopeful that they will return to the US with their beautiful daughter early in the New Year. For those still waiting, we eagerly anticipate that they will soon be issued a court date and will be given the go ahead to return home as well. In the meantime, they are enjoying the beauty of Kenya and relishing the time spent getting to know their children in their country of birth.
December 2009
Kenya is temporarily closed, with Carolina Adoption Services not accepting any new applicants due to the recent warnings issued by the US State Department. We are monitoring the current situation and will post any updates to our website once they become available.
For our families in process and living in Kenya, things are progressing as they should. We are hopeful that each of our families will soon be issued a court date and will be given the go ahead to return to the United States with their beautiful children. In the meantime, they are enjoying the beauty of Kenya and relishing the time spent getting to know their children in their country of birth.
In other news, we have had some staff changes in our office and our new Kenya program coordinator is Mary Beth King. Mary Beth is based in our Raleigh office and has spent time living and working in an orphanage in Nakuru, Kenya. She has been fortunate to make some wonderful friends in Kenya and is anxious to one day return!
November 2009
CAS is not accepting new applicants due to the October 1st warning posted by the U.S. Department of State. We are monitoring the situation closely, and will continue to post any relevant updates to our website.
August 2009
The Kenya program has been very active this month, with one family who has a referral and two families who are close to receiving theirs! Two families are already living in Kenya and one more will be on their way shortly. Our families have enjoyed getting to know each other while in Kenya, offering support to each other as only co-adopting families can! The CAS Kenya program continues to actively recruit adventurous families who would be able to relocate to Kenya for a period of approximately 12 to 14 months for the purpose of adoption. For more information, please contact Robyn Miller.
July 2009
One of our families currently in process and living in Kenya had their child placed with them this month! They now begin the foster process. Congratulations! The Kenya program is a great program for families looking for a great cultural experience along with their adoption. The program requires the family to move to Kenya for a period of around a year in order to foster their child while the transition is monitored by Kenyan Social Workers who report to the Family Court Judge. What better way is there to learn about your child’s home country and culture? For more information on Carolina Adoption Services’ exciting program in Kenya, please contact Robyn Miller.
The Kenya program also continues to accept donations for our group of boys in Kenya who need ongoing support. If you are interested in donating to this cause, please contact us. We would like to take this opportunity to thank those of you who have shown an interest in supporting this cause or who have already donated.
June 2009
The Kenya program continues to be a good option for families who are looking for a great cultural adventure! Our partner, Little Angels Society, continues to assist our families while they are in Kenya for a period of about a year. The US Embassy and State Department officials in Kenya have done a wonderful job of training our Kenyan counterparts in the Hague process, so the transition there is moving smoothly. For more information on Carolina Adoption Services’ Kenya program, please contact Robyn Miller.
May 2009
The Kenya program continues to be a good option for families who are looking for a great cultural adventure! Our partner, Little Angels Society, continues to assist our families while they are in Kenya for a period of about a year. The U.S. Embassy and State Department officials in Kenya have done a wonderful job of training our Kenyan counterparts in the Hague process, so the transition there is moving smoothly. For more information on Carolina Adoption Services’ Kenya adoption program, contact Robyn Miller.
To view past Kenya adoption program updates, please see our CAS Publications page and click on the Monthly Country Updates.