Georgia is currently accepting applications from families interested in adopting a child with severe or non-correctable special needs.
Read the most recent news about our Republic of Georgia adoption program (click here to read).
Quick Reference
Children
Age: 12 months and older
Parent Requirements :
Age: 25-50 years
Marriage: Married or single women
Estimated Process Timeline:
From dossier to referral: 3-9 months
From referral to travel: 2-3 months
Travel: 1 trip, 2-3 weeks
Children Available
The children range in age from 12 months to 15 years. Children must be on the National Registry for 6 months before they are eligible for international adoption. The children available for adoption have special needs that are usually severe or non-correctable. The children’s complexions range from fair to dark olive, and they typically have dark eyes and dark hair.
Eligible Applicants
Georgia has some requirements for applicants to the program: parents age 50 and older will be considered on a case by case basis, no more than two divorces per parent, no criminal history or history of substance abuse, and parents must be in good health.
Program & Process
Carolina Adoption Services’ staff will assist families with the dossier paperwork. Once submitted, the dossier is translated into Georgian and presented to the Ministry of Health where it is registered for approval. This process takes one to two months. Once the family’s dossier is approved, the wait for a referral is approximately three to nine months.
The referral will consist of medical and social history reports and photos. After the family accepts the referral, the I800 form will be submitted to the National Benefits Center for provisional approval. All paperwork will then be assembled and a Letter of Conclusion issued to the family. Upon receipt of this letter, all documents can be presented to the court, and a court date will be secured within one to two months. Acceptance to travel is two to three months.
The family will be given at least two weeks’ notice before travel. The entire trip is approximately two and a half to three weeks. The first three to four days will be spent visiting the child before the court date. If married, both parents must be present for the first part of the trip up to the court date. After court, one parent may leave if needed. The last part of the trip is spent gathering the new birth certificate, passport, and travel visa for the child before returning to the U.S.
Parents are met at the airport by an in-country representative and are escorted throughout their trip.
The country
Georgia is a mountainous country with many rivers that flow into the Black and Caspian seas. The country boarders Russia, Armenia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. Georgia is rich in mineral resources and has around 1000 known mineral springs. Georgia is well respected in the wine industry, as they produce quality wines from over 400 different types of grapes cultivated there.
If you are interested in adopting from The Republic of Georgia, contact Mary Beth King, Georgia Program Coordinator.
