Armenia Adoption Overview
International Coordinator: Lianna Mills
Children Available: Children 8 years and older who are considered healthy, and children of all ages with special needs.
Parent Requirements: Married couples and single women, at least 25 years old. Parents must be at least 18 years older than the child but no more than 50 years older.
Travel Requirements: Two trips to Armenia: first trip 7 days; second trip 3 to 5 weeks
Adoption Timeline:
a. 3 to 4 months from dossier submission to match to a waiting child. Up to 36 months from dossier submission to match with a referral.
b. 1 month from match to first trip
c. 3 to 5 months from first trip to second trip
Armenia Program Highlights
- CAS has one of the oldest adoption programs in Armenia.
- Armenia offers a wonderful child-centered adoption program in which families are able to interact with their children between trips.
- A great program for families hoping to adopt older children or children with special needs.
More Details: Armenia Adoption with Carolina Adoption Services
Armenia Adoption: About the Children
The Armenia adoption program places children who currently live in orphanages. The children range from 0 to 12 years old at the time they are matched to a family. Younger children with special needs may also be matched through the Carolina Adoption Services Armenia adoption program.
Our Armenia Adoption Program & Process
Carolina Adoption Services will work with you to gather the documents needed for your adoption dossier. Upon completion, this paperwork will be sent to an attorney in Armenia and translated into Armenian.
The attorney we work with in Armenia will present your translated dossier to the Ministry of Justice for approval. Once a potential child is identified, you will be invited to travel. You may choose to hire an independent physician to complete a medical evaluation of your child; this medical evaluation can be conducted during your first trip.
After approval is granted by the Ministry of Justice, you take your second trip to Armenia, which will last 3 to 5 weeks. On the second trip you will attend court and receive custody of your child. There is a 30 day wait following court; however, a petition may be submitted to waive this wait.
Finally, the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan, Armenia, issues a visa to your child that you will use to travel home to the United States.
Armenia Adoption Travel: What to Expect
You will be met at the airport by local English- speaking staff and escorted throughout your stay. You may stay in a host apartment or hotel. Your two trips to Armenia will be an opportunity to experience the culture of the country and get a view into typical Armenian family life. Families report a positive in-country experience with our dedicated representatives.
Armenia Adoption: The Country
Armenia is located in Eurasia, the middle ground between Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Armenia borders the nations of Azerbaijan and Turkey; like its other neighbor, the Republic of Georgia, Armenia was once part of the Soviet Union. It ceded from the USSR in 1990, and it gained official recognition of its independence in 1991. Today, Armenia is an associate of the European Union.
Armenian is the language most widely spoken in the country, but many Armenians also speak Russian and a growing number are learning English. Overall, Armenia has a high literacy rate and the country values education.