HAITI PROGRAM
Adoption Notice:
Haiti: IBESR Accepting New Adoption Cases
April 27, 2010
Haiti’s adoption authority, the Institut du Bien-être Social et de Recherches (IBESR), has informed the U.S. Government that they are now accepting new adoption applications for Haitian children who were either documented as orphans before January 12, 2010, or relinquished by their birth parent(s) since the earthquake. We encourage prospective adoptive parents to submit their adoption applications directly through the IBESR to ensure that the process is done in accordance with Haitian legal requirements. For more details on inter-country adoptions from Haiti please see Haiti country specific page.
4/29/2010
Dear Friends and Families, several of our agency team are traveling to Haiti to meet with our attorney specific to the laws post earthquake, see the children we have waiting(some of whom we are told are currently sleeping in tents) and to take financial assistance. We DO have identified waiting and relinquished children who will be visited and photos will be updated along with specific information about these little ones. We hope to make a difference in the country if only in the lives of a few. We are accepting donations through our web site and also by personal check to our office. If you desire to send a tax deductable donation, it will be acknowledged with a receipt and go to the country with our traveling team. Thank you in advance for your assistance and support as we work to find families for these precious children. Our team will be leaving Portland on June 18th; donations will be accepted through June 15th.
4/22/2010
BIG NEWS Haiti is now OPEN
Haiti has re-opened to International adoption and our agency is working to find families for many children who have been officially identified as orphans in need of families. Please contact us through our information request page and we will be happy to assist you. Thank you for your patience as this country has worked to re-open this program so that children may have forever families.
For more info please fill out our information pack or email info@toladopt.org
1/19/2010
Our deepest appreciation to all families who are stepping forward to indicate their willingness to help the children of Haiti: it is imperative to understand that at this time, there is no way to confirm that a child is truly an orphan and in fact they may just be separated from their parents. It is not ethical to offer a child for adoption without confirming their permanent status of having no parents or relatives to care for them. The most immediate need is to provide for basic food, water, and shelter of those who have lost their homes.
Please visit the links below to better understand why adoption from Haiti is not possible at this time and how you can help.
Thank you, the staff of Tree of Life Adoption Center
http://www.rainbowkids.com/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=687
| Adopting a Child From Haiti Post Earthquake
http://www.creatingafamily.org/blog/ This week's show, Jan. 20, is on Adopting a Haitian Orphan. There is much confusion right now on how to adopt children from Haiti, when will this be possible and how long will it take. What about adoptions that were already in progress before the earthquake. Our guest list is still in a state of flux, but it looks like we'll have on someone from the US State Department, the Citizenship and Immigration Services, Holt International, and Dillon International. We'll be talking about current cases as well as the future of adoptions from Haiti. |
1/13/2010
Haiti Update: we have several families in process to bring their child home from Haiti and the recent earthquake has certainly made conditions in the country and orphanages very challenging. As of noon today we know only that the children where unhurt and that there is damage to the physical buildings in which the children live. We are accepting donations which will go directly to the orphanage from Tree of Life if you are motivated to provide any funding. Please see our Donation link and highlight ‘Haiti’ as you complete the form
To make a donation please click here.
We have waiting baby girls, sibling groups and a beautiful five year old boy! Please contact us to start the process to bring one of these in need home to your family!
Haiti is a democratic country located in the Caribbean, 50 miles east of Cuba and about 600 miles southeast of Florida. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The majority of Haiti’s 7.5 million citizens live in extreme poverty. A former French colony, the country’s official languages are French and Creole. The predominant religion is Roman Catholic. Almost all Haitians are descendants of Africans who were brought to Haiti as slaves.
Haitian children available for adoption live in orphanages and placement centers. The children are tested for Hepatitis, HIV, and TB, Malaria and Sickle Cell. Infants, toddlers and school age children are waiting for families. Two ways of locating “your child”; choose a waiting child with the assistance of one of our coordinator’s; some are pictured on our web site, others may not be posted as of yet. Children are admitted to the orphanage as space is available so the waiting children may change on a regular basis. Or an adoptive family may complete their home study; obtain USCIS (formerly INS) approval, and Haitian dossier documents. Once the dossier has been translated, authenticated, and submitted to Haiti, families will then receive referrals of children who meet the age and gender criteria they have requested. The more flexible the family is in regards to gender, age, health, etc, the sooner the referral of the child. After a family accepts a referral, one parent can travel to meet the child. Once the adoption is completed(typically 18 to 24 months following submission of dossier to the country), one parent may return to Haiti to bring their child home, or the parent may hire an escort to bring their child home(keeping in mind that if you have not visited your child prior to the completion of the adoption your child will need to be 're-adopted' in the US and will not become a 'automatic' citizenship upon entry to the US) Trips are generally 3 to 5 days in length.
Haiti prefers that adoptive parents be married and at least 30 years old. Single women are also allowed to adopt from this country.
If you have additional questions about adopting a child from Haiti, please feel free to e-mail us at info@toladopt.org.