Celebrate National Adoption Awareness Month - 30 days of ideas to help promote adoption.

International Adoption

More and more Americans are creating families by adopting children from foreign countries. In 2003, U.S. families adopted 21,616 foreign-born children. Overall, China was the most-often selected sending country for international adoptions, followed in descending order by Russia, Guatemala, South Korea, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and India. (For more numbers, see Trends in International Adoption: 2003.)

International adoption may be a viable alternative to domestic adoption for many families, especially those who want to adopt a younger child; however, the process can be complex, paperwork-intensive, and expensive.

Like domestic adoptions, costs and waiting time vary significantly depending on the country and child chosen. Costs can range from a low of $11,000 to a high of $40,000 or more, although most international adoptions average between $15,000 and $30,000. Special needs international adoptions may have lower fees and shorter waiting periods.

Visit the Adoption.com International Adoption Resource Center for country-by-country resources, agencies and information. Visit our Directory of Adoption Professionals to find international adoption professionals who can assist you.