Brazil

Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world and the sixth most populous. The population of Brazil is approximately 170 million and is growing at a rate 1.9 percent annually.

Brazilians are friendly, warm, happy and free spirited people. They are also outgoing and enjoy being around others. Brazilians are friendly and helpful among tourists.

In Brazil orphaned children are removed from their country for international adoption because they essentially have little future in Brazil and have little possibility of being cared for by permanent, nurturing parents through domestic adoption with little possibility of long-term foster care. Their only other alternative to foreign adoption would be institutional care until they reach adult status.

THE CHILDREN AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION:
Live in orphanages and are 4 years and up

• MANY come in sibling groups
• Program fees are the same for one child or more if they belong to the same sibling group.

Children come from different racial backgrounds. The mixed raced Brazilian children are beautiful.

PARENTS:
Brazil has placed the fewest restrictions on adoptive parents in the world.

• Married couples as well as single women are allowed to adopt
• There is no age restriction
• Prospective adopting parents can come from any religious background or belief

APPROXIMATE WAITING PERIOD
The length of time to a proposal will depend on the age of the child a family requests.
However, a referral might take from five to six months from dossier submission. This is just a rough estimate and it may be shorter or longer depending on the availability of the children.

TRAVEL:
Adoptive parents must travel to Brazil.
The parents are required to stay in Brazil for approximately 31 to 45 days. This period of time is mandatory to cohabitate with the child for an observation period before the adoption is finalized. Brazilian Social Workers are very considerate with adoptive parents and children. Their main goal is the happiness for both parties. During this time, the parents and child are observed by the Brazilian authorities though a series of friendly interviews and mutual visits.

Parents will not be alone, they will have the support of one member of our staff to assist and translate for adoptive families throughout the process.

Although the stay is extended compared to many other adoption programs, the prospective adoptive parents may stay in an apartment flat approximately 10 minutes from Copacabana Beach and walking distance from a grocery store.

ADOPTION FEES IN BRAZIL:
There are no government fees to open a dossier with CEJA’s (The central authority). However, in order to keep your process in order and be updated with the legal paper work we need an attorney. They will assist with visas and help obtain the interviews needed in order to complete your adoption. The State Judiciary Commission of adoption (CEJA) is the division of government responsible for inter country adoption in Brazil. Each Brazilian state maintains a CEJA that acts as the central adoption authority, and is the sole organization to approve foreign adopting parents.

FEE BREAKDOWN FOR IFS BRAZILIAN ADOPTIONS
IFS Agency fee: $4,250
Program fee: Contact an IFS representative for current estimations.

Other related expenses include: Apartment flat ($1,500 for the month), UCIS paperwork, Brazilian visas, paperwork authentication, dossier preparation, and airfare.

All the dossier must be translated and authenticated in Portuguese. We request two sets of photocopies.

ADOPTION PROCEDURES:
To begin the adoption process, prospective adoptive parents must complete their home study and dossier and then apply for permission to adopt from the State Judiciary Commission of International Adoption (CEJA). This petition will be submitted by your attorney in Brazil who will be informed when your "Habilitation Approval Certificate" will be given, and eventually the court identifies the children eligible for adoption from a database of prospective children. The United States of America Consulate in the state of Brazil where your child has been located provides a letter addressed to the CEJA stating the United States will comply with the Hague Convention (i.e. that the adopted child will be a United States citizen and have all rights as any United States citizen. This I171H is provided only after UCIS has approved the 1600-A application. An approval cable will then be sent to the American Consulate in the Brazilian state where your child resides.

Once the adoptive parents satisfy Brazilian adoption requirements, a judge may grant a final adoption. The Brazilian government will then allow the child to leave Brazil. The adoptive parents can change the child's name and request a new birth certificate (listing their names as parents) at the Brazilian Civil registry office. However, our coordinator advises to consider the change of name, as children leaving Brazil are not babies. This is a part of their heritage and can be detrimental for a child who must undergo many changes in his/her life, including a different home, country, language, food and a new name.

Afterwards, the adoptive parents need to apply for a passport for the child at the Brazilian passport office with their attorney.