Ethiopia is a beautiful country situated in Eastern Africa near the Red Sea with a population of 53 million. It is one of the oldest countries in the world and was the home of the Queen of Sheba. 17 years of civil war bankrupted the country and left thousands of orphaned children. The numbers continue to increase as the diseases of poverty cause premature deaths of parents.

Available Children: Thousands of children are living in institutions because their parents can no longer care for them. Many children are orphaned due to poverty, the residual effects of war, drought or famine, or their parents may have died of disease, including but not limited to AIDS related illnesses.

Children are well cared for in orphanages or hospitals, but are in great need of a loving family environment. Our representative and staff in Ethiopia monitor the health and care of the children. The children are beautiful! They tend to have a cheerful outlook despite their difficult lives. All children are tested during the process for HIV, Hepatitis B, tuberculosis, and venereal disease. The children range in age from a few months to 10 years.

The children are:

• Male and female
• As young as two months old, at time of referral, up through school age
• Sibling groups available

Requirements for Adopting Parent(s):

• Heterosexual singles women and couples (with or without children) may apply.
• Couples must be married for 2 years.
• There are no restrictions regarding religion and previous divorce is permitted.
• There cannot be more than 43 years difference in age between the adoptive parent and child; however, there are exceptions for older children, special needs, and sibling adoptions.
  

Process: Adoptive parents must complete a home study before being accepted to the program. While waiting for the home study completion and immigration approval, we will provide instruction as to how to compile the dossier for Ethiopia. Once the dossier is complete, the adoptive parents may receive a referral. Upon acceptance of the referral, the dossier is sent to Ethiopia and together with the referral paperwork, presented to the Ethiopian government for review. Our representatives in Ethiopia monitor and assist with the process from government approval to court, where guardianship is granted, until the child travels home. The time line from receipt of dossier in Ethiopia until child travels home, is approximately 2 to 4 months.

Travel: Generally, the children are escorted to the U.S. but many families travel to Ethiopia to escort their own children.

Application and Processing Fee: $4,250
Service and Support Fee: Contact us for current information.

Approx. Additional Costs:

• Document authentication fee: $200- $500 (depends on your state)
• Home Study fee: $1- $ 2,000 (depends on agency)
• Post Placement follow up reports: $1,000+ (depends on agency)
• Travel: varies- depending on airline and the season you are traveling. Usually the ticket is anywhere from $1,200 to $2,500.
• Money wiring fees: $90
• Accommodations: including three meals will be $75/day for 2 people,
• Guide and transportation: $70/day for transportation within the city of Addis Ababa. If the family wants to go outside of Addis Ababa to visit the country the cost charged for transportation will be $100/day plus fuel expenses. If more than one adoptive family is traveling the fee can be divided.
• Child’s Medical Examination in Ethiopia: 35-$45
• Child’s Visa $380
• Visa for the Parents: These will be obtained in Addis Ababa before you leave the airport in the Ethiopia Consular section. The fee is $20 per person.