| Children Available for Ethiopia Adoption | Ethiopia Adoption Requirements | Ethiopia Adoption Timeline |
| Ethiopia Adoption Cost Overview | Ethiopia Adoption Process | Ethiopia Adoption Resources |
Request your Free Outreach Guide to learn more about Ethiopia Adoption today!
About Ethiopia
Ethiopia is one of the oldest countries in the world, and its capital city, Addis Ababa, is often referred to as the capital of Africa. Located in the eastern most part of Africa, this country’s diverse terrain includes mountains, desert and tropical forests, and it is famous for being the origin of the coffee bean. Home to more than 78 million people, Ethiopia is the second most populous nation in Africa.
After years of conflict, droughts and famine, the Transitional Government of Ethiopia was set up in 1991, with an 87 strong Council of Representatives and a transitional constitution. In 1994, a multi-party democracy formed, and the constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia was adopted. Elections for parliament were held in 1995, and the government was installed in August of that year.
Ethiopia is one of the few African countries that support inter-country adoption. Their international adoption program opened in 1999 and has grown significantly throughout the years. In 2008, Ethiopia placed nearly 2000 children with families from the United States. The Adoption Team in the Children and Youth Affairs Office (CYAO), operating under the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MOWA), is the primary adoption authority in Ethiopia.
CAN partners with our sister agencies in our Family of Ethiopia Advocates to help families welcome home children from Ethiopia. This allows us to provide our families with a seamless process from start to finish. Our in-country staff provides us with the most current information so we are able to share it with our families. With families currently traveling in Ethiopia to bring home their children and more referrals continually arriving, our Ethiopia adoption program is going strong!
Ethiopian Children Available for Adoption
Ethiopian children are orphaned or abandoned for a number of reasons stemming from the country’s widespread poverty, disease and other overwhelming social issues. These children available for adoption remain in orphanages until they are placed with a family. All children available for adoption have received medical testing. When selecting a child(ren), consider that you may adopt the following:
- Boys and girls of all ages, from babies to teenagers
- Special needs children
- Two or more siblings at one time
- Two or more unrelated children at one time
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Ethiopia Adoption Eligibility Requirements
In addition to the USCIS eligibility requirements for prospective adoptive parent(s), Ethiopia has the following adoption eligibility requirements. If you feel you are not eligible to adopt from Ethiopia, or you are unsure, we may be able to work with you. Please contact us for a free case-by-case consultation regarding your Ethiopian adoption.
- Citizenship: One Adoptive parent must be a U.S. citizen.
- Age: Adoptive parents must be between 25 - 60 years of age. Prospective adoptive parent must be no more than 40 years older than the child (calculated from adoptive mother, if close in age).
- Marriage Status: Married couples are eligible to adopt if they have been married at least one year.
- Health: Prospective adoptive parents must receive pre-approval for any questionable medical conditions, including, but not limited to history of cancer, heart disease, and depression.
- Income: There is no minimum income required. However, you must meet the income requirements provided by USCIS for the child to immigrate.
- Criminal History: Applicants with a criminal history of child abuse, violence or domestic violence are not eligible to adopt.
Ethiopia adoption eligibility requirements are subject to change per Ethiopia’s adoption laws. CAN updates these guidelines as necessary.
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Ethiopia Adoption Timeline
The timeframe to complete international adoption from Ethiopia is currently about 15 - 24 months, depending on the time families take to complete their dossier paperwork, their preferences for age and gender, and Ethiopia's in-country processes. This timeframe for Ethiopia adoption is subject to change; please consult CAN for the most current processing times for your adoption from Ethiopia.
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Ethiopia Adoption Cost Overview
To give you a general understanding of adoption costs for Ethiopia, the following list outlines fees paid directly to CAN, fees paid for in-country adoption development and legal processes through CAN and fees paid for your Home Study and Post Adoption reports. All listed fees are a portion of your adoption costs and are subject to change without notice.
Our Ethiopia adoption fees are among the lowest available. We strive to keep costs low so that we may help as many children as possible find their loving, forever family.
 |
Online Application Fee | $225 | |
| (Opens your file to review and determine eligibility for adoption from your preferred country) | |||
|
CAN Professional Service Fee | $5,000 | |
| (Provides families with personal consultation, instruction and support at every stage of the adoption process) | |||
|
Final Processing Fee | $1,200 | |
| (Final processing fee - transitional care facility (to include facility manager, caregivers, rent/utilities, cook, security), child birth certificate and passport, authentication fees, medical exam fees, child background verification, child care supplies (food, diapers, clothing, formula), and transportation of child to appointments) | |||
|
Foreign Adoption Program Fee | $8,250 | |
| (Funds program development and in-country legal processes) | |||
|
Home Study Fee (Home Study Update is not included) | $1,500 | |
| (Assesses your readiness for international adoption. This amount is only for families residing in Texas. Fees for Home Studies conducted outside of Texas vary.) | |||
|
Post Adoption Fee (3-, 6- & 12-month reports) | $900 | |
| (Evaluates and reports how adopted child is doing with the family. This amount is only for families residing in Texas. Fees for Post Adoption Reports conducted outside of Texas vary.) | |||
Don't forget that the IRS offers a Tax Credit of up to $13,170 to adoptive families.
CAN offers our families a Elite Dossier Service to ease their adoption paper chase and to give assurance that their dossiers are correctly assembled for submission. CAN also provides Online Hague Parent Education Courses to help adoptive parents meet the minimum credit hours required by the Hague Convention. These services, along with the other amenities available to CAN families, are designed to make your international adoption process as effortless and enjoyable as possible. These fees are not included in any item listed above.
The international adoption process requires proper document preparation, filing and approval with the USCIS. Adoptive families are responsible for paying the set fees associated with each step. International adoption also involves traveling to the foreign country from which you are adopting. Travel costs include airfare, accommodations, meals and ground transportation, in addition to the requirements for your child(ren)’s entry into the US (visa and its required medical exam, as well as airfare). All fees are set by and are paid to third parties and may vary from case to case. These fees are not listed above.
For more details on the adoption process and estimated costs, you may request our CAN Outreach Guide.
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Ethiopia Adoption Process
1. Application and Approval
To adopt a child(ren), please complete our agency application. For your convenience, you may access the application online here to apply. If you have any concerns about eligibility requirements, please contact us before filling out this application. We will promptly review your eligibility to adopt from Ethiopia once we receive your application. If approved, we will provide you with our agency contract that outlines our fees, services and important information regarding the Ethiopia adoption process. Upon receipt of your signed contract, CAN will work with one of our sister agencies that make up our *Family of Ethiopia Advocates.
*Our Family of Ethiopia Advocates is comprised of Hague accredited adoption agencies that assist us in providing your family with placement services for children from Ethiopia. Our partners were among the first agencies with programs in Ethiopia and have enjoyed a long history of successful adoptions. The joint efforts of CAN and our partner agencies provide our adoptive families and children superior services and expertise for a seamless experience from start to finish. From the time you submit your application, throughout the dossier process, and up to the time to travel to Ethiopia, your family will enjoy personal attention and service from our team.
2. The Paper Chase
Once your agency contract is in place, it is time to start assembling your dossier. This will include a home study, which will assess your readiness for international adoption from Ethiopia and help prepare you for adoptive parenthood, filing with USCIS for international adoption approval, and gathering your dossier documents. All dossier documents must go through the appropriate notarization, certification and authentication processes before being sent to Ethiopia. We offer a complete Elite Dossier Service to ease your international adoption process and give you peace of mind.
To ensure that prospective adoptive parents are prepared for their international adoption journey, our agency requires that parents complete 10 hours of adoption training as mandated by the Hague Convention. To satisfy these hours, we have developed an online parent training program that we are proud to include in CAN’s service plan. For an overview of the program, please click here. Please contact us for more information regarding adoption from Ethiopia.
3. Identifying a Child(ren)
Once your dossier is approved by the Ethiopian government, a child(ren) is identified based on your preferences for gender, age and health status. You will receive a description of the child(ren), including the child(ren)’s history, medical test results and photos. You will have two weeks to review your child(ren)’s information before you must either accept or decline the referral.
4. Completing the Adoption
Your first trip to Ethiopia will occur shortly after receiving your referral. During this initial visit, you will attend a court hearing, which will confirm your family’s desire to adopt the child and begin the processing of all necessary adoption paperwork. At least one parent must travel for this initial trip, however it is recommended that both adoptive parents go. If only one adoptive parent is able to travel, they will be required to bring a Power of Attorney letter with them, signed by the other adoptive parent.
5. Picking up Your Child(ren)
You will travel a second time after the Ethiopian courts have approved the adoption. The main purpose of this trip will be to take custody of the child(ren) and to secure a US visa for your child(ren). While we certainly encourage adoptive parents to travel this second time, families do have the option of utilizing an adoption escort service for this trip. CAN will assist you with your travel preparations, schedule your flights and arrange all accommodations. We provide an experienced guide to be with you every step of the way. For more information about Ethiopia and travel tips, go to our Ethiopia Travel page.
6. Post Adoption Requirements
You will be required to submit post adoption reports completed by your home study agency, at three months, six months and one year after your international adoption from Ethiopia is finalized. After the first year, families assume the responsibility of filing post-adoption reports yearly until the child turns 18. This is a commitment that you and your home study agency must sign when submitting documents for the adoption from Ethiopia.
Ethiopia Adoption Resources
Click here to review important terms related to adoption and The Hague Convention.
Books for Parents
Stories from Ethiopia
- There Is No Me Without You: One Woman's Odyssey to Rescue Her Country's Children
by Melissa Fay Greene (Bloomsbury USA 2007)
- Held at a Distance: A Rediscovery of Ethiopia
by Rebecca G. Haile (Academy Chicago Publishers 2007)
Raising a Transracial child
- Black Baby White Hands: A View from the Crib
by Jaiya John (Soul Water Rising 2005)
- In Their Own Voices: Transracial Adoptees Tell Their Stories
by Professor Rita J. Simon, Professor Rhonda M. Roorda (Columbia University Press 2000)
- Parenting Your Internationally Adopted Child: From Your First Hours Together Through the Teen Years
by Patty Cogen (Harvard Common Press 2008)
- The Connected Child: Bring hope and healing to your adoptive family
by Karyn Purvis, David Cross, Wendy Sunshine (McGraw-Hill 2007)
Amharic
- Our First Amharic Words
by Stacy Bellward (Amharic Kids 2007)
- Simple Amharic for Adoptive Families (Book and Audio CD)
by Amy Kendall (Simple Language for Adoptive Familes 2008)
Adoption in the Classroom
- Adoption and the Schools: A Resource Guide for Parents and Teachers by Lansing Wood, Nancy Ng (Families Adopting in Response)
- Children of Intercountry Adoptions in School: A Primer for Parents and Professionals
by Ruth Lyn Meese (Bergin & Garvey 2002)
Issues in Adoption
- Adoption Parenting: Creating a Toolbox, Building Connections
by Jean MacLeod, Sheena Macrae (EMK Press 2006)
- Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew
by Sherrie Eldridge (Delta 1999)
- Parenting the Hurt Child : Helping Adoptive Families Heal and Grow
by Gregory C. Keck, Regina M. Kupecky, Lynda Gianforte Mansfield (Pinion Press 2002)
Travel
- Ethiopia, 5th (Bradt Travel Guide Ethiopia)
by Philip Briggs (Bradt Travel Guides 2009)
Cookbooks
- Exotic Ethiopian Cooking : Sociey, Culture, Hospitality, and Traditions
by Daniel J. Mesfin (Ethiopian Cookbook Enterprises 1994)
- Ethiopian-inspired Cooking, Vegetarian Specialties
by Ian Finn (Snow Lion Productions 2007)
- The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa
by Marcus Samuelsson, Gediyon Kifle, Desmond Tutu, Heidi Sacko Walters (Wiley 2006)
Children's Books
- I Wished for You: an Adoption Story (Mom's Choice Award Recipient, Book of the Year Award, Creative Child Magazine)
by Marianne R. Richmond (Marianne Richmond Studios 2008)
- A Blessing from Above (Little Golden Book)
by Patti Henderson, Elizabeth Edge (Golden Books 2004)
- A Mother for Choco (Paperstar)
by Keiko Kasza (Putnam Juvenile 1996)
- Horace
by Holly Keller (HarperCollins 1991)
Articles
- Adoptive Families, the online adoption and parenting guide, has provided trusted adoption information and inspiration to families for over 30 years.
- The Battle for Ethiopia Children
- Trends in African Adoption
- A Million Children Waiting
- Raising A Child of Another Race - Deliberate Parenting Can Make a Difference
- How to Be an Adoption Advocate
- Nature & Nurture: A New Look at How Families Work
- Helping Classmates Understand Adoption
Websites
- US Embassy in Ethiopia - Official Embassy news and updates on services for US citizens
- United States Citizen and Immigration Services - US requirements for permanent citizenship for adoptees
- Embassy of Ethiopia in Washington, D.C. - Latest news from Ethiopia
- Health Issues for Ethiopian Children - The Orphan Docor highlights common ailments of children from Ethiopia
Official State websites
Health and Wellness
Support and Education
