Ethiopia Program Features
Who can adopt from Ethiopia?
- Married couples and single women may adopt
- One parent should be at least 25 years of age and no older than 50 years of age
- Prospective parents should be no older than 40 years of age to adopt an infant
- Please see General Adoption Requirements for more information about adoption requirements
What can I specify about my prospective child?
- Age range (e.g. 0-12 months)
- Gender
- Health status (including any special needs you would consider)
What information is available when I receive a referral of a prospective child?
- Photo of the child
- Medical record from admittance into Toukoul
- Any known information about the child's background (this information is limited and may not be available).
Do I have to travel to Ethiopia?
Prospective parent(s) may travel to Ethiopia or have the child escorted from Ethiopia. For married applicants: if desired, one parent may choose not to travel.
Please note: costs and length of process vary depending on many factors which include but are not limited to court closures and court delays, how quickly you are able to submit the required paperwork, and many other factors involving domestic and international entities. Any information on the length or cost of an adoption process is approximate and subject to change without notice.
Approximately how much does it cost?
There are many costs associated with international adoption. Costs that are included in your fees to the agency may vary depending on a child’s age and special needs classification but will generally be $12,000--$13,900 for Ethiopia. Please contact Dove for more specifics and information on possible grants. Families returning to Dove for a second or third adoption and families adopting special needs or older children may be eligible to receive a grant.
Approximately how long does the process take?
Time frames for the process vary but generally speaking, the average time frame from submission of your dossier to referral of a prospective child is 3-9 months. The average time frame from referral to bringing your child home typically is 2-5 months.
What else should I know?
- Simultaneous adoption of non-related children is permitted
- Post-adoption reports are required by Ethiopia and are due at 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year from the date the child arrives in the United States. After the post-adoption reports are complete, families are required to submit a post-adoption letter with photos, yearly until the child reaches 18 years old.
- Children who enter the US on an I-R4 visa must have their adoptions finalized in the United States in order for the child to have US citizenship. Dove requires families to complete this process within a year of return to the US.
