India
About The Children
There are close to 1,000 children on India’s CARINGs site. Most have moderate to severe special needs. Families with Indian heritage may wait for a direct referral from CARA of a healthier child. Families without Indian heritage must be open to a child with special needs.
Waiting Children are between 6 months and 16 years of age. The India program includes four categories, relative to your heritage:
- NRI: One spouse is an Indian Citizen, and the other is a US Citizen. This will be a Hague adoption process, and your child will become a US citizen. NRI families are eligible to adopt a young child with no known health problems.
- OCI: US citizens, of which one or both parents have Overseas Citizen of India status. You are eligible to adopt a young child with no known health problems, but the wait for a referral is currently 2.5 years after CARA approves you to adopt from India. Most OCI families are also open to a child with minor and or correctible special needs.
- Foreign: Families with no Indian heritage or Indian families that do not qualify as NRI or OCI. The reality of the program requires us to counsel foreign families to be open to considering a child with moderate to severe special needs, or a child over age 10. Applications from families hoping to adopt only healthy young children (unless they are NRI/OCI) will result in many years of waiting and possibly not receiving a referral at all.
Eligibility
The prospective adoptive parents (PAPS) should be financially stable to support a child comfortably.
Couples must be married for a minimum of two years.
Single women are eligible to adopt a child of any gender. Single men shall not be eligible to adopt a girl child.
The age of prospective adoptive parents as on the date of complete registration shall be counted for deciding the age group of the child you apply for. The eligibility of prospective adoptive parents to apply for children of different age groups shall be as under – All age requirements will be emailed to you upon request.
Couples with three children shall only be considered for special needs children. The minimum age difference between the child and either of the PAPS should not be less than twenty-five years.
The age of prospective adoptive parents as on the date of complete registration shall be counted for deciding the age group of the child you apply for. India counts the years, months, and days to reach the combined age limits. If you have not accepted a referral and received NOC in three years, you must revalidate your file with CARA. If this happens, you will then be eligible for the age category at the time of revalidation.
Married couples:
- The maximum combined age for children 0-4 is 90 years.
- The maximum combined age for children 4-8 is 100 years.
- The maximum combined age for children 8+ is 110 years.
Single women:
- The maximum age for children 0-4 is 45 years.
- The maximum age for children 4-8 is 50 years.
- The maximum age for children 8+ is 55 years.
There are nearly 1,000 children on India´s CARING´s site. Most with moderate to severe special needs. We sometimes see healthy older children or children listed with minor special needs.
Waiting Children are between 6 months and 16 years of age. There are four categories: no known health issues, physically challenged, mentally challenged, and multiple disabilities.
CHI requires families to be open to considering a child with minor/correctable needs. CHI will not accept applications from families hoping to adopt only healthy young babies unless they have Indian Heritage.
Travel and Time Frame
Travel
Adopting from India is a one-trip process lasting approximately 12 days. However, some Judges are requiring families be present at court. This would mean two short trips or one long trip.
Time Frame
NRI families are currently waiting 12-18 months for a referral.OCI families are currently waiting 2.5 years for a healthy referral from CARA.
Foreign families wait times depend on the special needs and age of the child they are wishing to adopt.
NOTE: Wait times are estimated and based on our current experience. All wait times are subject to change without notice. The estimated time between referral acceptance and travel to bring your child home is 6-10 months, depending on the court.
Process
ADOPTION PROCESS
CHI has worked in India since 1975. We have professionals in India, as well as our U.S. staff ready to assist you through all the adoption steps. Please contact us for a conversation about your adoption.
2
Complete the Home Study Process with a CHI Social Worker or a Local Hague Accredited Social Worker and compile your dossier.
3
Submit Approved Home Study.
4
Apply for I-800A Approval from USCIS and the case manager will upload your approved home study and dossier documents to CARA (Central Adopting Resource Authority in India). Once you are approved by CARA, you will be placed in line for a referral. At this time, you will also be eligible to be matched with a waiting child on India’s CARINGS Site.
5
Receive a referral either directly from CARA or from the CARINGS site
- For a direct CARA referral, you will have a limited time in which to reserve a child. Then CARA allows an additional 30 days in which to decide to proceed with the adoption. During this time, you may visit the child, request additional information, etc.
- For a waiting child, you will have two weeks, to ask questions and speak to a doctor about the child´s health. Time extensions are allowed to receive additional information on the child´s health.
Want To Learn More
About India?
CHI will be happy to talk to you to discuss your hopes and dreams concerning adopting from India. Please contact us for a confidential conversation about your questions and thoughts. Please also see the following sites.
Click here to go to the State Department Website!
Click here to go to the Centers for Disease Control Website on International Adoption!
Click here to go to the CIA World Factbook on all countries!
Want to learn more about waiting children
in India?
What parents say about us?
We are happy to share our families experiences
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