FAQs

When you tell people you are adopting, especially an international adoption, the questions begin to fly. I will try to answer some of them as we go.

1. What is required for a home study?

Picture Indentification
Recent family photo
Autobiographies (about 10-15 pages each)
References (3 personal, 2 relative, each supervisor)
Acceptance of guardianship (who will take the child if something happens)
Vet letter (proving the dogs don't have rabies)
Birth certificate
Marriage license
Tax return
Verification of the following - checking and savings account, mortgage, investments, life, dental, health, vision insurance
Medical reports for both parents
Court records check
KY child abuse check
FBI fingerprinting
KY State police report
Multiple interviews (totaling approx 4 to 6 hours)
Home safety check
There are some additional items but that is the bulk of the home study.

2. How much does it cost?

International adoption from Rwanda will cost between $25,000 and $30,000. Some people don't post/discuss the cost of the adoption but you can find this information anywhere.

3. How long will it take?

Approx 8 to 15 months. The climate of international adoption is always changing so we hope that things will stay steady for the next few years.

4. Who picks the child?

Rwanda will assign a child to our family. The adoption agency does not play a role in selecting a child as it does in other countries.

5. Do you get to pick age? Gender?

Yes you can select the age you are willingly to accept (ex 6 to 24 months). You may also select gender but could state that you have no preference. If you chose to adopt two children at once you can be as specific as one boy 2 years old and one female 10-12 months. The more restrictions you place, the longer it will take.


6. Do you have to travel? How long will you be gone?

We are required to travel and expect to be gone for 2 - 3 weeks. We will spend 7-10 days in Kigali and 7ish days in Ethiopia. We must travel to Addis Ababa Ethiopia to receive a visa for the adopted child.

7. How many children have been adopted from Rwanda?

According a US government website only 17 children were adopted into the US from Rwanda in 2008. I expect that the 2009 numbers will be much higher.

8. Can you adopt siblings?

Yes.

9. If the birthparents are alive can you meet them?

In some countries this is an option. I do not think that it is in Rwanda.

10. Do you know if they are healthy?

We will recieve a medical report with the referral of our child. It may state that the child is healthy but there is always a risk of additional medical needs. The same can be said for any pregnancy.

That's all for now. I will answer more questions as we proceed and as I think of them.