Congo Adoption

The Children

• Both boys and girls of African heritage available for adoption
• Singles, siblings and non-related children
• Infants available to school age children
• All children are tested for tuberculosis, hepatitis B and HIV when entering the orphanage

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Travel Requirements

• One trip of 9-10 days in Congo
• Both parents may travel or one parent may travel with a power of attorney to complete the process on his or her own.

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Basic Steps

• Application and program contract submitted, received and approved
• EAC can offer you references for home study agencies in your area
• Dossier preparation
  - EAC will provide you with guidance for each step of the dossier process
• I600-A petition filing to USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services)
• Dossier Submission
  - EAC thoroughly reviews your completed dossier with you prior to submitting it to DRC
  - Dossier required to be translated in to French, the official language of DRC
• Begin vaccination program for pending travel to DRC (Yellow Fever is mandatory; check with
  your personal physician and/or the Center for Disease Control for additional travel health recommendations.)
• Receive referral of a child(ren) available for adoption
  - You will be provided with 1-2 photos
  - Medical information
  - Social history of the child(ren) and reason for placement of adoption
  - Copies of any documents the agency has received on the child(ren)
• Upon acceptance of referral of the child(ren):
  - Submit and receive official acceptance of referral documentation
  - The petition to adopt is filed with the court
  - The court date is usually set within 1-3 months after dossier is received
  - Adoptive parents are not present at the court hearing, the adoption occurs on your behalf through
    the power of attorney you will grant to our representative in DRC.
• After the appropriate time has passed and all legal items completed, the adoption is approved and decree issued
• File I600 at USCIS in the US
  - US Department of State estimates their investigation will be completed in 3-6 months
• EAC will guide you through travel preparations
  - Securing a visa for your entry into DRC
  - EAC can offer assistance with lodging and other travel suggestions
  - Adoptive parents will be met by our English-speaking in country staff at the airport upon arrival at DRC and escorted to their hotel, US Embassy, and Congolese Migration Office by the attorney and/or Kinshasa staff
• Travel to Kinshasa, DRC
  - After adoption is approved it is time to pick up your child(ren), one or both parents will make one trip of approximately 5-7 days to Kinshasa, DRC
  - You will meet your child(ren) and our in country staff will help you complete US immigration and Congolese exit requirements
  - If only one parent travels the second parent will provide a power of attorney for the traveling spouse to complete
    the process on his or her own

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Time Frame

• From start to finish expected to complete adoption in 12-16 months.
  Referrals are expected on avg. 1-3 months after dossier submitted to DRC.