| Adoptive parents complete a home study before being accepted to the Ethiopia program. While waiting for home study completion and CIS approval, we provide instruction as to how to compile the dossier for Ethiopia. Once the dossier is complete, adoptive parents may receive a referral. Upon acceptance of the referral, the dossier and the referral paperwork are presented to the Ethiopian government for review.
Our representatives in Ethiopia oversee the process from government approval to court, where the adoption is granted, and onward until child travels home. From accepting a referral until child travels home, it takes approximately 3 to 4 months. Parents can choose to travel to Ethiopia or arrange for an escort to pick up their child (escorts are available for children 12 months and under or in special circumstances).
International adoptions in Ethiopia are overseen by the Ministry of Women's Affairs, a government division under the Ministry of Justice which regulates all adoption processing.
A general outline of the process is as follows:
Home study completion and CIS filing
Dossier submitted to CHSFS
Family receives child referral
Court process in Ethiopia
Completion of CIS paperwork for child's US visa
Child travels home
Timeframes
We provide approximate timeframes for all adoption milestones. Each family's process is individual and unique, therefore timelines may differ slightly from case to case. The following timeframes are generally what our families can expect to experience in the Ethiopia adoption program:
- From applicaton submitted until dossier to country: Varies, depends on how quickly individual family works to complete dossier; also depends on completion of home study. Typically 1 - 4 months.
- Receipt of child referral: Approximately 5-9 months from submitting completed dossier. Parents requesting an infant of either gender are waiting approximately 6-9 months.
- From referral acceptance to travel: Approximately 12-16 weeks (1-2 months longer if using an escort.)
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