International Adoption Process in India

International Adoption process

Adoption is the process through which a child becomes the lawful child of his adoptive parents and has all the rights and responsibility of a biological child. Any orphan surrendered or abandoned child, declared legally free for adoption by the Child Welfare Committee is eligible for adoption. NRI parents who want to adopt a child, have to go to an Agency in the country where they reside, No direct communication with the Indian Orphanage is possible.  

In the USA, Inter-country adoptions are not allowed if both parents are NRIs. According to US laws if the NRIs want to adopt from India, The case would be under Indian adoption and visas are given only after the child lived in the USA for over two years. In such a case, Indian parents need to issue a tourist visa after every six months. CARA CEO Lieutenant Colonel Mr Deepak said, “CARA has written to officials in the American Embassy”. Here we are going to share the International Adoption Process in India for NRIs and OCIs:-

  • The NRIs, OCI couple will have to visit the Authorised Foreign Adoption Agency of their Area first. Follow the guidelines and steps. CARA representatives also provide help in the preparation of the Home Study Report and other Process. If there is no  Authorised Foreign Adoption Agency in your country or area the adoptive parents can approach the Government Department or Indian diplomatic mission concerned in that country for the purpose.
  • Once you have submitted the application, The Authorised Foreign Adoption Agency or Central Authority will identify the eligibility of prospective adoptive parents for the adoption of a child, Will help to complete the Home Study report and then the registration process in the format along with the required documents.
  • Once Adoptive Parents get registered and submitted their documents their seniority will be counted from the date of registration or submission date of documents.
  • The Application, home study report and attached Documents then scrutinised at the Authority in order to examine their eligibility and suitability and be forwarded to the Specialised Adoption Agency of the concerned state and then to the Authoritative Agency of Distt.  where the children legally for adoption are available.
  • The Distt. Level Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System will forward two profiles of children in one or two referrals. These profiles and Referrals further forwarded to the adoptive parents.
  • The adoptive parents may reserve one of the referred children within ninety-six hours. In case the adoptive parents fail to reserve any of the children within ninety-six hours, then the profiles of both the children shall stand automatically withdrawn.
  • If the adoptive parents reserve one of the children, they shall accept the child by signing the Home Study Adoption report and medical examination report of the child.
  • The Specialised Adoption Agency will send the home study adoption report, Photograph and medical examination report of the child to the Authorised Foreign Adoption Agency or Central Authority and the concerned Indian diplomatic mission. All documents shall be notarised and the signature of the notary is to be apostilled by the competent authority of the receiving country. however, the documents originating from India shall be self-attested.
  • If the adoptive parent wants to visit the Specialised Adoption Agency to see the child in person before adoption, such a visit may be made after their adoption application is approved by the Authority.
  • In case the adoptive parents fail to accept the reserved child within thirty days, then the profile of the child shall stand withdrawn. The adoptive parents shall be given another opportunity to reserve and accept a child when their turn becomes due, provided that their Home Study Report remains valid.

The CARA is also planning to set up a help portal for the help of the parents who are living outside India. Once they get registered with CARA they can track the status of their application process without any hassle. This Agency is mainly helping the overseas citizens of India, non-resident Indians or foreign nationals who would be willing to apply for inter-country adoption.

Source: http://cara.nic.in/Parents/Guidelines_living_Abroad.html