In fiscal year 2017, U.S. families adopted 4,714 children from other countries. It’s becoming less common to adopt a healthy infant internationally. In 2017, the last year for which data is available, 3 percent of children adopted by families in the U.S. were younger than one, and an additional 54 percent were between the ages of one and four. Children who need adoption are most often from Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, or Latin America.
Typically, the waiting time (and sometimes the total costs) for international adoption are more predictable than for a domestic adoption. International adoptions are usually handled by private, nonprofit adoption agencies. Some agencies that handle domestic adoptions also work in international adoption, although there are many agencies that specialize only in intercountry adoption.
Bulgaria
- Adoptions in 2017: 147
- Children 1-4 years old: Not disclosed
- Children over 5 years old: 60%
- Timeline: Unpredictable, several months-several years
- Est. total cost: $20,000 to $30,000
China
- Adoptions in 2017: 1,905
- Children under 1 year old: 1%
- Children 1-4 years old: 67%
- Children over 5 years old: 32%
- Timeline: 5+ years for healthy children
- Est. total cost: $25,000 to $36,000
Colombia
- Adoptions in 2017: 181
- Children under 1 year old: 6%
- Children 1-4 years old: 20%
- Timeline: Generally 18-30 months
- Est. total cost: $12,000 to $30,000
Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Adoptions in 2017: 26
- Children under 1 year old: 0%
- Children 1-4 years old: 32%
- Timeline: 1 year, wait is indefinite for an exit permit
- Est. total cost: $25,000 to $40,000
Ecuador
- Adoptions in 2017: 5
- Children under 1 year old: 0% (2014 data)
- Children 1-4 years old: 50% (2014 data)
- Timeline: Generally between nine and 16 months.
- Est. total cost: $25,000 to $40,000
Ethiopia – intercountry adoption program closed
- Adoptions in 2017: 313
- Children under 1 year old: Not disclosed
- Children 1-4 years old: 63%
- Timeline: 24 months or longer
- Est. total cost: $30,000 to $40,000
Ghana
- Adoptions in 2017: 21
- Children under 1 year old: 0%
- Children 1-4 years old: 18%
- Timeline: 12-18 months
- Est. total cost: $18,000
Haiti
- Adoptions in 2017: 227
- Children under 1 year old: 0%
- Children 1-4 years old: 36%
- Children older than 5 years old: 64%
- Timeline: 18-36 months
- Est. total cost: $25,000 to $40,000
Honduras
- Adoptions in 2017: 14
- Children 0-4 years old: Not disclosed
- Children older than 5 years old: 80%
- Timeline: Currently 2 to 3 years, but timelines may vary due to the ongoing review by IHNFA.
- Est. total cost: $25,000 to $40,000
Hong Kong
- Adoptions in 2017: 7
- Children under 1 year old: 0% (2014 data; not disclosed in 2017)
- Children 1-4 years old: 58% (2014 data; not disclosed in 2017)
- Children older than 5 years old: 42% (2014 data; not disclosed in 2017)
- Timeline: Adoptions are generally completed in one to two years, but it can take longer if the adoptive parents have specific requests.
- Est. total cost: $15,000 to $25,000
India
- Adoptions in 2017: 221
- Children under 1 year old: 4%
- Children 1-4 years old: 77%
- Timeline: 6 months-2 years
- Est. total cost: $12,000 to $35,000
Kazakhstan
- Adoptions in 2011 (most recent statistic available): 86 (0 in 2017)
- Children under 1 year old: 28% (2011)
- Children 1-4 years old: 59% (2011)
- Timeline: 6-9 months after submission of dossier
- Est. total cost: $30,000 to $40,000
Latvia
- Adoptions in 2017: 71
- Children older than 5 years old: 96%
- Timeline: Generally 1-4 years
- Est. total cost: $30,000 to $40,000
Lithuania
- Adoptions in 2017: 2
- Children under 1 year old: 0% (2014 data; not disclosed in 2017)
- Children 1-4 years old: 9% (2014 data; not disclosed in 2017)
- Timeline: Generally six months to two years
- Est. total cost: $30,000 to $45,000
Mexico
- Adoptions in 2017: 12
- Children under 1 year old: 0% (2014 data; not disclosed in 2017)
- Children 1-4 years old: 0% (2014 data; not disclosed in 2017)
- Timeline: Generally six months or longer.
- Est. total cost: $20,000 to $25,000
Morocco
- Adoptions in 2017: 31
- Children under 1 year old: 63%
- Children 1-4 years old: Not disclosed
- Timeline: The process can range from three months to two years.
- Est. total cost: Unknown
Nicaragua
- Adoptions in 2017: 13
- Children under 1 year old: 25%
- Children 1-4 years old: 50%
- Timeline: Two to three years is typical
- Est. total cost: $25,000 to $35,000
Nigeria
- Adoptions in 2017: 176
- Children under 1 year old: 5%
- Children 1-4 years old: 54%
- Timeline: A few months to a year
- Est. total cost: $500 for adoption fees
Panama
- Adoptions in 2017: 1
- Children under 1 year old: 0% (2014 data; not disclosed in 2017)
- Children 1-4 years old: 75% (2014 data; not disclosed in 2017)
- Timeline: Usually one to two years
- Est. total cost: $30,000 to $40,000
Peru
- Adoptions in 2017: 4
- Children under 1 year old: 0% (2014 data; not disclosed in 2017)
- Children 1-4 years old: 14% (2014 data; not disclosed in 2017)
- Timeline: The process for adopting from Peru can range anywhere from several months to several years
- Est. total cost: $25,000 to $27,000
Philippines
- Adoptions in 2017: 111
- Children under 1 year old: 0%
- Children 1-4 years old: 30%
- Timeline: Generally 1-3 years
- Est. total cost: $20,000 to $30,000
Poland
- Adoptions in 2017: 65
- Children under 1 year old: Not disclosed
- Children 1-4 years old: Not disclosed
- Children older than 5 years old: 72%
- Timeline: 12-16 months
- Est. total cost: $30,000-$35,000
Romania
- Adoptions in 2017: 2
- Children under 1 year old: 0%
- Children 1-4 years old: 0%
- Timeline: Because Romanian adoption programs are still considered pilot programs, timelines have not yet been established.
- Est. total cost: $30,000-$35,000
Sierra Leone
- Adoptions in 2017: 44
- Children under 1 year old: 0%
- Children 1-4 years old: 8%
- Children older than 5 years old: 91%
- Timeline: The process for adopting from Sierra Leone can take anywhere from six months to two years.
- Est. total cost: Unknown
South Africa
- Adoptions in 2017: 20
- Children under 1 year old: 0%
- Children 1-4 years old: 55%
- Children older than 5 years old: 45%
- Timeline: Parents will likely wait 18 months for a referral.
- Est. total cost: $30,000 to $40,000
South Korea
- Adoptions in 2017: 276
- Children under 1 year old: 0%
- Children 1-4 years old: 100%
- Children older than 5 years old: 0%
- Timeline: About 1 year for special needs children; 3-4 years for healthy children
- Est. total cost: $30,000 to $50,000
Taiwan
- Adoptions in 2017: 44
- Children under 1 year old: 0%
- Children 1-4 years old: 61%
- Children older than 5 years old: 39%
- Timeline: Generally 1-2 years, shorter for special needs children
- Est. total cost: $23,000 to $30,000
Uganda
- Adoptions in 2017: 55
- Children under 1 year old: Not disclosed
- Children 1-4 years old: 51%
- Children older than 5 years old: Not disclosed
- Timeline: 1-3 years
- Est. total cost: $20,000 to $30,000
Ukraine
- Adoptions in 2017: 215
- Children under 1 year old: Not disclosed
- Children 1-4 years old: Not disclosed
- Children older than 5 years old: 87%
- Timeline: Generally 3-12 months
- Est. total cost: $10,000 to $40,000+
Adoption counts from U.S. Department of State. Children’s age numbers are based on data from 2017, the most recent year available.
* Although the Congolese courts continue to process adoption decrees, the Congolese government stopped issuing exit-permits for adopted children in September 2013. Therefore, this number does not reflect the number of Congolese children who have entered the United States.
