Adoption Process

For preschool-aged children (24 months - 8 years), referrals occur in approximately 20 - 27 months after approval by the Intercountry Adoption Board of the Philippines for non-Filipino families, and 12 - 20 months for Filipinos. For children aged 8 and up or school aged siblings, the wait is 6 - 18 months. Matching of children for Special Homefinding (waiting children who are older or with special needs) will take about 1- 4 months after the dossier is sent to the Philippines.

Registration/ Application

Our Registration and Application are the first steps in beginning your journey as a client of Wide Horizons For Children. Full service families will be assigned a social worker and begin the home study process when we receive the first part of the application materials. You will be required to complete and return a number of documents, including general household information, financial information, criminal background checks, and others.

For clients who will be using Wide Horizons for child placement services only, you will be assigned a case worker to guide you through your adoption process, and to liaison with your home study agency social worker.

Home Study and CIS Approval

The home study is an assessment of an applicant's suitability to adopt a child, as well as an opportunity for a social worker to educate and counsel the applicants about adoption. The social worker will help identify the type of child a family is best suited to adopt. The home study itself is a written report of the findings of the social worker who has met with the applicants on several occasions, both individually and together. Additionally, in order to adopt internationally, all applicants must submit an I-800A form, Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country. This form is required of all families adopting from a country that is party to The Hague Adoption Convention, a treaty designed to protect children, birthparents and prospective adoptive parents, as well as establish internationally agreed upon rules and procedures for adoptions.

Dossier Submission

The dossier consists of documents mandated by the adoption authorities in the Philippines before you can move forward with receiving the referral of a child for adoption. Wide Horizons will provide detailed instructions as well as support to help you with the completion of your dossier.

Referral of a Child

The Intercountry Adoption Board (ICAB) in the Philippines will provide a photo of the child being referred, as well as a Child Study document containing background information and medical information. Each child referred for adoption is matched with a family by the orhanage staff who have cared for the child. The staff may select a particular family based on religion, a physical similarity they see between the child and the adoptive parents, or any number of other reasons.

Travel to the Philippines

Families will wait on average no more than 3½ - 5½ months from referral to travel. Only one parent is required to make the trip, though it is desirable for both parents to go. The trip will take 5 - 7 days, with a stay of at least 3 days in the Philippines.

Travel Resources

U.S. Department of State - Lists any current travel advisories for the Philippines and other countries.

Travel Protectors, LLC - Offers medical coverage and assistance services for Americans traveling outside the U.S.

Re-Fingerprinting & I800-A Updating

Are your fingerprints up to date? I-800A approvals expire after 15 months from the time the first adult in the household is fingerprinted (the expiration date appears directly on the approval). Contact your CIS Coordinator at 781.894.5330 for additional information.

Home with Child/ Post-Placement

Children from the Philippines enter the United States under "Placement Authority" of WHFC for the purpose of adoption. You are required to legalize the child's adoption in accordance with the laws of the state in which you reside. This process begins after a minimum of 6 months have passed and a positive recommendation has been received from the social worker. A 6 month period of post-placement supervision and reporting is required after your child comes home.