INTERNATIONAL
CHILD FOUNDATION, Inc.
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International Child Foundation & Belize Adoption

We are no longer accepting applications for Belize unless the adoptive parent is originally from Belize. But, please contact us if you would like further information about how to contact persons in Belize who can help with an adoption.

Welcome! Belize is a relatively new choice for adoptive parents. Fourteen visas were issued for children entering the US with new parents last year. We hope to provide more opportunities for orphans to find their forever families in the US!

Bilize adoptionMany US families recognize Belize as a beautiful holiday destination. Flanked by white sand beaches and the second largest barrier reef in the world, Belize has attracted many people over the past centuries. Ethnic and cultural diversity abounds, as does a tradition of hospitality.

First, some historical background

Belize was originally populated by Mayan and other native people of the Caribbean. Archeologists estimate that as many as 1 to 2 million Mayans lived in within modern Belize’s borders. This is called the Mayan Period.

The European Period began when Christopher Columbus sailed along the coast of Central America in 1502, naming the coast the Bay of Honduras. The first European settlers were English Puritans, followed by pirates and loggers, who harvested hardwoods. The Spanish sought to expel the British, but they held fast, and logging became Belize’s principal economy.

To harvest mahogany forests, the British recruited East Indians, Chinese and convicts from Europe. These workers were eventually surpassed by another group -- Africans brought to Belize in the 1700s; part of the African Diaspora.

Over three hundred years, slavery flourished; it was a key part of a triangular trade route, run first by the Portuguese and then by the British. Between 15-20 million Africans were bound for service in the Americas. The trip across the Atlantic was called the “Middle Passage.”

In Belize, the newly arrived Africans worked in the forests instead of on plantations. It was hard, dangerous work requiring skill and judgment. After slavery was abolished in the 1830s, the freed Africans intermarried with European settlers, and became the Creole majority that dominates Belize today.

Modern-day Belize is the most sparsely populated nation in Central America. It compares with the state of Massachusetts in size. About a quarter of the people live in Belize City, which is the principal port, commercial center and former capitol.

Bilize adoptionBelizeans are multiracial. About half of the population is mixed Mayan and European descent called Mestizo; a quarter are of African and Afro-European ancestry, called Creole; about ten percent are Mayan and about 6 percent are Afro-Amerindian, called Garifuna. The remainder includes European, Chinese, East Indian, Middle Eastern and North American populations.

The Colonial Period in Belize was marked by the emigration of Mexican Mayans escaping war from the north and Garifuna, Kekchi and Mopan Maya in the south, as well as by the decline of slavery and segregation. By the early 1900s, the population had grown to nearly 40,000.

In the 1930s and 1940s, the workers movement and World War II sparked widespread interest in independence. The population was largely impoverished and discontent.

In 1954, all adults were given the vote. By 1961, nearly 80% of all privately owned land, or about 40% of all land in Belize, was owned by US citizens or corporations. The rest were government lands, much of which were leased to citizens.

In 1973, the colony’s name was changed from British Honduras to Belize. In 1980, the United Nations endorsed Belize’s claim to sovereignty, and on September 21, 1981, Belize was declared independent.

After independence, public education, social welfare institutions and colleges were established. Functional literacy is 76%. School is compulsory for nine years. English is the official language, with Creole and Spanish also commonly spoken. The average per capita annual income is $3,650.

Belize has made tourism a priority and taken a leadership role in creating sanctuaries for endangered wildlife and plants, and for marine and archaeological reserves.
Bilize adoption

Nowadays Belize is characterized as a country where racial harmony and religious tolerance are manifest. The people are warm and gracious, like people through the Caribbean. Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, other Protestant, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Bahai and Rastafarian religions all contribute to Belize’s spiritual identity.

English is the official language. Creole and Spanish are also commonly spoken. The Garifuna, Mayas and Mennonites each speak their own language, as well. For more information about Belize, Google “Belize History” or “Belize Culture” on the internet.

Adoption in Belize

Children of any age may be available for adoption in Belize, but the most pressing need is for the adoption of children who are 4 years and older. As a racially diverse nation, with Mayan, Hispanic, European, African American and Asian people, children will be of mixed heritage.

Prospective parents must be a minimum of 25 years old and no fewer than 12 years older than the child to-be adopted. Single men cannot adopt female children.

The government office responsible for adoptions in Belize is the Belize Human Services Department, and all adoptions must be approved by Court. The Belize Supreme Court only processes adoptions for Belizean citizen children. According to Section 137 of the Belize Families and Children’s Act, a person who is not a citizen of Belize may adopt a Belizean child if he or she:
1. Does not have a criminal record;
2. Has a current recommendation concerning his/her suitability to adopt a child from his/her country’s probation and welfare office or other competent authority (the home study); and
3. Has satisfied the court that his/her country of origin will respect and recognize the adoption order.

Bilize adoptionBelizean law prohibits the issuance of a final adoption order unless the non-Belizean prospective adoptive parent resides in Belize with the Belizean child for 12 months, or, the court may issue an interim adoption decree, which the Government of Belize recognizes as permission for the prospective adoptive parent to take the child out of Belize and pursue a subsequent adoption in accordance with the laws of his/her own country. American adoptive parents may apply for an Immediate Relative (IR)-4 visa for the child.

The adoptive parents must obtain a Belize passport for the child which must be issued in the child’s birth name.

During the interim period, the parents must provide quarterly reports, similar to post placement reports, which are filed with the Court by the attorney and a copy is also given to the Belize Department of Human Services. Upon submission of the final quarterly report, the attorney makes an application for the provisional order to be made final in the Supreme Court. The application will be granted based on the recommendation of the US social worker who conducted the quarterly visits and wrote the reports. If the final adoption decree is granted, the Belize Registrar General for Vital Statistics will then place the child’s name in the Adoption of Children Register.

The processing time for adoptions can vary, depending on the circumstances of the case. The Belize Department of Human Services reports that “ward adoptions” (children in the custody of the Department of Human Services) can take up one year or more to process because of the need for home study reports, matching, placement and legal proceedings.

All international adoptions occur before a Supreme Court judge and require the services of a Belize attorney authorized to present cases before the Supreme Court. There are no private adoptions or adoptions through extra-judicial processes.

Generally, the family prepares all the required dossier documents, including the home study and the I171h from US CIS. A complete Dossier instruction guide is provided to parents when they begin their adoption.

The dossier is presented to the Department of Human Services, who is responsible for making the placement determination. When the parents are deemed eligible to be matched with a child, or children, the Director sends the information about the child referred for the parents consideration. Upon commitment to a child, the parents may go to Belize to meet with the child or children, spend time with them at the child care center (orphanage) or take them on a holiday within the country.

Upon acceptance of a referral, legal formalities commence. It may involve 5-8 months for the paperwork to be approved and the interim adoption decree to be issued, so that the parents may bring the child home to the US. Then, twelve months of living together must be completed before the adoption may be finalized by the Belize Supreme Court. It is not necessary to return to Belize for the final decree, although the Judge has discretion to make this request.

For children not in the custody of the Department of Human Services, (independent adoptions) the processing time may be shorter.

Application for the child’s visa (the I-600) may be filed at the U.S. Embassy in Belize City after an adoptive parent has legal custody of the child, (after the interim adoption decree is issued). The Embassy will issue a medical appointment letter for the child’s required medical examination prior to the immigrant visa application. Upon completion of the medical exam, the US Embassy will schedule an appointment for the family and child to come to the Embassy’s Consular Section to apply for the immigrant visa. The attorney will assist with the immigrant visa application and the following documents are required:

1. Belizean passport for the adoptive child;
2. The child’s original birth certificate, issued by the Registrar General, indicating the names of both biological parents, if known;
3. The final adoption order or the interim adoption order, issued by the Court;
4. The child’s passport issued in the child’s birth name;
5. Medical examination report.

If applicable, a Termination of parental rights issued by the Belize Department of Human Services, a Report from the Belize Department of Human Services stating that the surviving parent is incapable of providing care, and a Death certificate for the birth parent(s) may be required.

Once the US Embassy approves the visa application, the visa is typically issued on the following business day,

International Child Foundation Adoption & Home Study Services

Application Fee: $300 (if ICF prepared your Home Study, this was already paid)

Home Study: ICF Home Study Fee is $1,000, (plus the Application fee); or as set by your home study agency

Agency Fee: $4,000; this is broken into two payments of $2,800 and $1,200; the first is due with the adoption agreement and the 2nd payment is due with the dossier. There is no additional agency fee in the event two or more children, related or unrelated, are adopted simultaneously.

USCIS Fees: I-600A fee is $750 for applicant, including one set of fingerprints; additional fingerprints are $80 per adult

State Certification Fees vary from state to state; in AZ it is $3 per document.

Paid upon submission of Dossier:

Balance of Agency Fee: $1,200

Attorney Retainer Fee: $2,500 due upon accceptance of referral; a balance of 0 to $1,000 may be due upon the completion of the case, depending upon length and complexity. In the event that more than one child is being adopted, the Attorney fee will be increased proportionately.

Technology Humanitarian Aid Donation: $250 per child

Post Placement Fee: ICF fee for Social Worker reports is $300 per visit/report for one child or $350 for two or more children, and three are required; other agencies vary, and families must provide proof that reports are paid in advance.

Paid in Belize:

Child Visa Fee: $380 crisp clean US dollars (plus $525 for each non-related child you adopt) or you may use credit cards, but please have cash available, as well

US Embassy Medical Fee: $100

Translation: N/A as the official language is English

Gratuities for Drivers and Guides: $5

Orphanage Gifts: approximately $50 per family, or more, if desired

Travel expenses vary widely. Airfare is about $550-750 per person, depending upon the season. American and Continental Airlines fly into Belize City. Lodging and meals range from $80 to $180 per night. One trip is required -- to meet and bring your child home. Additional visit trips may be arranged. The number of days you spend in Belize for the homecoming trip will be a minimum of four.

Note: All adoptions are subject to change, including estimates for waiting times, fees, travel costs and program availability. Please contact us for updates.



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