International Child Foundation & Philippines Adoption

ICF Philippines Adoption Program General Requirements, Timeframe and Fees

International Child Foundation (ICF) is proud to have been chosen as a partner for Associated Catholic Charities (ACC) Philippines adoption program. ACC has well-established and successful humanitarian and adoption programs.

Children age 24+ months or older may be matched with families, and are of Asian, Malay and/or Spanish heritage. In general, children are relinquished for social and economic reasons, or due to the death of their parents.

Prospective parents should be age 27 or older, but not be more than 45 years older than the age of the child to be adopted. For the adoption of the youngest child possible, typically age 24+ months, the parents should be under age 45.

Married couples and single women may adopt. Married couples must be married three years. Single applicants are eligible to adopt children over age seven. The Philippines requires that adoptive families be Christian and it is best if families can provide a letter of reference from a minister or priest. Adoptive applicants who are Filipino are given preference in adoption, and their wait for a referral is shorter.

The Philippines has a one-year rule, which requires a family to wait one year from the birth or adoption of a child before an adoption application can be filed.

Adoptive Parents must provide a home study and approval from USCIS, plus additional dossier documents. Parents who adopt from the Philippines agree to uphold the basic rights of the child as embodied under Philippine laws and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The waiting time to be matched with a child is between 12-20 months. After being matched, it takes about four months before you are invited to travel. The travel time is about 7-10 days. Only one trip is required. Both parents must travel.

Over 7,100 islands comprise the Philippines archipelago, between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam. The Philippines is the third largest English speaking country in the world, with a tapestry of cultural influences. Asia, Europe and the US have all played key roles in Philippine history and culture. The Philippines attained independence in 1946 and today 76 million Filipinos cherish freedom, honesty and good international relations. The Philippines is also the only Christian-majority country in southeast Asia. Although the country is primarily Roman Catholic, there are also many Protestant denominations.

Some background...

Children are mostly placed in orphanages (called Child Caring Agencies) immediately after birth, on a voluntary basis by their birthparents, many of whom provide significant information about their backgrounds. Other children enter care at older ages, placed either voluntarily by their birthparents, or involuntarily through the child welfare system. The information about these birthparents, and about the children’s history before their admission to the child welfare system is usually very limited.

There are three types of placement options for children in the Philippines:
Government-run Child Caring Agencies, called “Reception and Study Centers for Children,” or RSCCs. There are about 20 of these RSCCs located in the different provinces throughout the Philippines.

Privately-run Child Caring Agencies, which may or may not be religiously affiliated. There are several hundred of these CCAs throughout the country. Private agencies may also provide private schooling and other services.

Last, there are foster homes, under the supervision of the private CCAs. However, only 5% of orphaned children reside in foster homes.

The government’s RSCCs are typically located on a few acres of ground, with an administrative building, several cottages, a dining room, and maintenance buildings. The children are divided by ages and genders into different cottages. School-age children generally attend local public schools.

Private Child Caring Agencies are run either by Catholic religious orders or by laypeople, many with Christian affiliations. Private Child Caring Agencies vary greatly. Some are as small as a private home, while others are large organizations, caring for more than 100 children. Children may attend in-house school or public school.

The daily schedule of children in a private Child Caring Agency is similar to that of a government agency, but the staff to child ratio may be higher, if the sponsoring organization has extra funding or volunteers.

Only a small percentage of the children in all the Child Caring Agencies are eventually placed for adoption. Birthparents may view their current inability to parent to be a temporary one, and place the children in care until they can resume parental responsibilities. Or, birthparents may realize that they will never be able to care for their children, but still may be unwilling to terminate their parental rights.

The Philippine government organization responsible for overseeing international adoptions is called the Intercountry Adoption Board (ICAB), which may be visited at www.icab.gov.ph It is a division of the larger Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). ICAB oversees the placement of three to four hundred children per year into the US.

In a typical progression, a family's dossier will be sent to ICAB, and it will take about two months for ICAB to review and approve the file. Upon approval, the family’s name is put on the waiting list. ICAB reviews potential child referral information, and will make a decision about which family should receive placement of the child and inform ACC, who will notify the family through ICF.

The pre-adoptive family will receive a 3-7 page document called the “Child Study Report,” a summary of the child’s medical record, and a picture of the child. The family has up to 30 days to make a decision about accepting placement.

If the family accepts the proposed placement, ICAB will release the documents needed to file for the child’s Adoption Visa, which the family will file at their local CIS office. The local office will log in the Adoption Visa Petition Form I-800, and will forward the file to the National Benefits Center in Washington, DC.

At least one parent must travel to the Philippines to pick up the child. The adoption is not finalized in the Philippines. The Intercountry Adoption Board maintains guardianship of the child until the post placement period is completed in the US.

Most adoptive families stay for 5-10 days in the Philippines. While they are there, they will first pick up their child at his Child Caring Agency and then visit ICAB for an exit interview. No other formal or legal appointments are necessary.

Dossier Document Requirements

1. Home Study
2. Birth Certificates
3. Marriage Certificate
4. Divorce Decrees, if applicable
5. Medical report
6. Psychological report
7. Income tax return or letter attesting to financial resources
8. Police clearance
9. Character reference from Minister or Priest
10. USCIS approval (usually the I171H)
11. Photos of family and household

PROGRAM FEES, ESTIMATED EXPENSES & PAYMENT SCHEDULE
Families start with International Child Foundation (ICF) through the paperwork and preparation stage and with Associated Catholic Charities (ACC) through the referral and travel stage.

ICF application fee for a home study or an adoption is $300. Families only pay this once for all services.

International Child Foundation (ICF) administration and case management fee for an international adoption from the Philippines is $4,000.

Associated Catholic Charities (ACC) fee for services, including placement fees and donations, to adopt one child totals $17,300.

The Inter-Country Adoption Board (ICAB) fees include a $200 application fee, a $2,000 placement fee and approximately $300-$800 for in-country adoption processing.

Estimated Travel & Transportation: This covers the approximate costs of one parent and child’s roundtrip airfare and 5 days accommodation in the Philippines; paid to airline, hotel, etc. $3,600-$4,000

Total including Travel Estimate (excluding Home Study & USCIS fees): $28,680

Please contact us for a more detailed payment schedule. International Child Foundation is committed to helping throughout the course of your adoption. When you have questions, please let us know!