Children waiting for their forever home
International adoption:
Dominican republic
Dominican Republic (Hague Convention Country)
Located in the Caribbean, Dominican Republic consists of the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, east of Haiti. Residents enjoy a tropical climate with little seasonal variation. The country consists of white sand beaches and impressive mountain ranges with spectacular rivers and waterfalls.
why choose to adopt from Dominican republic
Children available for adoption in Dominican Republic reside in orphanages. Traveling to the Dominican Republic from the U.S. is relatively easy, and the country is in the Caribbean. The official language is Spanish. Adopting parents will live with the child in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic for a cohabitation and bonding period that lasts 4 to 6 months. This time provides you with an excellent opportunity to get to know your child, the country, culture, and people.
who Can Adopt from Dominican Republic?
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Married couples (two adults, different biological sexes
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Between the ages of 30 and 60
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Couples must be married a minimum of 5 years
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Minimum of a 15-year age difference between adoptive parents and adopted child
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children available
Children available for adoption are generally over the age of 2 years. Children of both biological sexes are available. Occasionally siblings are available and some younger HIV+ children may also be available. The majority of the children are of Spanish descent mixed with African descent and is listed as “73% mixed, 16% white, 11% African.” Children are referred for adoption by CONANI, the Central Authority in Dominican Republic. CONANI is the responsible entity for matching and referring children, not HATW.
Overview of the Dominican republic Adoption Process
1. Contact the agency and particpate in a group or individual information session about our Dominican Republic adoption program.
2. Complete and submit an application for adoption services with accompanying non-refundable application fee to HATW.
3. Complete your Home Study with Hands Across The Water or an appropriate agency in your state. Please contact HATW for assistance if you live outside Michigan.
4. File your I-800A with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
5. Prepare your dossier for Dominican Republic.
6. Dossier is sent to country and reviewed and approved by CONANI.
7. Your referral wait time may be as long as 24-48 months.
8. After a referral is received, you will need to accept or decline the referral. Should you accept, the adoption process starts in Dominican Republic.
9. Travel to Dominican Republic for a cohabitation and bonding period with your child that lasts approximately 4 to 6 months. One parent may be allowed to return to the U.S. after the cohabitation period and come back later when it is time to bring the child home to the U.S. For a child under 12 years of age, the cohabitation period is 60 days, and for a child 12 years or older, the cohabitation period is 30 days. After the cohabitation period, the parents (or parent) continue to live with the child for the bonding period that could last an additional 2 to 4 months.
Post Adoption Supervision
Your child’s adoption is finalized in Dominican Republic, but post adoption reports are still required. Six post adoption reports are required, at 6 months, 12 months, 2 yrs, 3 yrs, 4 yrs and 5 yrs. after arrival home. The frequency and number is subject to change.
Disclaimer: The photos of children on this page are not available for adoption. Hands Across The Water does not photo list children waiting for adoption via the internet.