Haiti is one of those countries you hear about where children live in extreme poverty living on the streets, but I didn't know if children got adopted out to other countries so I did a bit of research today.

Here's some stats about Haiti adoption visas issued to USA residents:

Fiscal Year Number of Immigrant Visas Issued
FY 2005 234
FY 2004 355
FY 2003 248
FY 2002 186
FY 2001 192

The number went down in 2005, but I couldn't find out why.

Currently, 200,000 children live in Christian run orphanages or group homes run by out of country humanitarian groups.

And it's true, another 10,000 children live on the streets.

Some of the Christian organizations will only allow Christian parents to adopt from their orphanages so check with each one separately to see if you qualify based upon your own religion. If your church sponsors your adoption, you may have more choices when choosing an orphanage to use.


I also found a different sort of age requirement.:


Parents must be at least thirty five years old to adopt from Haiti.

You can get around this if one parent is under thirty five and you've been married over ten years, but apparently they want mature parents adopting their children.

There is no upper age limit for parents adopting.

Apparently it is very quick as well, the whole process can take as little as one year.

From the state department:

Haiti’s courts charge for judicial services, but their fees are not fixed, and prospective adoptive parents should expect to pay varying court fees and expenses. IBESR charges 3,000 Haitian gourdes (approximately $80). The approximate total cost to adopt a child in Haiti is $3,000 excluding airfare; however, some adoptive parents report paying larger sums.

Adoption.org has these quick facts:

In a Nut Shell:

Children Available: Healthy infants, children, and teenagers are available for international adoption from Haiti. Sibling groups and special needs children are also available for adoption.

Parent Requirements: Married couples, single men, and single women may adopt from Haiti. Parents must be at least 35 years old. For married couples, one parent may be under 35 if the couple has been married at least 10 years and they have no children together.

Travel Requirements: Travel may not be required, although parents are encouraged to travel to their child’s birth country.

Time Frame: From the time of your initial application until you bring your child home takes an average of 12 months.

Number of Children Adopted by Americans in 2004: 356
Additional Information: The children available for international adoption from Haiti live in orphanages.

Rainbowkids.com says this about adopting from Haiti:

There are no religious or upper age requirements for adoptive families, and single women are welcome. Looking for the ‘right’ adoption agency/program is very important. Please do not be deterred from adopting a child from this country because you may not meet the requirements of a certain agency. Keep looking….these kids need families desperately.