In fiscal year 2008, Guatemala, China and Russia were countries with the first, second, and third most adoptions to the United States, according to U.S. State Department figures. In fourth place was Ethiopia, in fifth South Korea, in sixth Vietnam, in seventh Ukraine, in eighth Kazakhstan, in ninth India, in tenth Columbia.
The 2007 rankings were much the same:
China and Guatemala switched first and second place, the countries in third through ninth place were the same, and in FY 2007 Liberia was in tenth place instead of Columbia.
The Country Guidelines tab on the Rainbow Kids website lists some countries you probably never knew had adoption programs. It also has information about the ages, genders, ethnicity and special needs of the children typically awaiting adoption in each country and the country’s requirements for adoptive parents, as well as approximate timelines if possible. The site also has a “contact wizard” which allows you to click once and fill out a form which will send your request for information to all agencies with programs in that country. (Not all adoption agencies list their information with Rainbow Kids, but sixty agencies do.)
Many of these programs are small, with only a few agencies involved. Many are fairly new or very new—the countries are just beginning to develop international adoption relationships with the U.S. and other adopting countries. Timelines may be unpredictable. Talk with your agency and with parents who have adopted from this country before, if there are any. Look at the U.S. state department website for adoption information regarding the various countries, and any travel advisories that may be in place.
Choose an agency that carries out child welfare activities in the countries from which it sponsors adoptions. This is one sign of an agency with integrity–that it focuses on finding families for children, not children for paying customers.
Please see these related blogs:
Different Countries Have Different Criteria for Adoption
Types of Adoption Part Three: International Adoption
International Adoption Programs Open to Single Parents