Japan
Children Available
Mostly newborns, age 5-10 weeks at travel. No gender
or complexion preferences accepted. Children are generally very healthy and
receive excellent care in a family environment in Japan until parents
travel.
Who May Adopt?
Couples who have been married three years or more.
Prospective parents must be age 43 or younger at time of application and in
good health. At least one parent must be a U.S. citizen. Japan is not
currently accepting new applications from families with other children.
Japanese or other Asian heritage in at least one parent may be preferred but
other backgrounds are also considered.
Time Frame
After a dossier is completed, it may take 12-18 months before a
referral.
Travel
Both parents must travel for one trip of about 14 days. Parents
stay in an executive apartment in Tokyo with a kitchenette and washer/dryer.
Applicants must make a pre-adoption trip to Northern California to meet our
coordinator.
The Process
Under our guidance, parents complete a home study, obtain U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) approval and build a dossier of
documents needed for Japan. They also write a short letter introducing
themselves and prepare a small album of pictures. The letter and album are
shown to birth mothers who come to adoption at various stages of pregnancy,
or sometimes even after giving birth. The birth mothers make the final
decision about who adopts their child. The mother and child generally
remain in the hospital for a week after delivery. Birth mothers sign
relinquishments giving custody directly to the adoptive parents and complete
other needed documentation while the child is lovingly cared for at the
small placement center until the prospective parents arrive. Parents then
receive pictures and some preliminary medical information. Upon arrival in
Tokyo, parents receive physical custody and complete the visa procedure at
the U.S. embassy. Children enter the U.S. as legal permanent residents.
Adoptions are completed in the parents' home state after required
post-placement visits and children then acquire U.S. citizenship. The final
step is to register the fact of the adoption with the Japanese consulate in
the United States.
Fees and Expenses
Program fees encompass all professional services,
including the cost of medical and other care for the birth mother and child.
Additional expenses include pre-adoption costs such as the home study, CIS
fees, travel, U.S. visa fees and the cost of finalizing the adoption in the
U.S.
