International Adoption Program

 Bulgaria

  

Parental Qualifications for Adoption in Bulgaria

This program is available to married couples and single men and women. Applicants should be no more than 50 years of age, in good mental and physical health, and without a recent criminal record. Our agency prefers no more than 45 years difference between the child’s age and the age of the younger parent.

 

 

 Bulgaria  Adoption Program and Procedure

 

 

 

 Once your home study and dossier documents are complete, the dossier will be sent to Spence-Chapin. Spence-Chapin will submit the dossier to the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice (MOJ). The current wait for the referral of a child is estimated to be up to two years from the date the dossier is submitted to the MOJ. For prospective adoptive parents requesting older children or children with special needs, the wait for a referral may be shorter. The referral will include detailed information about the child.

 Adoptions from Bulgaria require two trips, several months apart. Each trip is about one week long. Parents must meet the child to formally accept the referral within one month from the issuance of the referral from the Bulgarian MOJ. On this first trip, the family meets the child and spends 5 days visiting and bonding with the child at the orphanage before formally accepting the referral. The adoption is finalized in court by proxy within 3 to 4 months after the formal acceptance of the referral. The family then returns to Bulgaria for a second trip to pick up the child Families are escorted during their trips by a representative from Milossardie Association and are in regular contact with Spence-Chapin while overseas.