dominican adoptions

christina seide

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Oct 16, 2004
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i volunteered for a u.s. mission organization 2 years ago. at that time i was sent to la romana for 2 weeks. i met many children and had my first exposure to money strapped dominicans. i developed a relationship with a 5year old boy. something was deep in my heart. i returned to work on the island 6mo later. though i was 9hrs from la romana i made the trip. my boy had been desperately waiting for the american to return to him. I started looking into adoption. what a mess. i returned to work in the frontier in jan 05. made the trip to la romana. i am positive that the boy and i are a good fit emotionally. my husband and children have not met him. the biological parents are willing to give up their rights. nobody wants to touch this situation even international us adoption lawyers. what can i do?
 

Mirador

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Apr 15, 2004
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christina seide said:
. ...the biological parents are willing to give up their rights...QUOTE]

what rights? the parents are most likely thinking of acquiring priviledge with you. Regarding adoption, the parent's mindset does not revolve around you adopting the child, but for you assuming a responsibility for their child. Actually, their thoughts are of adopting you, as a 'madrina', not loosing a child. The child is too old, he's already aware of his biological parents, so why don't you assume the role of godmother, and seek some sort of guardianship to raise him at your home? And, remember, unless you leave the country, visitation rights for the family are always 'de rigueur'.
 

suarezn

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Feb 3, 2002
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Adopting in The DR is a very lenghty process that requires a lot of commitment, patience and money for a good lawyer. The process is completely designed to discouraged adoptions. It can be done if you really want to, but be willing to put in a lot of your time into it. I agree with Mirador that a better route would be to take on the Madrina roll if you really want to help the kid. Pay for his education, buy him clothes, etc...Do all this yourself. Do not give the money to the parents for them to do it.
 

Fabio J. Guzman

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Jan 1, 2002
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The new adoption statute, Law #136-03, makes adoption difficult but not impossible.

The general requirements for an international adoption in the Dominican Republic, as established by law 136-03, are the following:

(1) The adopting parents must be married for at least five years.

(2) The adopting parents must be at least thirty years old and no more than sixty years old.

(3) The age difference between the adopting parents and the adopted child must be at least fifteen years.

(4) The consent of the child's parents, or for orphans, from the appropriate judicial authority, must be obtained.

(5) The adopting parents must live with the child in the Dominican Republic for at least sixty days (thirty days if the child is twelve or more).

(6) Children aged 12 or older must approve their own adoption.

(7) The adopting parents' biological children who are twelve or older must be give their opinion on the adoption.

There are exceptions and nuances to these requirements as you will find out from reading the text of the law.

For the full text in English, go to the following address in the Guzman Ariza web site: http://www.drlawyer.com/txt/articlesadop.html

Drop me an email if you have any further questions.
 

christina seide

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Oct 16, 2004
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Fabio J. Guzman said:
The new adoption statute, Law #136-03, makes adoption difficult but not impossible.

The general requirements for an international adoption in the Dominican Republic, as established by law 136-03, are the following:

(1) The adopting parents must be married for at least five years.

(2) The adopting parents must be at least thirty years old and no more than sixty years old.

(3) The age difference between the adopting parents and the adopted child must be at least fifteen years.

(4) The consent of the child's parents, or for orphans, from the appropriate judicial authority, must be obtained.

(5) The adopting parents must live with the child in the Dominican Republic for at least sixty days (thirty days if the child is twelve or more).

(6) Children aged 12 or older must approve their own adoption.

(7) The adopting parents' biological children who are twelve or older must be give their opinion on the adoption.

There are exceptions and nuances to these requirements as you will find out from reading the text of the law.

For the full text in English, go to the following address in the Guzman Ariza web site: http://www.drlawyer.com/txt/articlesadop.html

Drop me an email if you have any further questions.
could i apply for guardianship and wisk him out of the country or will i always be stuck in this quagmire of red tape>
 

christina seide

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Oct 16, 2004
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Mirador said:
christina seide said:
. ...the biological parents are willing to give up their rights...QUOTE]

what rights? the parents are most likely thinking of acquiring priviledge with you. Regarding adoption, the parent's mindset does not revolve around you adopting the child, but for you assuming a responsibility for their child. Actually, their thoughts are of adopting you, as a 'madrina', not loosing a child. The child is too old, he's already aware of his biological parents, so why don't you assume the role of godmother, and seek some sort of guardianship to raise him at your home? And, remember, unless you leave the country, visitation rights for the family are always 'de rigueur'.


i do live in the states. the best i could visit or be a part of his life would be once at year. working as a missionary does not give me free time to travel back and forth. i would end this kind of work if i was parenting a 7 year old.
ive been told by dominican men that the boys that roam the streets are quite corrupt by the age of 10. they reported that it would not be a good idea past the age of 8 for a transition to the us
 

Mirador

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Apr 15, 2004
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christina seide said:
i do live in the states. the best i could visit or be a part of his life would be once at year. working as a missionary does not give me free time to travel back and forth. i would end this kind of work if i was parenting a 7 year old.
ive been told by dominican men that the boys that roam the streets are quite corrupt by the age of 10. they reported that it would not be a good idea past the age of 8 for a transition to the us


Missionary work and parenting are not mutually exclusive activities, you could consider organizing or participating in an orphanage or home for disadvantaged children in the DR. Also, parenting is different for every age group and condition, even 'boys that roam the streets' need parenting.
 

christina seide

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Oct 16, 2004
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Mirador said:
Missionary work and parenting are not mutually exclusive activities, you could consider organizing or participating in an orphanage or home for disadvantaged children in the DR. Also, parenting is different for every age group and condition, even 'boys that roam the streets' need parenting.


actually i would love to do that. i am married with 3 young adult sons. my marriage and my husbands full time career offer me the opportunity to do mission work in the dr. leaving the us and setting up a foundation in the dr is an idea i have. at this time it is not one shared by my husband. he feels the pressure of mounting education loan commitments. it would be a terrific mission to be able to provide educate to an underpriviledged segment of dominican kids. the more kids that get a competiive education the brighter the future for the dr.