adoption

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america

Guest
has anyone recently adopted an infant from DR? If so please tell me what the waiting period was and are you able to choose the child?
 
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Hillbilly

Guest
Legal Adoption? Forget it!

I have seen several cases of women looking to adopt children here in the DR. The paperwork in humongeous, the wait is forever-3-4 years and then it is a maybe, at best. Selection is not an option.

In the Dominican Republic, few children are "adopeted" like in the States. Thousands are 'raised' (Criado/hijos de crianza) a much more informal situation. My wife and I raised 7 children this way.

Also, if you have children, you cannot adopt in the DR. So, if you have any Dominican friends, and are ready to move at a moment's notice, here is what to do:
1) Find someone who is going to have a baby they want to enjoy a good life. See if they will literally "give" it to you.
2) If this happens, you and your husband get the papers from whereever the baby was born, making sure that your names are on the paper (or get someone to do a sort of "duplicate" for you to take to the Registro Civil in the locale where the baby was born.
3) Get the baby's Birth Certificate-with your name on it of course as mother and father, get it "Legalizado" -in the system so to speak.
4) go to the US Consulate and declare that this child is yours, and when it is old enough to travel it goes to the states as your baby.

Legal? No. Effective? Heck yes it is and it is the only way to do it if you want a baby.
Does it work? Heck yes it does...ask Mary Jo Fernandez!!

Hillbilly
 
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Jim Hinsch

Guest
Re: Legal Adoption? Forget it!

A Spanish expatriate friend of mine just adopted a Dominican baby and it took just a couple of months. He claimed it was "left on his door step", which was the truth.

Jim Hinsch
JimHinsch@CSI.COM
 
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Hillbilly

Guest
But I'll bet...

1) It was not legally adopted
2) He did something like I described.
Right?

If he went to any authority and declared that thebabywas "left" on his doorstep, he would hava had to give it up, get in line and would never have gotten the baby. Fact! he finaggled, believe me.

What probably happened is that he went to the local Civil Registryand told them that this baby was born to a woman of his and that he was the father. "Where was the baby born," they ask. "I don't know" , he said, "She just gave it to me."
This works all the time...

HB
 
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DR.VINICIO ABREU

Guest
We have a Clear legislation regarding Adoption procedure in the
Dominican Republic. I and my colleagues specializes in Adoption, immigration, citizenship & Naturalization Law, If you need
further information please call us and we provide you accurate counsel.

ABREU, CASTRO & ASOCIADOS
TEL 350.0021............
 
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Gunnar

Guest
Furthermore, I would definetely advocade against any illegal
action in this matter, as well as in any other. Illegally
"adopting" a child is technically kidnapping, a crime that
would not be lightly treated, neither in the U.S., nor in
RD! Contact any orphanage, for example through
<A HREF="http://www.kidsalive.org">www.kidsalive.org</A>. They have several links to SERIOUS AND LEGAL
orphanages/Child centers in the RD. Giving one of those
children a chance to a life should feel more important than
"buying one off" from a needing, but reluctant mother!
Anyone who feels different is NOT A SUITABLE PARENT!
 
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Eddy

Guest
A few years ago, friends of mine knew some Sisters (Nuns) who found a nice young girl 4 years old (From good healthy parents) They were able to legally adopt. She has grown into a pretty and intelligent 10 year old. Has travelled to Canada, (Canadian Citizen) speaks English, French and Spanish of course. She is living in Florida with her parents and is a grade A student. All this done legally. I suggest you contact a Congregation and ask them for assistance.
 
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Fabio J. Guzman

Guest
Adoption in the Dominican Republic is governed by articles 27 through 96 of Law 14-94 and by articles 14 through 21 of Regulation 59-95. The process is expensive and time-consuming but definitely possible It is not correct that you cannot adopt if you already have children. That was the old law changed in 1994. The general requirements for an international adoption in the Dominican Republic are the following:

1. The adopting parents must have lived together as a couple for at least five years.

2. Age difference between the adopting parents and the adopted child must be at least fifteen years.

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

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

5. The adopting parents must submit the following documentation:

a. Power-of-Attorney to the lawyer(s) in charge of the adoption, duly legalized and certified at the Attorney General?s Office in the Dominican Republic.
b. Birth certificates.
c. Marriage certificate.
d. Certification from the appropriate authority in their country of residence that they have a clean police record.
e. Affidavit from a religious or community organization in their place of residency attesting to their good morals and civic virtues.
f. Affidavit from the appropriate authority in their country of residence guaranteeing that the adopted child will be monitored while living with the adopting parents.
g. Certificates of good health from a doctor in their country of residence.
h. Evidence of their financial solvency (bank statements, letter from employer stating salary, etc.).
i. Picture of the adopted parents with the prospective adoptee.

All documents must be submitted in originals and if coming from a foreign country, must be stamped at the nearest Dominican Consulate. Other required documents not mentioned on the list are provided by the attorney in charge of the adoption.

The adoption application is filed with the Ministry of Public Health which in turn will submit copies of the application to other government authorities for a very thorough review. If these public authorities approve the application, it is then submitted to the Civil (Family) Court for final approval. The Court decree approving the adoption is then notified to the Civil Registry for the issuance of a new birth certificate. The Court Decree must be published in a national newspaper and then registered, legalized and authenticated at the Attorney General?s Office of the Dominican Republic, at the Ministry of Foreign Relations of the Dominican Republic and at the Consulate in the Dominican Republic of the country of residence of the adopting parents. A copy of the Court Decree is also sent to the Dominican Consulate nearest to the place of residence of the adopting parents.

These requirements pertain only to the Dominican side of the equation. Applicants should contact their government to learn what steps are required to bring the adopted child into their country of residence.

Total time for the adoption procedure varies. Most cases take from nine to twelve months, depending on the how fast the required documentation is obtained and on the availability of the adopting parents.
 
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Hillbilly

Guest
Excellent POST-MUST BE READ!!

Thank you Fabio. I realize that my two experiences with this situation were prior to 1994...thanks for the up date!

HB
 
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Jim Hinsch

Guest
Also see <A HREF="http://travel.state.gov/adoption_dominicanrepublic.html">http://travel.state.gov/adoption_dominicanrepublic.html</A>.
 
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ECH, M.D.

Guest
Fabio, your post was quite a scholarly piece of work and I congratulate you. This can answer 95% of all questions anyone might have on the subject. I am sure those that are interested appreciate your time and effort. Wonder why your colleague, Dr. Abreu, did not respond in like manner. He posted 24 hours before you.
 
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Doreen Von Essen

Guest
Thanks for clearing up the information on adoption.

PLEASE find out all the laws in both your home country and the Dominican Republic and follow then to the letter.

We had many chances to do things a "little off" when we were adopting in 1982.

I will never be sorry we followed the law. Our two daughters, Angela just 18 and her bio sister Jacqueline 17 are our greatest Blessing and two very loving and beautiful young ladies.

Don't take any chances. Pray and follow the law.

God Bless;

Doreen
 
A

america

Guest
Thank you all for your helpful responses. I am surely going to pursue this adoption through legal means.
 
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Shona &amp; Peter &amp; Marisol

Guest
We adopted our beautiful vivacious daughter Marisol from the DR in 1993 when she was 6 months old. This was all totally legal but accomplished with assistance from a close friend high up in the U.N..As far as we know Marisol may be the only child from the DR adopted in the southern hemisphere? All 3 of us would love to correspond with others anywhere in the world who adopted fron the DR around the same time. It should be noted that we are not religious (agnostic yes) and were definitely not on a crusade to save a child. Shona was unable to have a child. We prefer to believe that our daughter chose us! It is not us that are special it is her!