Information & Counseling
- We understand that adoption is a major life decision, and we will answer all your questions to help you arrive at the best decision for you and your family.
- We’ll provide information to you on our international adoption programs.
- We’ll help you determine what program will suit you the best.
- We’ll assist you in locating a home study agency in the state of your residence that will prepare your adoption home study.
- We’ll help you successfully navigate through the piles of paperwork that are needed for any adoption dossier.
- We’ll provide full-time assistance and detailed step by step instructions during the entire adoption process.
- We’ll always be there for you.
- We are on your side and will be your advocate during and after the adoption.
Waiting Children's Pictures and Profiles
We provide pictures, as well as social and health information, about children who are available for adoption. (Please note that not all countries and orphanages permit pictures and profiles of children to be displayed on the Internet.) There are many children available for adoption whose pictures you cannot see until after you fill out a Registration Form. You can either pursue the adoption of a preferred child or opt for the Choose Your Child adoption program and receive information on a child once the dossier is sent and processed. Some programs allow you to choose your child once you arrive in the country.
Our coordinators will help you through the entire process while you are traveling abroad. Your in-country coordinators will also assist you with translating conversations between you and your child. We can provide you with a list of international adoption doctors to review the child’s information, or you may have this information reviewed by a doctor of your own choice.
Help with Paperwork
Completing your paperwork can seem overwhelming. We provide forms and detailed instructions about the documents that are needed for the adoption dossier and help with valuable tips and professional answers to all your questions. We are accessible around the clock via email or phone. Help with paperwork can give you peace of mind and can help you can avoid many unnecessary mistakes. All your documents and forms will be closely reviewed, translated, and approved by us before they are sent to the child’s birth country.
Home Study and INS/BCIS assistance will be also provided. If you are a resident of Illinois, we can complete your home study through our home study department. If you are not an Illinois resident, we can provide you with a list of licensed home study agents in your area.
Translation Services
After your dossier is completed and sent to us, we will translate it into the language of the child’s birth country. We will make sure that each and every part of your dossier is translated efficiently and accurately. Professional translation is a very important part of the adoption process. Our staff speaks several different languages, which allows us to communicate with our personnel abroad and foreign government officials and also will help you communicate with your adopted child.
Monitoring the Process
After your dossier is approved and translated, we will send it to either your chosen country’s consulate or embassy in the United States or to the foreign country directly. We will make sure that your dossier travels abroad without any complications and will monitor the approval process of the dossier by foreign country authorities. By supervising the dossier’s progression, we are able to keep you informed throughout every step of this process.
Receiving the Referral
Once your dossier is approved, you will wait to receive the invitation from the foreign country to travel and meet your chosen child. We will work with you closely to prepare you for your trip.
Many of our staff are world travelers and can provide you with helpful travel tips and insights into the culture and customs of the country to which you are traveling. If you have pre-selected a child, we will confirm with you again at this point whether your child is still available for adoption.
If you are adopting your child with the Choose Your Child option, we will confirm that the federal or regional departments that supervise adoptions are ready to meet with you. Our goal is to help you feel comfortable and well-prepared for your trip. It will be the experience of a lifetime!
Travel Arrangement Assistance
When you receive your invitation to travel, we will assist you with all aspects of your trip. You have the option of booking your own accommodations and flights, or we can help you. Adoption ARK works with an international travel agency through which you will receive assistance with finding the lowest-priced and most convenient flights. The agency also can process your visas within a short time frame if needed.
Our in-country staff can also reserve your hotel accommodations. They have the experience and connections to find the best accommodations for each parent or family.
Overseas Assistance
Overseas assistance will make your adoption experience pleasant and memorable. From the moment you step off from the airplane in a foreign country, our overseas specialists will guide you through the adoption process and assist you with all adoption related matters. They will take care of all your adoption needs and will assist you with official negotiations, legal and court assistance, ground transportation, lodging arrangements, help with appointments, and translation and processing of all required documents.
We guarantee that our overseas representatives will stay by your side. We believe in our in-country staff, which is a vital part of the adoption process. After your trip, it is likely that you will remain good friends with your in-country representatives.
Post-Placement Support
When you arrive home with your child or children, we are there to provide assistance with issues that may arise. We can help translate conversations between you and your child. If behavior issues arise, we will help you find the resources needed to deal with these. Our goal is to help you with the transition as much as possible.
ARKfamilies is our online support group comprised of parents waiting to adopt and those who have completed their adoptions. Our parents have found this group to be an invaluable source of information, support and friendship. To request membership to ARKfamilies, please send your requests to adopt@adoptionark.org.