Adoption fees

Usually when people decide to expand their families they rely on their healthcare insurance to pay for the high cost of moms care during pregnancy and delivery of the baby and then cover the babys healthcare costs after they are born minus a deductable of course and that is how we paid for our first 6 children. We looked into adoption a few times between the births of our children but the cost was always to frightening and we did not know how we could ever afford to do it. When we decided our family was not yet complete and birthing another child was not an option for us we looked into adoption again. We found out that through foster care you could adopt for free but there were a lot of factors that we did not feel comfortable with. We could adopt a baby domestically for $20k-40k and our healthcare insurance would pay $5k if the baby was placed with us within 3 months of its birth. Usually when people go this route they wait years to be matched, we would need to pay at least half the adoption fees upfront before the agencies would show a birth mother our family profile and then we would have to wait for a birth mother to choose us. We have been in the National Down Syndrome Networks data base but not had much luck, while we were waiting on the list we found that we could adopt internationally for the same amount of money and there were countries that did not require several trips overseas and whos travel times were not months long. We were able to see lists of waiting children and when we seen ones who we thought would make a good fit into our family we made inquiries. Also the agencies had lists and support groups that help with funding. We found Isaac on the Reeces Rainbow grant website where they help advocate and give support throughout your adoption. So with a GIANT leap of faith we moved forward and we were GREATLY blessed when doors opened and our adoption was final. Our adoption with Isaac has been so good and rewarding in everyway that we decided to do it again. Yes, the finance part is a BIG scare but we are working hard to achieve all our goals and bring another little orphan with Down Syndrome home. Here is a list of our fees for anyone who has said adoption is just a way to “buy” a baby. As you will see None of the money goes to the birth mother as it does in some situations. Application fee with adoption agency $500 Home study fee $1200 Home study review fee by adoption agency $300 Adoption agency fee $4500 Include administrative costs, admin overhead, operational costs, training and education, communications and publications, and any other cost related to providing adoption services in the US. USCIS fee (Immigration) I-800 application $975 Authentications for dossier paperwork $600 Courier Charges $600 Chinese Authentications $1200 Dossier registration fee $500 Dossier translations fee $260 Charitable Aid $500 Contributes to humanitarian aid work done by our adoption agency Total = $11,135 due when we submit our Dossier to China which must be before July 23rd. After our Dossier is approved and we get a travel date then the following fees are due prior to traveling Travel in country per person average $2000 Person #2 $2000 Includes incountry airfare, hotel, meals, ground transportation, and translator Airfare to China per person average $1200 Person #2 $1200 Foreign Program Expenses $1500 Includes inquiries/trips to China welfare or orphanage on childs/family behalf, child updates, translations, Hague processing Fees and wire transfers Childs VISA $230 Post adoption Social worker fees $1800 Total = $9930 due before traveling to China During travel in China Translation and Document fees $1100 Preparation of Chinese adoption documents, notarization, registration and childs passport Care of Child Fees, orphanage donation $5300 USCIS fees for medical exam and Vaccinations $300 Total = $6700 Bringing the overall total to $27,765