If you are considering adopting a child one of the things you will need to look into is whether to go for domestic adoption or international adoption. In this article we will discuss the pros and cons of international adoption to give you more information in order to make a better informed decision.
International adoption is generally done by an individual working through an agency (or perhaps a few adoption agencies) and it is often necessary to spend extended periods in the country from which you are adopting a child, usually between one and three weeks.
Apart from the possible cons associated with the extended travel it is also often more costly to adopt a child from another country. These may include travel costs, legal costs and a number of other costs which your adoption agency should be able to inform you of.
International adoption may also come with language and communication problems. If the child you are adopting has a different language to you then you may find it difficult to communicate at first and they may find it difficult adapting to a new language. Children adopted through international adoption are very seldom infants due to the longer adoption process and so they will usually have obtained some language skills in another language.
On the positive side though, there is usually a greater availability of children through international adoption. Many countries are in desperate need of people to adopt children who have been orphaned, abandoned or whose parents are simply too poor to care for them. For example many children in Africa are left orphans due to the extent of the AIDS epidemic in Africa, and many girl babies are abandoned due to cultural and political reasons in China.
In addition, the regulations and requirements for international adoption are often not as stringent as for domestic adoption. Domestic regulations may include requirements regarding the adoptive parents’ ages, household situation, and the requirement to take a certain number of classes. These requirements are generally not as strict for international adoption.
In international adoption the birth mother also does not change her mind. The problem with domestic adoption in many cases is the option for the birth mother to change her mind after prospective adoptive parents have been told they will get a child. In international adoptions this is not the case.
In conclusion, there are pros and cons to both international adoption and domestic adoption, hopefully this article has given you a better understanding to know which option will be best suited to you and your lifestyles. International adoption may be a more expensive, lengthy process and perhaps have some language difficulties; but there are also a lot more children available, especially of different races or cultures, and the requirements are generally not as stringent and the birth mother won’t change her mind about placing her child with you.
