IAN can offer adoptions from different countries and locations. Different laws and regulations apply to each. Please select the country you are interested in from the right for additional information.
IAN will help guide you through the adoption process from beginning to end. With each step, we will direct you in completing a successful adoption to ultimately unite you and your child as a family!
IAN is here to help families with their adoption process from beginning to end. Here you will find information you may find useful in helping you with your adoption process, as well as tools to communicate with other IAN Families.
Uganda Adoption Process
Uganda's adoption authority is the Department of Youth and Child Affairs.
1. Choose an Adoption Service Provider
This would be a licensed adoption agency. While Uganda does not require adoptive parents to work with an adoption agency, IAN highly recommends doing so for several reasons:
a. Agencies ensure that adoptive parents receive adequate training and preparation for adopting a child, along with post-adoption support.
b. Agencies are able to provide humanitarian care for orphans and vulnerable children who are not eligible for adoption.
c. Hague accredited agencies, such as IAN, must follow Hague guidelines even if the country is not Hague compliant. This ensures global ethical standards are being met.
2. Apply to be found eligible to adopt
This is accomplished by submitting a state approved adoptive parent home study and accompanying documents to USCIS with the I-600A (non-Hague) form.
3. Be Matched with a Child
Uganda's central adoption authority will provide the referral for a child based on the family's approval. The family will have two weeks to accept their referral.
4. Adopt the Child or Gain Legal Custody
Once the Adoptive Parents have accepted the child's referral, IAN will submit a petition to the High Court of Uganda to adopt that specific child. There are two different ways families can adopt from Uganda.
a. Complete the adoption process in Uganda. This includes residing in Uganda for three years in order to fulfill the residency requirements.
b. Apply for legal guardianship, and complete the adoption in the U.S. Almost all families are choosing this option, where the parents are granted full guardianship in Uganda, and allowed to bring their child home to the U.S. where they will do a complete re- adoption in their home state. In order to qualify for a legal guardianship, the Courts of Uganda and the US Consulate must provide an exit visa for the child.
5. Both parents will travel to Uganda to appear before the court
At this time they will be given legal guardianship of the child. They will also get to meet and spend time at the orphanage with their child. Both parents MUST attend court, and can anticipate one week in country. After Adoptive Parents return home, IAN's Uganda staff work to complete the legal documents.
6. Apply for the Child to be Found Eligible for Adoption by the US Government via the consulate in Kampala, Uganda.
IAN's staff will submit all necessary documents.
7. Parents will travel for the Embassy interview and will return to the US with their child!
Parents will travel for approximately 10-14 days for their second trip. Since parents will be granted guardianship in Uganda, they will need to complete a re-adoption in their home state.
8. Post Adoption
Parents will submit post adoption reports to IAN at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after arriving home.
Time Frame
As Uganda is a pilot program, these time frames are only estimates and will be updated with experience.
Dossier submission to referral: Approximately 3-6 months, depending on the age of the child.
Referral acceptance to court: Approximately 8-10 weeks
Court ruling: 2 days to 2 weeks
Embassy clearance: 3 to 5 weeks after documents are submitted