Child adoption is the most important thing for an individual who is struggling with infertility or impotency. To adopt a child in Uganda, you have to follow the country’s laws, which are meant to make the process smooth and legally binding. Assuming you are childless or you have only girls and you want to adopt a boy child, this is the process to follow.
Uganda Adoption Requirements
In Uganda, you can choose to adopt a child from an orphanage or from an individual. To adopt from an orphanage is usually easy because most of the children don’t know their parents.
- Citizenship: One adoptive parent must be a Uganda citizen.For you to succeed in adopting a child in Uganda,you have to ensure one of the parents comes from Uganda.
- Age: Applicants must be at least 25 years old and 21 years older than the child they plan to adopt. In the case of a married couple, it is sufficient for one spouse to meet these requirements.It is always hard to adopt a child who is above 16 years,because they are almost adults.
- Marriage Status: Married couples are eligible to adopt regardless of length of marriage. Consult CAN. Singles may only adopt a child of their same gender.
One thing to note is that if you are a man,there is no way you can adopt a girl child,unless you are a married man and you use the name of your wife to adopt the child.
- Previous Children: There are no strict requirements on the maximum number of previous children in the home, however strong preference is given to families with less than five children. For families with five or more children, they cannot all be adopted.
- Religion: No country requirements. If adopting from specific orphanages, some may give preference to prospective adoptive parents who are practicing Christians.
- Income: There is no minimum income required. However, you must meet the income requirements provided by USCIS for the child to immigrate.
- Criminal History: Applicants with any criminal history are not eligible to adopt. Consult CAN regarding any criminal history.
Uganda adoption eligibility requirements are subject to change per Uganda’s adoption laws.
Adoption Timeline
The time frame to complete international adoption from the Uganda is currently about 18 to 36 months, depending on the time families take to complete their dossier paperwork, their preferences for age and gender, and country processes. This time frame is subject to change, so please consult CAN for the most current processing times for your adoption from Uganda.
If you are a Ugandan citizen,it can take you even less than 12 months to adopt a child.
The Process
- Application and Approval
To adopt a child, please complete our online agency application. If you have any concerns about eligibility requirements, please contact us before filling out this application. We will review your eligibility to adopt from Uganda based on the guidelines of Uganda’s adoption eligibility requirements once we have received your application. If approved, we will provide you with our agency contract that outlines our fees, services and important information regarding the international adoption process. Upon receipt of your signed contract, CAN will start to provide you with placement services for a child from Uganda.
- Identifying a Child
As soon as a child is identified based on your preferences for gender, age and health status, you will be matched. Families may be matched before or after completing the dossier. You will receive a description of the child, including the child’s history and photos with your referral. A private investigation will be conducted on all referrals to more fully vet the child’s social history and adopt-ability. Due to the lack of resources within the country of Uganda, the private investigation must be paid for by the adoptive parents at the time of matching.
After accepting a referral, families will pay monthly care fees to support the child’s care and well-being in-country. These care fees are paid up through the court appointment when the adoptive parents take custody of the child.
- Picking up Your Child
Once you have been matched with your child, you will be required to pick the child and confirm all the details as outlined in the agreement form.
- Post Placement Requirements
Parents must file for adoption in a U.S. state court within three months of returning home to finalize the adoption. In addition, three post-placement reports are required at the first, second and third month after you arrive home. These reports demonstrate to the Ugandan government the benefits of international adoption for their children.
Several people have tried to adopt children in Uganda, and here are their testimonies
Leah,
“I have been married for 18 years. I did my wedding in 1994 in a Ugandan church but two years down the line, I didn’t manage to get a child. After waiting for 15 years without a child, I decided to adopt a girl child by following the above process. First I had to look for a lawyer to take me through the process and also ensure that I had all the required documents.
After 2 years of waiting for confirmation from the Ugandan government, I was able to adopt a child from an orphanage. I thank my lawyer for guiding me through the process, which was very hectic”
Catherine,
“I am a US citizen and I managed to adopt two children from Uganda. I first reported to the US Embassy in Uganda where I was directed on what to do before I finally adopted the children.
It took me exactly 36 months to fully adopt two beautiful girls.
The most important thing is to find a good lawyer to take you through the process”.