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Want to Adopt? Watch Your Weight!

According to adoption specialists at Adopting from Korea and Afterwards, parents seeking to adopt children from Korea cannot weigh more than 30% over the "normal" weight for their given height when they work with certain agencies. So, if you're considering international adoption, be prepared for a weigh-in or look for another agency! [See weight/height chart.]

Every Country Has Some

Every country has certain requirements for prospective adoptive parents, usually regarding age, number of existing children in the home, some indicator of marital stability (number of divorces, years married) and, in the case of single parent adoption, gender.

If you are single, male or female, you can forget about adopting from Armenia, Thailand, or Sri Lanka (among others). No single adoptive parents allowed. If you choose to adopt from St. Lucia, you don't have to be a resident but you do have to own property on the island.

Rounding out this quick look at some of the less well-known requirements is Slovakia where prospective adoptive parents must have long-term residency in the country and remain there during the entire adoption process, which can take 1-2 years.

Other restrictions include those regarding gay men and lesbians. China declines to accept applications from homosexuals, and several countries specifically prohibit same-gender couples from adopting.

Age Limits Encourage International Adoption

One of the reasons many turn to international adoption is the age restriction applied by many agencies for domestic adoption. In Mexico, Russia, and Greece, for example, the upper age limit for adoptive parents is 60, giving older individuals an opportunity to provide a home to a child. Some countries, including Ukraine, have no published upper age limit. Parents will, however, be interviewed and their abilities to parent will be evaluated.

Knowledge is Power

While these details of limitations and restrictions are interesting, and can sometimes bring a smile, they serve as a reminder that those seeking to adopt internationally should make themselves aware not only of individual country laws and regulations, but also of the prevailing attitudes and trends in a country of their interest.

For example, while age restrictions for China adoptions were lowered from 35 to 30, that country is now limiting the number of applications being accepted from single persons. Procedures in many countries are also more flexible for special needs adoptions.

By taking advantage of the wealth of information available on the Web, and consulting with adoption professionals, you will be less likely to make common mistakes, fall into traps or, at worst, fall prey to unscrupulous individuals.

Best Resources:

International Adoption Resources by Country
Learn about the requirements for each country, and find service providers, support groups, and medical information.

International Adoption: Complete Index

Speaking of weight...

For years, the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance has claimed discrimination against fat people by adoption agencies.

© Nancy S Ashe

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