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International Adoption
Adoptive Families (https://www.adoptivefamilies.com) is an award-winning national adoption magazine and website - a great source of adoption information for pre- and post-adoptive families.
ComeUnity: Adoption Parenting Support (https://www.comeunity.com) is one of the largest and oldest parent support sites for adoption on the internet. Founded in 1996, they provide parent to parent support on international adoption, special needs adoption, how to adopt, adoptive parenting, adoption health, and more. Comeunity is well known for its in-depth articles and resources for adoption and special needs. Comeunity also has an Adoption Email Lists (Listserves) Directory. Recent awards include top International Adoption site from the national magazine, Adoptive Families and the book, How to Adopt Internationally.
Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (https://www.ccainstitute.org) The CCAI International Program facilitates ongoing communication, adoption education, and fact-finding trips between government entities on an international scale.
NJARCH New Jersey Adoption Resources Clearing House
(https://www.njarch.org) is a State-Funded service that provides support to all members of the adoption constellation. Their goal is to direct people to appropriate adoption services in New Jersey. From the NJARCH homepage go to Web Links in the left column. This will take you to their Adoption Web Links page - click on International Adoption for links to excellent web sites on international adoption.
Additional adoption websites with links to good information on international adoption: U.S Department of State - Bureau of Consumer Affairs - Intercountry Adoption
https://www.adopting.org
READY, SET, GO - IMPORTANT RESOURCES FOR THE INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION JOURNEY:
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Overseas Citizens Services, Office of Children Issues (https://adoption.state.gov) provides Travel Warnings, Public Announcements and Consular Information Sheets on International Adoption by country.
USCIS - United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly INS or BCIS) (https://www.uscis.gov). This website is the U.S. government information center for immigration forms, fees, and fingerprints. Go to the forms and fees link and scroll down to find I-600/I-600a forms.
Passport Services Office (https://travel.state.gov) The Passport Services Office provides information and services to American citizens about how to obtain, replace or change a passport. This website has a link to downloadable passport application forms. See also: (https://iafdb.travel.state.gov) This website will allow you to find the nearest location to apply for a passport. It is provided by the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of Passport Services/Customer Service, which designates many post offices, clerks of court, public libraries and other state, county, township, and municipal government offices to accept passport applications on its behalf.
New Jersey Department of Children and Families – Office of Licensing. The Bureau of Licensing maintains a list of "Adoption Agencies Approved to Provide Adoption Services in New Jersey" on their website. To download this list that work with domestic and international adoptions and are licensed by the State of New Jersey log onto: (https://www.nj.gov/dcf/about/divisions/ol/AdoptionAgency.pdf). For further information or to call when gathering information on adoption agencies, call 877-667-9845. You should also contact the Bureau of Licensing in each state in which the agency you are considering is licensed.(note: the NJ Adoption Resource Clearing House has a list of adoption agencies and state contact information: https://njarch.org
BOOKSTORES, BOOKS & GUIDES ABOUT INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION
Tapestry Books (https://www.tapestrybooks.com) Adoption Book Catalog based in Hillsborough, New Jersey (800) 765-2367. This online bookstore has a great selection of books on adoption for parents and children. When you go to Tapestry through the CPFA link (www.cpfanj.org) then CPFA gets a percentage of the sale.
ADOPTION MAGAZINES AND E-MAGAZINES/NEWSLETTERS
Adoptive Families (bimonthly) 1-800-372-3300 (https://www.adoptivefamilies.com)
Adoption Today (bimonthly) 1-888-924-6736 (https://www.adoptinfo.net)
Adoption e-Magazine (https://www.adopting.org)
Rainbow Kids An International Adoption Publication e-magazine (https://www.rainbowkids.com)
LISTSERVES (Moderated International Adoption Email Discussion Groups/Lists)
International Adoption Listserves by Country: Adoption ComeUnity https://www.comeunity.com
Eastern Europe: Eastern Europe Adoption Coalition, Inc. https://www.eeadopt.org
Russia and Ukraine: Families for Russian and Ukranian Adoption https://frua.org
INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION MEDICAL RESOURCES
International Adoption Medicine and Health Information Websites
https://www.adoptivefamilies.com/medical
https://www.comeunity.com/adoption/health/index
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/adoption
Directory of International Adoption Medical Clinics and doctors in the US and Canada specializing in international adoption medicine. https://www.comeunity.com/adoption/health/clinics
Jane Aronson, MD. International Pediatric Health Services, PLLC, Maplewood, NJ, Phone: 917-538-5217. https://www.orphandoctor.com
Lisa Nalven, MD. Valley Center for Child Development Adoption Screening and Evaluation Program, Ridgewood, NJ Tel: (201)447-8151. https://doctors.valleyhealth.com/providers/lisa-nalvin
Alla Gordina, MD, FAAP, Global Pediatrics, International Adoption Medical Support Services, East Brunswick NJ. Tel: (732) 432-7777. https://health.usnews.com/doctors/alla-gordina ________________________________________________________________________________ For those who have adopted an International
Child:
Now would be a good time to review your child’s adoption documentation.
- Birth Certificate
- Certificate of Citizenship / Naturalization papers
- Current Passports.
If do not have a US passport, to apply for one.
- First Adoption Decree
- Social Security Card (with updated citizenship status if obtained
prior to obtaining citizenship)
Even if you have a certificate of citizenship for your
child, their status may not be listed correctly with Social Security. To check,
contact the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213.
For more info: https://www.ssa.gov/
ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
Other documents you may want to obtain are:
- Drivers License (if of age)
- State ID card if do not have a drivers license
- Voter registration if over 18. Will ask you of want to register when applying
for drivers license/state id card if they
are over 18.
You
can click the link below for information on Proof of Citizenship for U.S.
Citizens: Documents Used (2024):
https://www.uscitizenship.info/us-citizenship/proof-of-us-citizenship
This link can be used to Request
for the Return of Original Documents: https://www.uscis.gov/g-884If you obtained a US birth certificate for your Internationally adopted child through the NJ County Surrogate courts, you can obtain a copy through the NJ Department of Health Vital Records: |