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Citizenship

One adoptive parent must be a U.S. citizen.

Age

The age difference between parent and child must be no less than 15 years and one parent needs to be at least 30 years of age.

Marital Status

Single persons and married couples are eligible. Couples must be married for at least five years.

Financial Stability

There is no specified minimum amount requirement. However, the applicants need to be gainfully employed and families must meet the income requirements provided by the USCIS in order for the adopted child to immigrate.

Health

Prospective parents must be mentally and physically healthy with no serious, chronic transmissible diseases (HIV positive, venereal disease, tuberculosis, etc.) or other life-threatening illnesses.

Criminal Record: Prospective parents must not have a criminal record.

  In Ivory Coast, children available for international adoption are typically at least 2 years old at the time of referral and have special needs. 

Because Ivory Coast is party to the Hague Adoption Convention, children from Ivory Coast must meet the requirements of the Convention to be eligible for intercountry adoption. For example, the adoption may take place only if the competent authorities of Ivory Coast have determined that placement of the child within Ivory Coast has been given due consideration and that an intercountry adoption is in the child’s best interests.

 1. Complete the Application for Adoption for preliminary approval by Agape Adoptions.

2. Start the adoption Home Study Report;  generally about 3-4 months to completion.

3. Submit dossier documents to Agape Adoptions – families can collect their dossier documents during the home study phase.

4. Once the Home Study is finalized, Agape Adoptions will submit and file immigration documents with the USCIS office. Approximately 2-3 months to receive I-800A approval.

5.  After USCIS determines that you are suitable and eligible to adopt and approves the Form I-800A application, Agape will provide your approval notice, home study, and any other required information to the Office for the Protection of Children (ACACI) as part of your adoption application (dossier).  Once the dossier is submitted the ACACI will review your application/dossier. This process may take up to seven months. 

6. Receive a referral for a child from the ACACI.

7. Apply to USCIS for the Child to be Found Provisionally Eligible for Immigration to the United States. 

8.   Adoptions from Ivory Coast, may take approximately 17 months to complete from the time your dossier is submitted to ACACI.  This includes approximately nine months prior to the 15-day cohabitation period and six-month virtual bonding period and an approximate two months of processing after the bonding period. See "Travel" for more details on travel requirements.

Families will travel to Ivory Coast for a 15-day bonding/cohabitation period and should expect to be in-country for 2.5-3 weeks. 

The second trip will be 9-12 months later to complete the adoption. Families should plan to stay in Ivory Coast for approximately 10-12 days for the second trip. 

After returning home, families complete 3 Post-Placement Reports at the following intervals: 3 months, 6 months and 12 months. 

The fees paid for international adoption cover services involving numerous professionals, governmental bodies, and logistical arrangements in both the United States and your child's country of origin. 

The amount you should budget varies by the country from which you are adopting. Agape Adoptions can provide a detailed fee schedule via email.

Families working with Agape Adoptions will be able to utilize the services of Your Adoption Finance Coach to help with funding your adoption.

For more information on financing your adoption, please visit our 

Funding Your Adoption page.