
Albanian history stretches back to ancient times! The many castles and archaeological sites are attractions to many visitors.
Albania is a party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention). All intercountry adoptions between Albania and the United States must meet the requirements of the Convention and U.S. law implementing the Convention. Albanian adoptions are conducted through a collaborative effort of a Hague accredited adoption agency in the US and by the Albanian Central Adoption Authority (Albanian Adoption Committee/Ministry of Justice).
Visit our Waiting Children Page
Visit Now
Start Your Adoption Inquiry Today
Get Started
CHILDREN AVAILABLE
- View children availableÂ
- Both boys and girls are available for adoption.
- Children as young as 2 years and as old as fifteen are available for adoption. (wait time for a referral of a child under 4 years old can be up to 3 years.)
- Sibling groups are available.
- Children with Special Needs are available for adoption.
ELIGIBILITY TO ADOPT
PROCESS
- Make application to Nightlight Christian Adoptions.
- Begin your adoption homestudy and submit form I-800A to CIS.
- Begin to assemble your dossier. We will give you detailed instructions.
- Once USCIS has approved your adoption homestudy, you will receive your I-797C pre-approval notice.
- Once your USCIS approval has been received your dossier is complete, you will be registered to adopt in Albania.
- The Albanian Central Authority will add you to a list of waiting families and it can take 18 to 24 months to receive a referral.
- Upon referral acceptance, Nightlight will begin processing the family’s I-800.
- You will then travel to Albania for your first court date and to meet and bond with your child (a minimum of 2 weeks for bonding).
- At your first court hearing, you will be given a date for the 2nd hearing. It could be a few days or a few weeks later.
- After your 2nd court hearing, you and your child will meet with a psychologist who will write a report for the court. There is typically about 1 week between the 2nd and 3rd court hearing.
- The adoption is granted at the 3rd court hearing and then you must wait 15 business days to receive the court decree.
- Once you have received the court decree, the attorney will obtain a new birth certificate and passport for your child.
- The final step is to obtain the US visa for your child and returning home. Most families will remain in Albania for a minimum of 60 days for the adoption process to be completed. However, some families may choose to make 2 or 3 trips to Albania depending upon the timing of court hearings.
- The children reside in orphanages while awaiting adoption.
- Albania adoptions can take on average from 24 to 48 months to complete.
TRAVEL
NIGHTLIGHT’S COMMITMENT
POST ADOPTION
COSTS
The program fee for an Albania adoption is $15,500. Your additional costs will include home study, USCIS approval, notary & apostille fees, airfare, hotel, in country guide, and embassy fees as shown on the fee schedule. Your out-of-pocket expenses may further be reduced if you receive scholarships, grants or employer-provided adoption benefits. For additional fee information please see Exhibit A.
Please call (502) 423-5780 or e-mail Lisa Whitaker, LisaW@nightlight.org with any questions.
Albania Adoption Program Details
- Children will be 2 years of age or older
- Parents age must be at least 18 years older than the child they are adopting.
- Referral time is typically 18-36 months depending on the family’s openness to age, gender, and special need
More Information on Albania Adoptions
U.S. Department of State Information on Albania