CHILDREN AVAILABLE
- Children between the ages of 6 months and 16 years are eligible for adoption through Armenia’s Central Adoption Authority. However, according to US regulations, USCIS will not process the adoption of a child if the I-800A has not been submitted prior to the child’s 16th birthday. We can only assist families who are planning to adopt children under age 16 and they are able to complete their home study and submit USCIS I-800A prior to the child’s 16th birthday. Armenian children eligible for intercountry adoption can be expected to have moderate to non-correctable medical and/or developmental diagnoses. Sibling groups are very uncommon in this program.
ELIGIBILITY TO ADOPT
- Applicants must be at least 25 years of age.
- At least 18 years age difference between prospective adoptive parents and the adoptive child, applied to the younger spouse, if married.
- Applicants must be no more than 50 years older than the child at the time of referral, applied to the older spouse, if married.
- Both single and married individuals can adopt.
- Income: Must meet US standards of 125% over poverty and the Central Adoption Authority has an informal bias for higher income families and smaller family size.
PROCESS
- For a proposed kinship adoption of a relative child, collect all required child documents and provide to Nightlight coordinator (proof of orphan status; parent death certificates or relinquishment of rights; medical evaluation; school and social report
- For all adoptions, complete our online application
- Complete our International Adoption Services Contract & pay the Monitoring and Oversight fee. The Monitoring and Oversight fee is paid to the accrediting entity designated by the US Department of State/Office of Children’s Issues, the US Central Authority.
- Orientation meeting with Nightlight Staff, reviewing the intercountry adoption process through Armenia. Review and return Service Plan.
- Begin your Home Study with Nightlight or an approved Hague Accredited agency that is identified and approved by Nightlight.
- Once your Home Study has been completed, Nightlight will review the Home Study and assist you with preparing your I-800A Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country: https://www.uscis.gov/i-800a.
- Armenia Dossier: Nightlight will assist you in putting together the packet of documents required by Armenia’s Central Adoption Authority.
- Receive approval of the I-800A.
- Submit your complete dossier for review by Nightlight, followed by shipment to Armenia, and approval and registration with Armenia’s Central Adoption Authority.
- Referral wait of varying length, depending on the specifics of the child request outlined in the home study.
- Upon receipt of a referral, Nightlight social services staff will review specific child referral - medical, social, psychological reports with the family.
- If the referral is accepted, the family travels to Armenia for one week to meet the child and to formally declare the family’s intent to adopt the child prior to returning to the US.
- Complete I-800 application and submit to USCIS – NBC for review. Nightlight will assist with this process.
- After the approval of the I-800 and issuance of second approval of the case in Armenia, families will travel to Armenia for the court hearing and Visa interview with the US Embassy in Yerevan. This trip usually takes around 3-4 weeks.
- You will receive a Full and Final Adoption Decree from the Armenian court.
- Complete US VISA process at the US Embassy (Guidance is provided by Nightlight staff).
- Complete a minimum of 6 post placement reports once you return home.
TRAVEL
Families are required to make 2 trips for their adoption. The first trip lasts one week and allows a family to meet the child referred to them and to formally accept the referral. If married, both spouses must travel. Your Foreign Supervised Provider in Armenia will communicate the details with you. The second trip includes the court hearing (if married both spouses must be present), followed be the issuance of the Adoption Decree, Birth Certificate and child’s passport as well as the Visa Interview and issuance of the child’s visa at the US Embassy in Yerevan. This trip takes 3 to 4 weeks. Upon completion, your child will be able to travel home with you to the US on a full and final adoption decree. Your child will arrive home under a full and final adoption from an Armenia court.
POST ADOPTION
Within 30 days of your arrival home, you must have a home visit by your home study provider. Armenia’s Central Adoption Authority requires post placement reporting over 5 different calendar years. Reports 3 months home and 6 months home must be social worker generated. The remaining reports at 12 months, 2 years, 3 years and 4 years home are family generated. The apostilled original post-adoption reports must be sent to Nightlight and on to the Central Adoption Authority in Yerevan.
