
The country of Bulgaria is situated between Romania and Turkey in Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea. This small country has one of the richest folk heritages worldwide. Bulgaria is home to Plovdiv, the 6th oldest city in the world, dating back thousands of years. Sofia, the capitol of Bulgaria, is the second oldest city in Europe. Due to its rich history, scenic landscapes, and numerous museums and restaurants, Bulgaria is a popular destination for many tourists. Bulgaria is party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention). Therefore, all intercountry adoptions between Bulgaria and the United States must meet the requirements of the Convention and U.S. law implementing the Convention.
Bulgaria adoptions are conducted through a collaborative effort of a Hague accredited adoption agency in the US and by the Bulgarian Central Adoption Authority (Ministry of Justice).
CHILDREN AVAILABLE
- View Children Available
- 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 8 years old can be up to 5 years)
- Most of the children are of Roma descend and have olive skin and dark hair
- Children over age 7, Sibling groups of older children, and children with special needs are readily available.
ELIGIBILITY TO ADOPT
PROCESS
- Make application to Nightlight Christian Adoptions.
- Complete the home study and File I-800A with US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
- Prepare dossier while completing home study
- Accept a referral of a waiting child once home study is nearly complete and awaiting Immigration approval (I-800A Adoption Approval)
- Complete commitment documents to “hold” a child for a pre-approval before Immigration Approval and dossier are complete
- If waiting for a referral of a child instead of selecting a waiting child, complete dossier and include I-800A Adoption Approval from Immigration
- Dossier sent to Bulgaria, where it is translated and legalized and then submitted the Ministry of Justice.
- Once matched, must commit to the child within 1 month from official referral
- Once committed to a child, both parents (if married) travel within 2 months to visit child
- Visit child for 5 business days
- At the end of the visit, while in Bulgaria, both parents (if married) sign a commitment letter to adopt the child and Power of Attorney to file adoption case with the court
- Travel home
- File the I-800 form that includes the child’s information with Immigration here in the United States. Immigration will forward the approval to the Consular section of the U.S. Embassy in Sophia, Bulgaria.
- The attorney will pick up Article 5 from the U.S. Embassy and take it to the Ministry of Justice in Sophia.
- The attorney sets up a court hearing, which the attorney will attend on behalf of the family.
- The court will issue an adoption decree.
- Once the court hearing takes place, the attorney will electronically submit the DS-260 with Immigration.
- The family travels to Bulgaria for 7-10 days to receive their child, get the official medical exam, and obtain the child’s U.S. visa at the Consular section of the U.S. Embassy. (Only one parent needs to go to Bulgaria for the second trip.)
TRAVEL
NIGHTLIGHT’S COMMITMENT
POST ADOPTION
COSTS
The program fee for Bulgaria is $24,500. 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 contact Viktoriia Serediuk-Buz, [email protected] , (317) 875-0058, ext. 181, with any questions.
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To learn more about our Bulgaria Adoption Program, you may contact us, call our Indiana office at (317) 875-0058, or directly email our Bulgaria coordinator, Viktoriia Serediuk-Buz, at [email protected]
Bulgaria Adoption Program Details:
- Children will be 2 years of age or older
- Adoptive parent age requirements will be determined by the agency
- Referral time will be an estimated 1 to 5 years depending on the family’s openness to age, gender, and special needs.
Bulgaria is an excellent program for families open to adopting older children. Learn more about adopting an older child HERE.
More Information on Bulgaria Adoptions
Bulgaria Adoption Overview
Bulgaria U.S. Relations
Intercountry Adoption Information on Bulgaria
WELCOME HOME!
Families that have adopted through the Bulgaria Adoption Program.

Peter, Age 11. Arrived home on 12/23/2015

Ava, Age 7. Arrived home on 12/16/2015.