
Latvia 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 Latvia and the United States must meet the requirements of the Convention and U.S. law implementing the Convention. Latvian adoptions are conducted through a collaborative effort of a Hague accredited adoption agency in the US and by the Latvian Central Adoption Authority (Ministry of Welfare).
CHILDREN AVAILABLE
• Both boys and girls are available
• Children over age 9 and up to age 15 are available
• Sibling groups of 3 or more children
• Children with severe health problems are available for adoption.
• Latvian children, in general, have fair skin and blond or brown hair.
ELIGIBILITY TO ADOPT
PROCESS
- Make application to Nightlight Christian Adoptions.
- Begin your adoption home study and submit form I-800A to CIS.
- Begin to assemble your dossier. We will give you detailed instructions.
- Once USCIS has approved your adoption home study, you will receive your I-800A adoption approval.
- Once your USCIS approval has been received your dossier is complete, you will be registered to adopt in Latvia.
- The Latvian Central Authority will add you to a list of waiting families and it can take 6 to 24 months to receive a referral.
- Once your referral is received, you will travel to Latvia for about four weeks to meet your child and then be approved to take the child into your care.
- At the end of the 4 weeks stay, you will travel home with your child and continue the bonding period in the US.
- File I-800 form with USCIS.
- After the Article 5 is issued by the US Embassy in Riga, the adoption court hearing will be required to travel back to Latvia to attend the hearing. Children over ages 12 and older, are also required to travel and attend the hearing.
- No less than 40 days after the court hearing, at least one parent and the child(ren) will travel back to Latvia for the third and final time to obtain an immigration visa for their child.
TRAVEL
NIGHTLIGHT’S COMMITMENT
POST ADOPTION
COSTS
The program fee for a Latvian adoption is $16,000. Additional estimated expenses of $14,295 – $17,470 will bring the total cost to approximately $30,295 – $33,470. In addition, your out-of-pocket expenses may be reduced if you receive scholarships or other employer-provided adoption benefits. For additional fee information, please see Exhibit A.
Please contact Liana Stoddart, [email protected] (970) 663-6799, with any questions.
Visit our Waiting Children Page
Visit Now
Start Your Adoption Inquiry Today
Get Started
To learn more about adopting from Latvia, you may contact us, call our office at (970) 663-6799, or directly email our Latvia coordinator, Liana Stoddart, at [email protected].
Latvia Adoption Program Details:
- Waiting children will be 9 years of age or older.
- Parents applying for the program must be at least 25 years old, and at least 18 years older than the child they are adopting.
More Information on Latvia Adoptions
Intercountry Adoption Information for Latvia
WELCOME HOME!
Families that have adopted through the Latvia Adoption Program.

Sintija (4), Laila (6), Amanda (7). Arrived home on 12/24/2014.

Beate (7), Monta (9). Arrived home on 4/15/15.