Azerbaijan Adoption Program
Notice Concerning Azerbaijan Adoptions
Azerbaijan has ratified the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption. Their Central Authority (the Adoption Committee) has not yet licensed agencies in the country. Until we get further clarification on the established protocol, we recommend that families adopting from Azerbaijan wait to submit the application form I-800A to Immigration. You may want to start the home study process, and by the time the home study is completed, we should have a better picture of how agencies and in-country facilitators will be accredited.
As soon as we have updated information, we will post it here. Until then, we cannot accept new applications to the program.
Azerbaijan Adoption Program Overview
Azerbaijan is a country the size of Maine and has a population of about 8 million people. The capital, Baku, is very Western, and the people there welcome Americans.
In 2001, U.S. citizens adopted 20 Azerbaijani orphans. In 2003, U.S. citizens adopted approximately 62 children from Azerbaijan. In 2004 a moratorium was placed on intercountry adoptions originating in the country. Now Azerbaijan is once again allowing international adoptions. During the time that Azerbaijan was open in 2003 and 2004, Carolina Hope placed several children for adoption.
If you would like print materials about any of Carolina Hope’s adoption programs, you can send us a request using our online form.
What children are available for adoption?
Most available children come into orphanage care because they have no family. A baby may be left at the hospital or taken directly to an orphanage.
Healthy toddlers and children are available for adoption. Sometimes babies are also available for adoption, but we recommend that families interested in this program be open to children up to three years old. Children with special needs are also available. These children are cared for in a special orphanage.
There are more older children available than babies, but you can adopt a baby or toddler. The wait is usually longer for a younger child.
Sibling groups are sometimes available, or you can adopt two unrelated children if you choose.
Where do the children reside?
The children live in orphanages. Overall, the condition of these orphanages has improved greatly due to humanitarian aid.
How long does the process take?
Usually you can travel to Azerbaijan to receive your child in ten to twelve months from starting the adoption process.
Who is eligible to adopt from Azerbaijan?
Married couples and single women can adopt. There are some restrictions as to who can adopt based on age, income, and the number of divorces in one’s background, but most adoptive parents with an approved home study can adopt. If you have questions regarding your qualifications, please contact us and we can ask the facilitator if you will qualify.
How is a child assigned to prospective adoptive parents?
If you wish to adopt a younger child, you will receive a referral of a child after all of your dossier paperwork has been sent to Azerbaijan and the ministry has approved you. Once you have accepted the referral of a child, your paperwork is registered with the court. The court will set a date for you to attend the court hearing to adopt your child.
Older and special needs children can be assigned to you before your paperwork is sent to Azerbaijan. Upon request, you can view photos and medical and social background information of these children. We will assign a child only to a family that has an approved home study. Once a child is assigned, you can begin to complete the required dossier paperwork.
What are the travel requirements?
The first trip is made when the court date is set. You are required to be in Azerbaijan for just a few days to attend the court hearing. So, including travel, the first trip is about 5-7 days.
About 4-6 weeks later, you go back to Azerbaijan to receive your child and to submit proper documentation at the U.S. Embassy in Baku. You will then go to the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia, to obtain your child’s visa. The lawyer accompanies you through this whole process. The second trip takes about 7-10 days.
Usually both parents travel, but if only one parent can travel to the country, special arrangements can be made for you.
It appears that there are no special risks in traveling to Azerbaijan. The country has a strong presence of Americans and Western Europeans, and the overall mood is very pro-American. Azerbaijan is a member of the European Union and has made many changes in its policies to stay in the EU, including the protection of more human rights in such areas as religious freedom.
Most people traveling to Azerbaijan are Westerners working for large oil companies.
Post-placement reporting
The authorities in Azerbaijan are requesting that families who adopt Azerbaijani children provide reports and pictures of the children every six months until the child has been home for three years. Carolina Hope is very committed to ensuring that families complete this requirement, and we therefore require families to sign a contract to assure their compliance with these reports.
What are the fees for the Azerbaijan adoption program?
The fee to adopt a child is $20,750. There are additional expenses, including the home study and post-placement reports, the apostilling of documents, traveling to the country, hotel costs, and the child’s visa. The total cost of the adoption (assuming two parents travel to Azerbaijan for two trips) is estimated to be about $31,000.
Fee reductions are given for children with special needs on a case-by-case basis.
Are the children pictured on this page available for adoption?
Carolina Hope’s informational materials use photographs obtained from professional photographers and adoptive families. Apart from children pictured on a photolisting page, no children whose photos appear on this website are available for adoption.
Can I get more information?
If you would like print materials about any of Carolina Hope’s adoption programs, you can send us a request using our online form. We would also be happy for you to call or email with questions. (Our phone number and email address are available at our Contact page.)