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Congo Adoption FAQ

What is the country of the Congo like?

The Democratic Republic of the Congo was formerly known as Zaire and is the third largest country in Africa.  The Congo is ethnically diverse and has a wide range of customs, languages music and art. A rich history, beautiful landscapes, and a vast abundance of natural resources have been overshadowed by disease and significant political, social and economic instability resulting in many orphaned and abandoned children in need of permanent loving families.

Who can adopt from the Democratic Republic of the Congo?

Married couples and single women and men can adopt from the Congo.  Anyone adopting from the Congo must be at least 25 years of age but there is no upper age limit.  Couples must have been married for 5 years in order to adopt from the DRC. Prior divorces are not an issue but those who apply to adopt cannot have serious criminal background issues.  Families or single parents who want to adopt a young child under the age of 5 years old cannot have more than 2 children residing in their home. If families are willing to adopt an older child and have more than 2 children in the home.  Decisions regarding adoption for families with more than two children are decided on a case by case basis by the attorney in Kinshasa.

What are the children like in the Congo?

Most children available for adoption are 3 years old and older, but there may be younger children available from time to time. However, you should understand that this is mostly an older child adoption program. There are both boys and girls available for adoption. There are a few children living in private foster care but most of the children available live in orphanages.  These children have been through many hardships due to the extreme poverty of the country.  They are a very gracious people and do not take small things for granted. The children have dark skin, dark brown eyes and brown to black hair. Most children are small for their age because of the poverty in the country and the lack of a nutritious diet. For pictures of children who are currently available for adoption, please go to our waiting child page - http://www.wiaa.org/children_list.asp.

How long does it take to complete an adoption from the Congo?

The approximate wait time for a referral of a child is 3 months.  Once the adoptive parents have accepted a referral the case is presented to the local court for approval.  When the approval is issued by the court there is a 30 day waiting period before the adoption is finalized.  Once the referral is presented to the local court, it takes approximately 3 to 4 months for the adoption to be finalized.  When the adoption is finalized, the family can travel to the Congo to pick up their child.  The stay in the Congo is approximately 7 to 10 days.  

How do I find the child I would like to adopt?

There is a list of waiting children who are immediately available for adoption.  Prospective adoptive families can view these pictures and child profiles and choose a child immediately if desired.  However, the children available are all 3 years old and older.  If you would like to adopt a baby or a toddler, the wait for a referral could be 3 months or more. When a referral is obtained for a very young child, you can look at pictures of the child and the child profile before making a decision to accept the referral.  

What happens once I accept a referral for a child?

Once you have identified the child you wish to adopt, the paperwork required by the Congolese government is sent to our attorney in Kinshasa.  The paperwork is then submitted and reviewed by the Mayor of the District in which the child lives.  The prospective adoptive parents apply for permission to adopt this child by sending a letter to the Tribunal de Paix.  The judge from this tribunal approves all foreign adoptive parents.  Once the approval is issued, there is a 30 day waiting period before the adoption is finalized.  Once the finalization paperwork is issued, adoptive parents then travel to the Congo to pick up their adopted child. 

What paperwork is required in order to adopt from the Congo?

Prospective adoptive parents must complete a home study, they must obtain permission from the U.S. citizenship and immigration authorities to adopt a foreign born child, and they must provide some legal documents such as vital statistic documents, a letter of request to adopt, copies of passports, etc.  There are very few documents required when compared to the paperwork required by other foreign countries. 

Do I have to travel to the Congo to adopt a child?

The Congo allows a child to be escorted home if the adoptive parents do not want to travel.  We can provide an escort to bring your child home if you desire.  There will be some additional costs, however, if you chose to have your child escorted home.

Once our child is home with us, are we finished with the adoption?

No, you must re-adopt your child in the U.S. court system and then file for U.S. citizenship for your child.  There are also two post adoption visits required by our social worker, one visit at 6 months after the child is home and one visit at 12 months after the child is home.  Once these tasks are completed, you are done.