NOTE - Each adoption is viewed individually. Adoption requirements are sometimes flexible if you are applying for older children, sibling groups of three or more children from one family, those with medical needs, or if you have cultural heritage that matches the child's culture. Other conditions may apply in your particular case, so we strongly recommend you talk to us before progressing too far.

Must I already have links to the culture or country I wish to adopt from?

No, although in some countries this may give you priority. ICANZ helps all New Zealanders, of any ethnicity, religious or cultural background to adopt children from overseas, so long as you meet the requirements of the child's country. You do need to commit to encouraging your child to respect their heritage while growing up as a New Zealander. There are many resources to help you build your child's pride in his heritage.

What is the first step?

The first formal step is to undertake adoption education courses and be approved as an adoptive family. Contact your local CYF Adoptions Service for this. You may also wish to complete a pre-application with ICANZ or ask ICANZ for more information on countries you are interested in. We have detailed information packs we supply to those seriously interested in adoption. We are also happy to talk with you, as most of our staff and board are adopted parents and understand the questions you will have.

Why does it take so long?

See our information on Waiting; why the adoption process takes time, coping with the wait, and using your time productively to prepare for your adoption. Remember, ICANZ staff have personal experience in waiting to adopt, and will do everything in our power to reduce the waiting time.

How long does it take to adopt?

This depends on:

The country you choose to apply to,

The age, gender, number of children you choose to apply for, and any restrictions you place on the characteristics of child you will accept,

How well you fit the type of parent that country is looking for and how your application is presented,

How many other parents are applying at the same time,

How many children enter the orphanage or other form of government care in the months or years before your application is received.

Some examples, based on our experience:

If you apply to adopt a boy under 3 years in Russia, you may receive a referral in 2-4 months. If you apply for a girl of similar age, you may receive a referral in 6-10 months. If you apply for 2 or 3 siblings under 8 years, you may meet your children in 1-4 months, but if you apply for 2 siblings under 5 it may take a lot longer and even longer if you specify the gender.

If you apply to Thailand for one child up to 2 years, you may wait 6-12 months to receive information on your child, then a further 6 or more months to bring your child home.

If you apply to the Philippines for one child under 3 years, you may wait 1-2 years or more to be matched with a child, but if you apply for a child 6-10 years, or siblings with one child over 6 years, it is possible you'll be matched within months.

Timeframes for India and Lithuania are also variable, but in general those applying for older children are matched more quickly, as are those who accept waiting children. See our waiting children page for more information.

Please note: These time frames are from when your application is processed by ICANZ and does not include the time for CYF to assess and approve you as adoptive parents.

Where can I adopt if I'm single?

Russia - so long as you can afford the costs, Russia has the fewest restrictions. You must be truly single, not in a relationship. Children of any age can be adopted if you can stay home with them for a year, avoiding day care for little ones.

India - for girls 5-10 years

Philippines - for children over 7 years

What other adoption options are there for NZ families?

1. The NZ government department CYF provides an education, assessment and approval service, that all adoptive applicants must go through no matter which country you wish to adopt from, or which placement service you choose to use. The same CYF also provide an overseas placement service for some countries.

2. The NZ government dept of CYF Adoptions Unit can tell you about local adoptions of New Zealand children, and about parenting through Permanent Placement and Fostering.

3. The Adoption Option Trust aims to raise awareness of, and educate people about, adoption in New Zealand today.

4. The following organisations can tell you about parenting through fostering: Key Assets, Barnardos , Open Home Foundation.

5. OPAN (Open Adoption Network) can tell you about openness in local adoptions and support you during a local adoption.

Why does it cost money to adopt when so many children need homes?

Adoption involves a complex legal process with court hearing, in another language, another culture, another legal system, on the other side of the world. "Adoption comes from the heart, but the process must follow the law". There are costs involved in such work.

There is no government funding to help you in NZ or the child's country of origin.

ICANZ is a charitable, not-for-profit organization that must charge fees on a cost-recovery basis.

Many people are involved in each adoption. In New Zealand we employ qualified trained professionals whose sole job is to assist you. They are not volunteers trying to squeeze this work in between other jobs. We must pay for staff to answer enquirers seeking information and to process adoption paperwork for those undertaking an adoption.

To set up the adoption programme you use, our team had to travel to the overseas countries to meet with government officials, and our partner organisations that will help you overseas.

In NZ, ICANZ is required to have a secure office, with burglar alarm, smoke alarms to protect very personal documents for the families we assist, telephone and computer systems to communicate with NZ families and overseas authorities. Each month, we must pay these overhead costs of rent, power, phone bills, internet service provider, alarm company, water rates, insurance company as well as maintain viable office equipment. We are required to be audited by both financial auditors and CYF, two more large costs.

Your adoption will involve engaging experienced personnel in your child’s region. These overseas service providers facilitate your application through the legal process and obtain the paperwork necessary for the child’s adoption, visa, NZ Citizenship and passport. In some countries there is the additional cost of employing translators to translate each and every communication and document that is required for the court case for the adoption. We run an office in Russia with 3 staff, plus several translators and admin staff, and all the usual operational and office costs. When parents travel to pick up their child, facilitators, guides and translators may meet them at the airport, transport them to their pre-arranged meetings and help them as they meet their child for the first time. Some overseas partner agencies are also child caring agencies, and must fund the costs of the staff, buildings, equipment, overheads, food, clothing, to care for the children.

Although the ICANZ team and the associated personnel in the child's country of origin view their work as a mission, they must earn a living to provide for their families. Each employee needs a salary, an office, a computer, a phone, office supplies and ongoing training. Along with capital expenditures for equipment, furniture and maintenance, insurance, etc.

All of this and more requires money to pay expenses. So, as you can see, there is a lot of work going on behind the scenes! We welcome your calls and questions so we can help you understand the process and costs involved.

What does it cost to adopt internationally?

For each country you may need to cover the following costs:

Documentation costs, usually involving lawyers fees, government department costs, costs for your own medical reports, accountant reports, as well as translations

Travel costs internationally and within the child's country, including visas, passports

Overseas accommodation costs

ICANZ costs within NZ

Overseas agency costs including interpreter costs, court fees, lawyers fees, the child's medical examination

Post adoption monitoring costs, NZ citizenship costs

These vary from country to country. ICANZ supplies detailed list of predicted expenses for your process of adoption for each country. Contact us for this information.

Why does ICANZ charge fees when CYF does not?

Any organisation has costs, and no matter who does the work, adoption processing involves costs. Adoption work carried out by CYF also involves significant costs, but New Zealanders are fortunate that the NZ government chooses to use tax-payers money to fund these costs, so you do not need to cover these costs (This is not the case in all countries, for example, in Australia, you'll pay for a homestudy and processing paperwork by a government department). ICANZ is not supported by taxpayers funds as CYF is, so must charge fees to cover the costs. We welcome donations, to help keep costs lower for adopting families.

I have adopted a child. How do I meet other adoptive families?

Email ICANZ for contact details of the local ICANZ parent network coordinator if you have adopted from another country. She will be able to introduce you to local families with adopted children for friendship, support and information sharing.

Contact OPAN if you have adopted within NZ.

Contact your local CYF office if you are using CYF as your placement agency.

Do we need to apply for New Zealand Citizenship by Grant for our adopted child?

If your child was adopted through the overseas courts, he or she will probably have gained Citizenship by Descent. Citizens by Descent have all the rights of New Zealand citizenship, except that they cannot pass on their citizenship to any children born to them (or adopted) overseas. We recommend that you apply on their behalf for Citizenship by Grant after they have been living in New Zealand for at least three years.

You can download the forms you need at the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs website. Internal Affairs have advised ICANZ that you do not need to resubmit your child's adoption documents as these have already been sighted and recorded by them.

We recommend that you indicate on the form or in a letter that it is a descent to grant application and send the completed application by courier to:

Attn David Brooker. Citizenship Office, Department of Internal Affairs, Level 1, A.C. Neilson Building, 120 Victoria Street, Wellington 6011.

Their phone number is 04 474 8162

Adoption is not for me, but how can I help children in orphanages?

See How You Can Help.

I'm a teacher trying to understand an adopted child's needs

Read this helpful article by Relationships Australia. It describes the impact of early loss, neglect, institutionalisation, attachment and how these all may affect a child's learning or behaviour at school. This article is also helpful for adoptive parents.

How can I find out about adoption within New Zealand instead of overseas?

See these helpful links:

OPAN (Open Adoption Network)

Adoption Option

Child Youth and Family