Overview

What’s Involved in Adopting a Child From Nepal?

Assuming you meet all the qualifying criteria required of adoptive parents by the Nepalese government, adopting a child from Nepal is a fairly simple and straightforward process:

  • Once your homestudy and dossier are complete, they are forwarded to Nepal for approval.
  • You receive a child referral.
  • You accept the referral.
  • You travel to Nepal to sign the first set of papers in Kathmandu.
  • Once the file is approved by key Nepalese government departments, you return to Nepal a second time to sign papers, receive the adoption certificate, have documents translated, secure a passport for your child, apply for travel documents, have a medical exam of your child performed, and visit the U.S. Embassy to obtain your child’s visa.

If you prefer, you may make one trip instead of two and simply stay in Nepal until all the paperwork is completed (usually takes about three to five weeks total).

In a Nut Shell

Children Available: Healthy children, both boys and girls, are available for adoption from Nepal. Infants, toddlers, older children, and special needs children are available for adoption.


Parent Requirements: Married couples and single women are eligible to adopt from Nepal. Couples must be married at least four years and have a statement from a doctor attesting to their infertility. A statement of infertility is not required for single women adopting children from Nepal. Married couples must be between 25 and 55 years old; single women must be between the ages of 35 and 55 years old. Parents must be at least 30 years older than the child and not more than 45 years older than the child they wish to adopt.

Travel Requirements: Two trips are required to adopt from Nepal. The first trip to Nepal requires a minimum of ten business days. During this time, you will visit the U.S. Embassy and begin the adoption paperwork. The second trip, usually occurs about a month later, also requires about ten working days. You will bring your child home with you when you return from your second trip to Nepal.

Time Frame: Referrals take about two to six months (depending on the age of the child you specify), and the legal process in Nepal takes about two months.

Number of Children Adopted by Americans in 2004: 73

Additional Information: The Nepalese children who are available for adoption live in orphanages. Very little is known about the children available for adoption, including their birth dates. The children’s ages are estimated by the orphanage doctors. Nepalese law states that adoptive parents may only have one child of each sex in their household. Thus, if you already have a son, you must adopt a daughter; if you already have a daughter, you must adopt a son. If you already have a son and a daughter at home, then you cannot adopt from Nepal unless the children are from the wife’s previous marriage. Nepalese law states that the total number of children in the family must not exceed two. Once you have your child home from Nepal, post placement supervision and reports are required.

Credits: The International Adoption Guidebook, © Mary M. Strickert