Adoption Process Summary

Click to open each section of the process.This is a generalised overview. Each country, and indeed each adoption, is different. We give you detailed information as you work through the process with us.

+ - Check ICANZ Country Programme Requirements Click to collapse
 Check you meet the basic requirements for your country of choice. India   Philippines   Thailand   Lithuania   Call or email us with your questions and for fuller information, including costs. These vary for each country. Programmes in the same country by different placement agencies may also be very different.
 
+ - Pre-Adoption Education, Assessment, Approval to be an adoptive parent by AFS or OT with NZCA approval Click to collapse
 This is the first step towards intercountry adoption. For this step, you have a choice of using either the New Zealand Government Oranga Tamariki Ministry for Children (OT,); or, an accredited non-government organisation called  Adoption First Steps (AFS)  ICANZ is not an Assessment Service and does not carry out this step.

Whichever organisation you use, this steps involves

-police, medical and referee reports to check your legal eligibility

-an education/preparation course on adoption

-social worker visits to your home for interviews to assess your suitability to become an adoptive parent

-the social worker's report called a Home Study Report

-review of the Home Study Report by the NZCA (New Zealand Central Authority) and issue of an approval certificate to adopt a certain number of children, of a particular age range, from one specified country.

If you use Oranga Tamariki, their education course, called "Ways to Care",  starts with a short information session, covering fostering, long term shared guardianship ("Home for Life"), NZ adoption, plus inter-country adoption. You then attend 3 workshops, referred to as Day 1, Day 2, Day 3. Be aware that there are two versions of Day 3 - one to prepare you to go into the pool for local "Home for Life" children and one to prepare you to adopt a child or children intercountry. Make sure you know which one you've chosen to attend.

If you use AFS, their course involves online education that you can complete at home in your own time, followed by a workshop run by AFS.

For most countries you'll also need a report from a psychologist.
 

The NZCA will send your Home Study Report to ICANZ provided you've told the AFS or OT social worker you wish to use ICANZ. We'll then work on your behalf to prepare an application and make the arrangements that lead to you being offered a child to adopt into your family. 

+ - Adoption - Placement of a child in your home by ICANZ with NZCA and overseas CA approval Click to collapse
 ICANZ (that's us - Inter-Country Adoption New Zealand) is a placement organisation, with authority to arrange the placement (and finally adoption) of a child from overseas into your home. We'll do the paperwork, apply on your behalf to the overseas authorities, and make all the arrangements needed. ICANZ can assist you to adopt a child from countries listed on this website. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for information about the country you are interested in. 

Registration with ICANZ
If you decide to engage ICANZ as the organisation to arrange for a child to be placed with you, inform your AFS or OT social worker of this. Once you are approved to adopt, you may complete full registration with us. At any stage you're welcome to contact ICANZ with your questions. We'll provide information by email.
 
Dossier of Documents
We prepare your dossier of documents as an application to meet the overseas country’s requirements and arrange for these to be submitted to the overseas country in the appropriate way. ICANZ visits each country in person and maintains regular contact to keep aware of the best way to present your application. Each country has specific requirements for documents and these are different from those you provide to AFS or OT as part of the approval/home study report process.
 
Child Referral and Acceptance
A referral, or child study, are terms used for the information sent to you about a child waiting for adoption. Sometimes this process of choosing a child/children for you is referred to as "matching". The information usually includes medical and social information about the child and their background, with a photo of the child. You consider this information carefully before deciding to proceed to adopt the child. Some countries require you to make a trip to meet the child in person at this stage, before you can proceed to adopt the child. The NZCA must approve you as suitable parents for the particular child matched to you before the adoption can proceed.
 
The Adoption Legal work
We'll get your documents filed in the foreign courts, or government departments, to adopt the child. Depending on the country, ICANZ may work with lawyers, our representatives, a liaison agency or an accredited agency overseas, as well as the overseas Central Authority.
 
Travel and Finalisation
You'll travel to the overseas country to meet your child, complete the required legal process to be permitted to bring your new son or daughter to NZ.
 
 
+ - Post Placement Reports by ICANZ Click to collapse

In all cases you'll have visits by an ICANZ social worker, with reports sent back to the child's country of origin. This may be for up to 4 years, depending in the country.