Democratic Republic Of Congo

Who Can Adopt from Congo?

• Married Couples 
• Singles can adopt children of the same sex
• Adoptive parents have to be at least fifteen (15) years older than the child
• Exceptions may be made by Congolese officials for waiting children

Children Available for Adoption

• Children range in ages from infancy to teens.
• Both boys and girls are available
• Children are of African decent
• Special needs children available
• More than one child can be adopted at a time, both siblings and non-siblings

All adoptions in Congo are completed through a collaborative effort with a Congolese attorney, our foreign staff and the Congolese government officials of the social service offices handling international adoptions and orphan care in Congo. Our foreign staff ensures all children available for adoption are classified as available (all biological parental rights have been terminated) and no family members are available to care for or adopt the child. All children are screened for HIV upon referral. 

Due to the orphan crisis in Congo there are many waiting children. Currently referral times are immediate to three months, however as the program becomes more popular we anticipate this to be adjusted to four – six months. A Congo adoption application must be completed. Your dossier will be submitted to Congolese authorities for translation and adoption approval.

Upon acceptance of a referral, the child is removed from the orphanage and placed with a foster family. Adoptive parents will provide payment to the foster family for child care and medical expenses until the adoption is complete. Upon placement with a foster family medical testing and care is provided for the child.

Current time frame is expected to be 6 – 12 months to complete an adoption, for special needs adoptions please anticipate an additional 4 – 6 months.

For further information please contact Sonja Brown, African Program Director