Samoa

We are not accepting new applications at this time.

Who Can Adopt from Samoa?

  • Married Couples and Singles
  • If Married, parents must be 23 – 55 years old
  • If Single, must be at least 24 years old when filing the I-600A and 25 years old when filing the I-600
  • Additional stipulations may be determined by your government to apply for an orphan visa if you live outside of the United States.

Who are the Children in Samoa that need Adoption?

  • Children range in ages from infancy to teens
  • Both boys and girls 
  • Children are of Asian/Pacific Islander decent
  • Children with special needs wait for families, including children with emotional needs and/or a history of abuse

Travel

Anticipated travel will entail approximately 7-14 days. Clients are expected to travel to Samoa for a minimum two (2) day stay to be united with their child. Clients will then travel to Auckland, New Zealand, for an additional 3-5 days to attend the embassy appointment and receive the child’s orphan visa. Due to the fact that Samoa is a pilot program, travel requirements may change. If parents cannot travel or do not wish to travel, escorting may be available.  
 
All adoptions in Samoa are completed through a collaborative effort with a Samoan attorney and our foreign staff, with strict compliance to Samoan law in regards to international adoption. Our foreign staff ensures all children available for adoption are classified as true orphans under USCIS definitions and available for adoption. This includes ensuring all biological parental rights have been terminated and no family members are available to care for or adopt the child.    
 
Currently referral times are 12-18 months after receipt of prospective adoptive parents’ 171H approval letter from USCIS, depending on age and gender requested. Wait times for older children are much shorter. Referral times may change as this program becomes more popular.  A Samoan adoption application must be completed. Your dossier will be submitted to our foreign staff in Samoa to be submitted to Samoan authorities for adoption approval.
 
Upon acceptance of a referral, the child is placed with a pre-screened interim care family. Adoptive parents will provide payment for child care and medical expenses until the adoption is complete. These costs are reflected on the cost sheet provided. Upon placement with an interim family medical testing is provided for the child.
 

Why Use MLJ to Adopt from Samoa?

MLJ Adoptions, Inc. is Hague approved and licensed in the state of Indiana. In addition to our domestic staff our foreign staff includes attorneys licensed to practice law in Samoa and who are well versed in Samoan adoption law, US Embassy practices and procedures and the US federal requirements necessary to obtain an Orphan Visa. MLJ has never had an orphan visa denied!
 
MLJ proudly maintains a collaborative working relationship with SVSG in Samoa to place orphaned children in need of loving homes. SVSG is well respected not only in Samoa but in the South Pacific for their dedication to assisting victims and abandoned children.
 
To learn more about Samoa please request information. General fee information (updated February 2013) can be found here.
 
 
Country information is to be considered general information and subject to change. The information is based upon state, federal, foreign, and international law, as well as our own business policies. 
 
 
photo credit: John Harrold