MLJ Adoptions Haiti program is open to new families! There is no waiting list for families to submit their dossiers and begin waiting to be matched with a child(ren).
Haiti is widely considered to be the most impoverished country in the western hemisphere, with almost 80% of its citizens living below the poverty line. American families choose to adopt from Haiti because of the country’s poverty, but also due to its proximity to the United States.
Due to the extreme poverty prevalent in Haiti, many families are unable to care for their children; 15% of children in Haiti are estimated to be living outside of family care. In 2010, an earthquake devastated this already poor country, compounding the hardships faced by many Haitians and leaving even more children without families. It is estimated that the number of orphans in Haiti doubled from 380,000 to more than 750,000. This staggering number accounts for almost 7% of Haiti’s population.
Children in Need of Families
- Age: infancy to teens.
- Families who adopt from Haiti should expect that the child they are matched with will have experienced malnutrition and/or been exposed to malaria. Children may also have additional known medical needs depending on what the family is open to.
- Children reside in crèches, or orphanages, which must be licensed by the Haitian government.
- Children from Haiti may need to be placed in families through international adoption due to extreme poverty, lack of acceptance towards unwed mothers, or an inability to care for a child’s medical needs.
- Please note that the Haitian government will not allow families to adopt a specific child unless that child is a biological relative, even one that families have formed a personal relationship with through mission work or time spent in Haiti.
Adoptive Parents
- Married couples, who have been married for at least five years, or couples who have lived together for at least five years can adopt from Haiti.
- One spouse must be at least 30 years old, and neither spouse can be over 50.
- Single women must be older than 35 and younger than 50.
Adoption Timeline
- Home Study and Dossier Preparation: approximately 1-4 months.
- Approximate Wait Time: 36-48 months once the family’s dossier arrives in Haiti.
- Completion of Adoption: 12-14 months after the family accepts a referral.
- Travel: two trips to Haiti are required. The first trip lasts approximately two weeks, and parents meet with the child and a social worker. The second trip lasts approximately one week, to bring the child home.
- Haiti joined the Hague Convention in 2014. It is now a Hague Convention country, which creates safeguards throughout the international adoption process.
Learn more about Haiti on the CIA World Factbook.
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 Credits: Feed My Starving Children