Adoption Information and Documents

- Haiti -

Welcome aboard the roller coaster ride!!

We are excited about your decision to adopt from Haiti. We promise to do everything we can to make this a most successful and rewarding experience for you.

This is the list of documents you will need and what happens with them. Although it may seem rather complicated, remember: Many others no smarter than you have gone through the process quite successfully. And you will too. We are here to help and advise you at every step.

All of the following documents except for the bank statements, tax returns and the INS pre approval MUST BE NOTARIZED and state certified by you before you submit them to us for processing. However, we can start with the translation as soon as we have copies. If you do not know how to have your documents "state certified" after you have finished reading this, please feel free to call for instructions. Most, if not all, of the letters should be addressed to The Director of IBESR. (It is also acceptable to have them addressed to the Director of West Sands Adoptions, or to whomever is doing your homestudy). Once all your documents are complete, translated into French, and we have reviewed them for accuracy, the entire dossier will be sent to a Haitian Consulate for authentication and approval. Then it will be forwarded to Port-au-Prince where the lawyer will guide it through the Haitian Legal system and Haitian Social Services. This can take between three and six months, at which time you will receive a travel date and proceed to Haiti to welcome your new child.
*(IBESR is the Social Services in Haiti)

Note: Items marked with an asterisk do not need to be translated or notarized.

1. Original Certified Birth Certificate of Each Parent (x 5 copies, 3 photocopies accompany the original to Haiti, one copy you retain for yourself, and one is retained at the agency office). Please send four photocopies when you submit to us and keep one for yourself.
2. Original Certified Marriage Certificate of current marriage (x 5 photocopies as explained above) Photocopies of Death decrees or Divorce decrees if applicable are usually only needed by the US Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS).
3. *Copies of the last three year's Federal Income Tax Returns
4. *Copies of your three most recent bank statements
5. Original letter ( x 4 photocopies as above) from the bank stating that all of your accounts are in good standing. Ask your bank to state in this letter that copies of your last three bank statements are attached.
6. Original medical letter (x 4 photocopies) for each parent. Both parents can be covered in a single letter, but it must clearly address each parent individually specifically stating that each has been tested for HIV, VDRL, and CBC, each is free of any communicable diseases, and each is physically and mentally capable of raising adopted children. It is usually good to also include how long you have been a patient.
7. Original letter (x 4) of good conduct for each parent, to be obtained through the state, county or city police departments.
8. Original employment letter (for each parent, as applicable).
9. Original letter ( x 4 photocopies) of psychological good mental health to be done by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist and printed on his/her letterhead. This does not require an extensive evaluation, but just a brief interview wherein the clinician determines and states that in his/her opinion both of you are mentally and emotionally stable and capable of parenting adoptive children, children who may be from a different race/culture.
10. Original (x 4 photocopies) favorable homestudy report.
11. One letter from three personal references ( x 4 copies of each) (cannot be relatives).
12. * INS preapproval.
13. Power of attorney letter (x 4) for foreign agent.
14. Letter (x 4 photocopies) to IBESR--Haitian Social Services (A formal request for adoption authorization).
15. *4-6 passport photos (4 photos to send with your dossier to Haiti, 2 more for your passport, unless you already have one).
16. *A color copied page of four to six pictures of your family. These can be snapshots taken of you in your home, your yard, at a children's birthday party, on a family outing, etc. Include 4 photocopies, the copies do not need to be in color.


***Remember, all documents except the passport photos need to be photocopied 5 times....3 copies will go to Haiti, 1 copy needs to be left on file with West Sands Adoptions, and 1 copy should be retained by you to carry to Haiti, as INS sometimes requests a copy of the dossier. Next is an outline of the things that you can do to get your dossier done quickly.
1. There is a number to call to order the INS forms that you will need for your adoption process, 1-800-870-3676. If you ask for an "Advance Filing Orphan Petition Packet, including form I-600A," you should receive not only the preliminary salmon colored form (I600-A), but also the final documents you will need in Haiti: the blue colored I-600, and the Affidavit of Support. It takes a couple of weeks to get the forms this way so you might want to request two, just in case one gets lost in the mail or if you foul up one. Call us if you have questions about how to fill in some of the blanks on the forms. INS is taking a long time right now to process things so you should probably send in your I-600A as soon as you can. As an alternative, you can download these forms off the Internet, but be sure to re-copy them at Kinko's or some similar place on a color of paper that comes close to their original colors (salmon/peach for the I-600A, light blue for the I-600), and be sure to photocopy the I-600A application part on ONE sheet in such a manner that the bottom of the front page matches the top of the second page. INS likes to file their forms by punching holes in the top. Then when they read them they can lift up the page with the top of the second page easily readable. You might consider sending it registered mail or express mail (not certified...they don't track certified, it just has to be signed for...) as the post office tracks registered or express. INS also will now accept photocopies of your birth certificates and marriage certificate, but you must photocopy both sides of each certificate and enclose a signed letter saying that they are true and accurate copies. (A copy certification form is enclosed in the Orphan Petition Packet.)

2. The next thing to do is get your homestudy underway as this usually takes at least 6 weeks to finish. Be sure the agency doing your home study is recognized by the INS to do international home studies. Usually you can determine this by simply asking the agency if they are and what their experience is in doing home studies for international adoptions. Check with several different agencies if you can to determine: A) The cost, and B) How soon they can have it completed. If one agency charges $600 but takes six months to get things done while another agency charges $800 and can have it done in two months, the first one is NOT a bargain.

3. Your psych. evaluation is the next thing for you to schedule. You do not have to get the full range of tests done...it can simply be done though a short interview. Some people have been hard pressed to find a psychologist who would write the letter without running a whole bunch of expensive tests (unless of course they knew the psychologist personally). Another problem some people have run into is that the report MUST be done by a Licensed Psychologist or Psychiatrist. Most of the people who do counseling are not licensed psychologists and yet they are the people that most families tend to go to.

**Here is a sample psych letter...
To Whom it May Concern: (To the Director of IBESR is even better, but this will do.)

I am writing this letter on behalf of Jo Blo and Gigi Kokomo, who have applied to adopt 2 children from Haiti. Kokomos participated in a clinical interview held in my office on December 6, 1901.

Results from the clinical interview indicated that the Kokomos are in good psychological health. By their report, there is no personal or family history of psychiatric illness of personality disorder, no history of alcohol, drug, or nicotine use, and no history of legal problems or involvement. There is no personal or family history of terminal illness or of significant medical problems. They presented for the clinical interview early and were an attractive, well-groomed, and wholesome appearing couple. They were well prepared to answer questions, and responded in an open, articulate and thoughtful manner. Mental status, judgment, and insight were excellent, with no evidence of thought disturbance or mood disorder.

Results from the clinical interview suggested that the Kokomos are mentally prepared to undertake the responsibilities of raising Haitian children. The Kokomos reported a stable marriage of 76 years and appeared to have a positive and rewarding relationship. They have 29 biological children. The children have expressed interest and enthusiasm about the adoption, and the Kokomos have taken appropriate steps to prepare them for it. Responses to structured interview questions regarding parenting suggested that the Kokomos utilize effective parenting skills with appropriate positive and negative consequences for behaviors. They appeared to hold developmentally appropriate expectations for their children. There was no evidence to suggest potential for abuse of any sort. In sum, as can be seen from the evidence reviewed above, Jo Blo and Gigi Kokomo, appear to be in good psychological health, and are well-prepared to take on the challenge of adopting and parenting children from Haiti.

Please contact me if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Dr. Psych O. Loggy
Licensed Psychologist
License # 1234567-1234

As you can tell we changed a few things in there (though you could never tell which ones...)

4. After you have scheduled your psych interview and your homestudy, and sent for (or downloaded) your INS paperwork, the best thing that you can do to get your dossier done quickly is to order all certificates needed. You will need at least 2 certificates (3 is better) of each of the following documents: birth certificates for each parent, and marriage certificate for your current marriage. If you have previous marriages, you will need 2 copies of your divorce or death certificate. (Divorce and death certificates are not sent to Haiti with your dossier, but INS requires them and it is wise to carry a copy with you to Haiti in case INS in Haiti requests them also.) You may obtain these documents from your Bureau of Vital Statistics in the state in which you were born, married, divorced.... The cost of each document is usually about $10, but varies from state to state. www.assistantstork.com lists each states Bureau of Vital Statistics office, with fees and contact information. CALL the number given and find out the current costs and procedures to obtain these documents as there are continual changes and the list is not constantly updated. This is the only document that you need more than one original of. 1 original is for your dossier, 1 is to take to Haiti with you, and 1 is for INS (although they will accept photocopies of BOTH front and back, with a copy certification letter). You will also need a certified birth certificate to apply for a passport. If you do not already have a passport, we suggest you initiate that now.

5. Schedule appointments for your medical exams. The medical evaluation/report needs to include HIV testing, a complete CBC, and should state that you are free from all communicable diseases. The letter also needs to state that you are in good enough health, in the doctor's opinion, that you could raise an adopted child. The doctor may write one letter for your husband and one for yourself or he can write one letter that addresses both of you...with a paragraph covering each person's results. It might save you a small amount of money later to have one letter cover both of you. The medical letter must be done on medical office letterhead.

6. The next thing you should do is contact each of your employers and ask them for a letter of employment. (Sometimes employers take as long as 4-6 weeks to complete these.) The letters of employment need to state when the parent was hired (how long the parent has been employed with the company), and state that the parent is currently in good standing with the company. The letter should also include what their title is and what their current wage/salary/earnings are. The Employment letter must be done on company letterhead. **If a person is self-employed, a letter from the company accountant or bookeeper will usually do.

7. Next contact three or four people to do letters of recommendation (or reference letters) for you and your husband (not separately, jointly). These letters must not be from relatives. Sometimes people don't feel comfortable doing this, or it just takes them a while and as you want them to give you a positive reference, you don't want to have to nag them too much. These letters can be addressed to the Director of IBESR or to the Director of your homestudy agency or To Whom It May Concern. We only need three, but sometimes it is good to ask four parties to do this. That way if someone drags their feet getting it done (and you never know which one might do that), you'll be covered. Sometimes these letters can sound a lot like form letters. Suggest to your friends (it is generally better to ask friends, not enemies to write the letters) that they make them somewhat personable...it sounds soooo much better! Inform your friends that these letters are not confidential.

Be aware that you need four passport photos (of each parent) to be submitted with your dossier.

9. Next go to your local police office and ask them for a notarized letter stating that you are a citizen in good standing. Just explain what it is for and they will hopefully know what to do. Usually these include a statement that you have no criminal history records on file or current warrants out for your arrest. It also usually mentions that is does not include other counties, but somehow this does not seem to be a concern.

10. The last document that you need someone else to write up for you is a letter from your bank. It simply needs to state that your account(s) is in good standing. It might not hurt to have them add how long you have held an account there. Staple your last three months bank statements to the back of the letter.

11. The remaining items on the list are either items that you just need to gather up from your own files or letters that you need to write yourselves. You will need your last three years of Federal Income Tax Returns, just the first one or two pages, not the whole listing of properties and depreciation schedules, etc. You will also need your last three bank statements--the summary page is what they are really looking for. The letters that you need to write are as follows: Power of attorney letter, and letter to IBESR requesting permission to adopt from Haiti.

A sample power of attorney letter follows:
POWER OF ATTORNEY
November 14, 3049


To Whom It May Concern:
I, Jo Jo, and I, Gigi, do hereby bestow upon _________________________ (we will fill in the name later) complete and full power of attorney to act in all matters in our behalf, to represent us in all court and legal proceedings, to make all legal applications, arrange for medical examinations, passports, visas, sign any pertinent documents, and perform all acts necessary and pertaining to adoption by us, of Haitian children. We assume full responsibility for all acts, signings, agreements, petitions, and related matters which he may perform in our behalf the same as if we personally were to perform such deeds ourselves. This power of attorney shall expire upon completion of all adoption proceedings in Haiti. (Enedland Jabouin is the lawyer most families will be using....We use a different lawyer for families that presently have more than 5 children in their home.)

Letter to IBESR: Make it a positive letter, not apologetic. Pretend that you have one shot to prove yourself ('cause that really is all you get). The whole point of this letter is to explain to them why you would be wonderful parents for these children by highlighting the positive things you have to offer. Be yourself, but also try to impress them. This is the one shot you have to impress them "in person". Your other documents are about you, but they are not written by you.

Here is a sample letter:
Director of IBESR
Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Dear Director,

My husband and I are interested in adopting two children from your country. Although we have two hundred and forty biological children, we have always wanted to add children to our family through adoption. We feel that our home and family will be strengthened and enriched through this experience.

We own a 175,000 square foot home with a large fenced back yard and garden. Timbucktoo is a small town in which the people are very supportive of each other. Some of the benefits that our children enjoy in this small community are: small teacher-student ratio in school; community, religious, and school activities; low crime rate; and safety. Everyone looks out for everyone else.

The teachers at the schools are very well-educated and wonderful teachers. We have children in Twelfth, Fifth, and First grade. They love all their teachers. The largest class in the school has only 10 students, and some classes enjoy a 5:1 student-teacher ratio. The school moved into a brand new building in October, 1201.

Jo Blo works for a trucking company and makes $900,000.00 per year. He is also involved with a family farming/ranching operation (Jo Blo From Kokomo Brothers) which nets us another $500,000 per year. Gertrude volunteers at the elementary school in the first grade class, teaches piano lessons, sews, quilts and does belly dancing in her spare time.

We both have extended family close by, and enjoy spending time with them. We know we could provide all the love, material, educational, and emotional needs of fortyeight additional children. We have an abundance of love and hope to truly make these children a part of our family.

At this time, we wish to formally request approval to adopt two children from Haiti. We would be honored to bring children from your country into our lives and home. Thank you for allowing us this great privilege.

Sincerely, Jo Blo and Gertrude

**The italicized parts of the letter are the important things that pretty much have to be stated in the letter. Say it in your own words, but it needs to be said. That is what they are really looking for...

Other helpful hints:

1. It is wise to photocopy each document 5 times as you receive it or write it. Your agency will need 1 copy, you need 1 copy, and Haiti receives 3 copies. It is a pain to photocopy things when they are stapled together with unremovable brads ( applied in the authentication process), so do it first. You do not need to photocopy the state certification or authentication page.

2. Send copies to us for translation as soon as you have a copy of all or most of the documents and we can get that process started. We don't need the originals yet. If we can be of any help to you filling out forms or of support to you in any other way, just let us know. Feel free to ask any question you have up to 42 times per question. If you have to ask the same question 43 times, then we will need to have a little chat. We would rather you ask and clarify than have you do it wrong and have to redo something. Our goal is the same as yours...to get this done as correctly and quickly as possible.

Good luck.