Ethiopia Adoption

• Our Ethiopia adoption program is one of CWA’s largest and most affordable adoption programs.
• Infants, toddlers, sibling groups, and young teens are all in great need of loving, forever families they can call their own.

Poverty and disease have left a great multitude of children without parents. Typically older children, older sibling groups, or children with special needs are available for immediate referral. Otherwise, parents will likely receive a referral within 6-12 months of submitting their dossier. Time between referral and travel is about 5 to 6 months. CWA works with numerous orphanages located throughout Ethiopia. Christian World is very pleased to be among the first U.S. agencies authorized and accredited to have an Ethiopia adoption program. The Ethiopia adoption program is our largest program, and each year we place over 200 children from Ethiopia with loving, forever families. We look forward to helping connect some of the thousands of orphans with loving, permanent families through Ethiopia adoption.

Ethiopia Adoption Program Information

• Ethiopia adoption paperwork is fairly simple, we guide you every step of the way.
• Ethiopia is not a Hague Treaty country.
• CWA works with several children's homes located throughout Ethiopia. This can mean a quicker adoption time because we have more children looking for families.
• Families completing an Ethiopian adoption of children 0-4 years old will likely wait for a referral. For families adopting children over age 4, families might be able to choose their child from a wait list. The wait for a referral varies by child’s age and gender, and could be 0-9 months from completion of paperwork to referral.
• Total adoption timing could be 10-18 months. The younger the adopted child, the longer the adoption process takes.
• With CWA Ethiopia adoptions, from the time you receive your referral until you travel to Ethiopia is approximately 6 months.
• Ethiopia adoption requires post-adoption reports prepared by the home study agency at 3, 6, and 12 months after arriving home. A report prepared by the family is required once annually until the child is 18 years old.
• Children live in children's homes, large foster homes, or with extended family.
• Parents and international adoption doctors report that the quality of care is good in the facilities run by adoption agencies.

Adoptive Parent Information

• For married couples interested in an Ethiopia adoption, at least one parent must be age 25 or older, and the other parent must be age 21 or older; both parents must be age 60 or younger.
• Single women can adopt from Ethiopia and must be age 25-60.
• There can be no more than 45 years age difference between mother and child adopted.
• Parents must be married a minimum of one year at the time paperwork is submitted to Ethiopia. Parents can apply to CWA and begin their Ethiopian adoption once they have been married at least 10 months.
• There are no restrictions on the number or ages of children already in the home.
• Ethiopia does have some restrictive regulations regarding the health of adopting parents. Therefore, if you are currently taking any prescription medications, or if you have any medical conditions, please call or email our Director of Intake to discuss your specific case so we can help you determine your eligibility.
• In addition, if there is any prior arrest record or prior criminal charge, please discuss this with us. While it does not automatically preclude you from adopting, we will address each situation on a case-by-case basis to help you determine your eligibility for an Ethiopian adoption

Available Child Information

• Children available for adoption are babies, toddlers, older children, sibling groups, and children with special needs.
• Families can adopt two unrelated children at the same time. If one child is 0-24 months old, the second unrelated child must be 25 months old or older and the adoptions must be completed on the same trip to Ethiopia.
• Children come home from less than 12 months old to 14 years of age.
• Children are African-Ethiopian and dark skinned.
• Parents can state a gender preference when completing an Ethiopia adoption; please note adopting a girl is typically a slower process than adopting a boy.
• Ethiopian children are available for adoption due to abandonment or relinquishment of rights due to poverty, disease or death of parent.
• Children who are available for adoption receive examinations and tests for HIV and hepatitis prior to referral.
• When referring a child to parents, CWA will share all biographical information, medical information, and photographs given to us by the child’s orphanage.
• CWA maintains a photo list of waiting children/sibling groups available for adoption. Please visit our Ethiopian waiting children webpage for more information.

Travel to Ethiopia

• With your Ethiopia adoption, travel to obtain custody is approximately 6 to 8 weeks after the successful court date.
• Your Ethiopia adoption will be 1 trip of approximately 5-10 days to Addis Ababa, and currently only one parent is required to travel. Escorts are not an option.
• Parents do not travel in groups, but it is highly possible other CWA families will be there in Addis Ababa at the same time you are.
• Parents typically arrive in Ethiopia on Sunday and leave the following Thursday, late evening.
• There are guesthouses or hotels in which families can stay while in Addis Ababa.
• Our Ethiopia staff will assist parents with transportation to and from the airport, all official meetings and with Embassy document processing.
• Currently, it is our policy that parents staying in guesthouses may have custody of their children during their stay and their children may accompany them to Embassy related appointments only.
• Parents who opt to stay in hotels will have custody of their children upon departure from Addis with the exception of Embassy related appointments and one hour visits daily at the Foster Home. This policy is in response to government cultural sensitivity and safety concerns and is a current standard among other adoption agencies in Ethiopia.

Post-adoption Reports and Re-adoption

All foreign countries have a specific process regarding the number and frequency of legally required post-adoption reports. Most families choose to use the same social worker that writes the home study to write the required post-adoption reports. Currently, Ethiopia requires that you submit 3 post-adoption reports during the first year home, all written by a social worker. The first is submitted about 3 months after coming home, the second about 6 months after coming home, and the third at 12 months. CWA Post-adoption staff will be glad to work with the family and the social worker for directions and instructions on preparing these legal reports. After the first year, one report is due annually until the child reaches the age of 18. These reports for year 2 and on are completed by you the parent, and do not require a social worker. These reports are sent to CWA for translation and submission to Ethiopian authorities. This is covered by the post-adoption administration and translation fee paid to CWA. Even when both parents travel to Ethiopia to bring home the child, legal re-adoption in your state of residence is required before your child can become a citizen of the United States. CWA Post-adoption staff can help guide you on the re-adoption process, or check with your home study provider. Post-adoption reports and re-adoption are two issues to consider, to discuss with your home study provider, and to plan for in your adoption budget.

Estimated Expenses & Fees

For a complete list of all adoption expenses and fees associated with an Ethiopian adoption, please click here »

Note: Due to the nature of international adoption, all information contained on this webpage concerning Ethiopia adoption is subject to change without notice.