Colombia


Requirements

Age of Parents:
Each adoptive applicant must be a minimum of 25 years of age at the time his or her dossier is submitted to Colombia. Applicants must also be under the age 55. ICBF has rules regarding ages of children and the ages of the adoptive parents:
  • Ages 25-38: 0-2 year old child
  • Ages 39-41: 3-4 year old child
  • Ages 42-44: 5-6 year old child
  • Ages 45-55: 7+ year old child
Length of Marriage:
The minimum length of marriage at application is two years for ICBF and three years for the adoption houses.

Children in Family:
Adoption houses will only accept childless couples for infants or a family who has previously adopted from the same adoption house.

ICBF will accept families who have one or two children already in the home to adopt infants. There is a potential that the wait will be longer if a family already has a child in the home.

Single Applicant:
Single females are accepted but only for a child that is 7 years or older. They will also be accepted for Children of Promise or sibling groups. They must have identified male role models and family support.

Income:
Families must meet U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service income requirements and demonstrate financial stability.

Travel Requirements:
Both parents must travel to Colombia to receive their child/children. Both parents need to be in Colombia for the beginning of the process, approximately 2 weeks. One parent can return to the U.S. after the ICBF integration interview has taken place. The remaining parent must remain in Colombia until the entire legal process is completed, which can take 6 to 8 or more weeks. We strongly recommend that in the event one parent needs to return to the U.S.—or if the adoptive parent is single—to have a close family member or friend travel to Colombia to support the adoptive parent in Colombia.

For more information about Bethany's Colombia program, please call 1.877.64.ADOPT, e-mail us at bcsinternational@bethany.org, or fill out our contact form.