Latvian
Adoption with New Horizons’ Hosting Program
Benefits of working with An Open Door Adoption Agency
- An Open Door Adoption Agency is experienced since 1987.
- The agency has completed over 1500 adoptions.
- Member of Joint Council for International Children’s Services.
- We have completed adoptions for NHFC families since 2002.
- We can work with families in any state.
- We can facilitate adoptions from the NHFC hosting program in Latvia.
- Experience in Latvia since 1994.
- Excellent relationships with in-country facilitators.
- All Christian staff at An Open Door.
- We can help you find an accredited home study agency in any state outside of Georgia.
- An Open Door Adoption Agency is Hague accredited (requirement for Latvian adoptions).
- Georgia families can complete a home study in advance of hosting at a partial fee of only $525, with nothing more due if you decide not to adopt. This can save you time and money by preparing a full home study in advance instead of just a preliminary safety visit, which would leave you starting the home study after your child returns to their orphanage. This advance home study will enable you to send your dossier several months sooner. The full price of a home study will be due only if the family decides to adopt.
- Also, Georgia families can obtain FBI and GBI fingerprint clearances within two to five business days, again to greatly expedite your home study.
- Preparation of dossier for families.
Representative dedicated to NHFC families: Cathy Sawyer: 404.667.0694 or Email: cathy@opendooradoption.com
Adoption Process
- Application to Open Door Adoption Agency
- Service Agreement
- Home Study (we can begin your home study before your child is hosted, if you live in the State of Georgia)
- USCIS approval
- Dossier Preparation
- Documents sent to country
- Referral Received
- Travel (three trips to Latvia)
- Return home with your child
Financial Resources Available
The Adoption Tax Credit becomes a fully refundable credit of $13,170 per child in 2011. A refundable credit of $12,170 applies in 2010. (this is per child adopted!)
Open Door placement fees are reduced by the full $2,500 hosting cost for New Horizon families.
Additional grants, scholarships, and interest-free loans are available to qualified families.
Georgia families can complete a home study in advance of hosting at a partial fee of only $525, with nothing more due if you decide not to adopt.
A home study, completed prior to hosting, can save several months of wait time in submitting your dossier. This could also enable you to finish your adoption prior to the next hosting period which would save $2,400 of re-hosting costs.
Travel Process
Latvia offers an excellent opportunity to adopt school age Caucasian children. Children are many times from small-town orphanages or loving foster families where they have been nurtured. An Open Door was the first adoption agency completing adoptions from Latvia in 1994.
A few months after a family submits their documents (dossier) to the
country, an invitation is issued and travel is scheduled. The family will
travel to Riga,
where they are met by the bilingual staff of An Open Door and proceed to the
region where the child lives. The Orphan’s Court grants temporary custody to
the Host family to spend 7-10 days with their child to prove an established a
bond exists between parents/child. Afterward
the Orphan's Court (first court) hearing will occur which grants the family the
right to adopt this specific child(ren).
Latvia is unique in that your child can return home with you, after the
first visit, on a visitor’s visa.
After returning home to the U.S.
for about two months, a final adoption court is scheduled. The second court
trip can be as short as 48 hours in the country, followed by a 20 day appeal
period (in which parents and child are not required to be in Latvia). Only
one parent is required to travel and attend the adoption court in addition to
any child being adopted who is age 12 or older.
Last, one or both parents and their child make a final trip to Latvia to finalize the new passport, and process through immigration at the US Embassy in Riga, Latvia before bringing their child home as a new American citizen. Typically, this final trip is a Sunday-Friday trip with appointments in Riga scheduled throughout the week for medical clearance for the child, photo for new passport, submission of court and medical documents to the Embassy, interview at the Embassy and issuance of the child’s immigrant visa. It’s a rather relaxed and typically fun trip which allows some time for sightseeing in beautiful historic Riga.
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