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 Liberia
Adoption Program
Children available for adoption
* Infants, toddlers and children of all ages.
Sibling groups are available.
* Children are in orphanages.
* Children are tested for HIV and Hepatitis B
prior to referral.
Eligibility requirements
* Couples married at least one year.
* Single women are eligible for preschool aged
and older children.
* Flexible age requirements.
Process before travel
* Apply to INS for advanced approval to be eligible
to adopt.
* Satisfy the laws of the state where applicant
resides.
* Complete a Home Study by a licensed agency or
social worker.
Time Frame
* It takes approximately 3 months to obtain INS
approval, complete a Home Study and prepare a
dossier.
* Referral is approx. 4-6 months for an infant
from submission of completed documents. Often
referrals for older children and sibling groups
are immediate.
* Wait to travel is approximately 7-9 months (parents
may visit during the wait).
* One parent must travel.
* Families who elect to have their adoption completed
by POA can spend less than one week in country.
General information
about Liberia
(Information taken from the CIA World Fact Book)
Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what
is today Liberia began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians
were able to establish a republic. William TUBMAN,
president from 1944-71, did much to promote foreign
investment and to bridge the economic, social,
and political gaps between the descendents of
the original settlers and the inhabitants of the
interior. In 1980, a military coup led by Samuel
DOE ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule.
In December 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion
against DOE's regime that led to a prolonged civil
war in which DOE himself was killed. A period
of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections
that brought TAYLOR to power, but major fighting
resumed in 2000. An August 2003, peace agreement
ended the war and prompted the resignation of
former president Charles TAYLOR, who was exiled
to Nigeria. After two years of rule by a transitional
government, democratic elections in late 2005
brought President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF to power.
The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which maintains
a strong presence throughout the country, completed
a disarmament program for former combatants in
late 2004, but the security situation is still
volatile and the process of rebuilding the social
and economic structure of this war-torn country
remains sluggish.
Civil war and government mismanagement have
destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially
the infrastructure in and around the capital,
Monrovia. Many businessmen have fled the country,
taking capital and expertise with them. Some
have returned, but many will not. Richly endowed
with water, mineral resources, forests, and
a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia
had been a producer and exporter of basic products
- primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing,
mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope.
President JOHNSON SIRLEAF, a Harvard-trained
economist, has taken steps to reduce corruption,
build support from international donors, and
encourage private investment. An embargo on
timber exports has been lifted, opening a source
of revenue for the government, but diamonds
remain under UN sanctions. The reconstruction
of infrastructure and the raising of incomes
in this ravaged economy will largely depend
on generous financial support and technical
assistance from donor countries.
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Contact us
The Alliance for Children assists families
throughout the entire adoption process, which
includes document gathering, assignment, travel,
accommodations and the in-country process.
For more information, feel free to contact
us:
The Alliance for Children, Inc.
55 William Street,
Suite G-10
Wellesley, MA 02481-3902
Tel (781) 431-7148
Fax (781) 431-7474
info@allforchildren.org
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