Bulgarian Adoption After Covid
Adoption During Thru Covid – Going Smoothly!
Meet one of our families who is adopting their 4 year old daughter from Bulgaria, in 2021 despite Covid delays.
At the time of this blog, in February 2021, they have been in the adoption process for 13 months and we expect for them to be back home with their daughter in another 5 – 6 months!
So their process has been faster than most adoptions we’ve helped our parents with. This family has done a phenomenal job with the paperwork! Their home study agency, Caring Adoption Associates also did a wonderful job for them. In addition, the Bulgarian authorities have been very flexible to help adoptive parents move forward with their procedures during Covid.
The Bulgarian Central Authority with approval from the US Embassy in Sofia has allowed Zoom visits, and taken away quarantine requirements with proof of Negative Covid Test. Travel to Bulgaria currently is overseen by the embassy with a diplomacy note. That is done with no delays.
See more pictures and more about this family’s timeline!
Zoom Vistin – February 2021!
Bulgarian Adoption Timeline Thru Covid
Step 1 – Jan, 2020 – Contract
Step 2 – Jan 2020 – MOJ Application
Still in January, 2020, the family submitted an application directly with the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice (MOJ) about a particular child is one of the first steps on this route. In this case the MOJ approved the application quickly and the family set out to meet all eligibility requirements including an approved home study and a CIS approval.
Step 3 – Sept 2020 – CIS Approval
Once the MOJ approved their initial application, the family set out to do their home study. Along with their home study, they turned in their I800-A Application to CIS who, as a result, issued their CIS approval. This approval is a key document needed for your approval in Bulgaria.
Step 4 – Nov 2020 – Dossier to BG
2.5 months later, the family’s entire dossier including their CIS Approval and approved home study (or home study for expats) was sent to Bulgaria to be translated and submitted with the Bulgarian Central Authority (CA). The CA then proceeded to issue their official match with their 4 year old daughter.
Step 5 – Feb 2021 – Zoom w Child
Bulgarian authorities, with the approval of the US Embassy, allows for parents to make first contact with their children through Zoom. These initail contacts are carried out much like as if they were in person, with there being an official representative of the orphange during the calls. Often times the child’s caregiver, or a social worker, or a child psychologist will be in attendance. In attendance also are our partner’s representatives who are there to translate and help facilitate the meeting. The family was sweet enough to share iwth us this screenshot of their zoom. We can’t show you how cute she is quite yet, but we’ll have more to this story soon!
– Extra –
We love serving this family and can’t wait to send them to Bulgaria soon. Everytime we chat on the phone, their daughter asks us when her “sissy” will be coming?!? Its the cutest thing!
This Family’s Bulgarian Adoption Timeline
| Finish Home Study | 6 Months |
| Get CIS Approval | 2.5 Months Later |
| Offical Match Received | 2 Months Later |
| Covid Delays | About 2 – 3 months. |
| First Trip (Skype) | 2 Months Later |
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