Bulgarian Adoption After Covid
This family’s daughter has had an incredible transformation since she has been home. Help her continue to improve her development by supporting this family’s therapy efforts through Lifesong.
Adoption Completed – Welcome Home!
Welcome home, Stacie and Sam! You guys are absolutely incredible! Your daughter is lucky and blessed to have you as her parents! It was a pleasure to serve you!
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 |
| Pick Up Trip | 4 Months Later |
| Total | 18.5 Months |
See Other Parents' Timelines
We have a few other families who are happy to share their stories and their timelines. To see how long it took them to adopt, please see:
18.5 Months From Start to Finish
Our family adopted their 4 year old daughter, in the middle of Covid, for 18.5 months, from start to finish! That is incredible! It is even better than our estimated “timetables” for waiting child or traditional Bulgarian adoption.
Adoption During Thru Covid – Going Smoothly!
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.
Zoom Visit
Bulgarian Adoption Timeline Thru Covid
18.5 months is an incredible timeline for any adoption, and especially for the adoption of a younger child. Their story is a true blessing and should serve as inspiration to future adoptive parents to begin the steps in the process.
Step 1 – Contract
The first step to officially begin the process is to sign our agency contract. Doing so, initiated their process and we set out to help them meet eligibility requirements for a Bulgarian adoption.
Step 2 – MOJ Waiting Child Application
When the family is adopting a specific, “waiting child”, the priority is to submit an application directly with the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice (MOJ). 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 – 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 – 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 – Zoom w Child
Because of the pandemic, the Bulgarian authorities, with the approval of the US Embassy, allowed 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!
Step 6 – Back Home!
Our favorite step by far, coming back home! One less orphan! To Christ the glory!
Post Adoption Report
This family has done miracles for their daugher in such a short time. Their love, patience and efforts to help her have made an incredible transformation. As I tell them, she is lucky to have you as her parents. They always reply, we’re lucky to have her.
If you’d like to help this family raise money for therapy, you can support them here through Lifesong.
To Christ the glory for one less orphan. Enjoy the post adoption pics!
Learn More About Orphanages in Bulgaria
See this blog with 3 separate adoptive parents share their thoughts on what the orphanage is like?
See Lori’s Interview from 2017.
Understanding The Cost
With our agency, which we believe is unique, the cost of the adoption becomes due on your own timetable, not ours. We call this a “floating fee structure”.
We also offer 37 month financing which lets you make a fixed monthly payment for 37 months. Some of our parents love this option because it lets them spend less money before they can qualify for grants.
Our family did get some grants during their process. We are very grateful to Connected Hearts for helping out our family with a grant!
Getting the adoption tax credit also helps parents with the cost of international adoption.
Succes Stories
Learning about the process by seeing how different families went through each step can be a good learning experience for future adoptive parents. We've shared several stories, each with real timelines, and steps, as they happened in real life to real families.
Christian and Sandra's Story
Finished adoption in 27 months.
Monica and Manny's Story
Finished adoption in 25 months
Jeremy and Jessica's Story
Finished adoption in 20 months
Stacy and Sam's Story
Finished adoption in 18.5 months
Lori's Story
Finished adoption in 18 Months
Ana' Story
Finished adoption in 20 months.
Paul and April's Story
Finished adoption in 28 months
Mike and Megan's Story
Finished adoption in 30 months
Daniel and Alexandra's Story
Finished adoption in 36 months
Continue Your Research
We are humbled to have over 22 years of experience with Bulgarian, Polish and Serbian international adoption. We also help parents adopt children with special needs such as Down Syndrome. Continue to learn about the process and your options by checking the links below. If you have any questions, we offer a FREE, No-Obligation Consult. The consult is a great place to start your research.
Text us or call us with any questions. 704 527 7673.
Learn More About Home Study Process
When Should I Start The Home Study?
Difference Between Home Study and Adoption Agency?
Why Do I Need an Accredited Agency?
